Student Accommodation in Brighton, UK

Brighton is vibrant, colourful, creative and often known as London by the sea. But in all honesty, its only resemblance with London is the crashing housing market crisis. For the last couple of years, Brighton has been ranking amongst Britain’s top 10 most expensive cities with housing prices about 9.6 times higher than the average salary. Between sophisticated student accommodations being built left and right and crusty overpriced student houses on the hilly side of town, the competition remains high and the landlords, vicious.

As discussed in my 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to the UK blog post, there are different options when it comes to student accommodations:

• On-Campus Halls (usually reserved for the first year)

• Private Halls

• Student Houses

• A place of your own

• Staying with a host family
  

Throughout my first year, I was lucky to stay in a brand new building, where I genuinely had a great time. Hollinbgury House had 24/7 CCTV, smart TVs, 3/4 beds, monthly social events and en-suite bedrooms. The location was pretty good too; only a short walk from the big Sainsbury’s and Lewes Road Garage’s bus stop. Nevertheless, the quality of this new build wasn’t the greatest and one could easily tell that it wasn’t built to last. The material seemed cheap and because everything was new, we encountered our fair share of technical issues. One of them being the daily and completely random fire alarms going off. What a time. When I first looked into Abodus Student Living, I was surprised to see how expensive the Brighton accommodation building was in comparison with the ones they had in other cities. Yet, compared to other private halls, this was one of the cheapest options on the market (£195ppw) and they’ve increased the prices since then (£203ppw). Overall, the place met my standards and I keep a positive memory of my experience. Lastly, the staff was always welcoming and helpful and if you’ve ever been there, you’ll know that the House manager was simply iconic.

For my second year, however, I looked into a cheaper alternative and despite starting my house hunt early, I ended up in a terrible house. And that’s where this article starts to be interesting. In the first year, you’ll often hear that the housing market is incredibly competitive and that you must start looking for a house before Christmas break and secure one by January. That is bullshit… To a certain extend.

When you start looking for a student house/flat, there are a few things you should be aware of, especially in Brighton. You should always list what is important for you in a house and think about your budget thoroughly. As mentioned above, rent in Brighton is pretty expensive and most of the time, you won’t be getting your money’s worth. However, it is always a good idea to invest in your housing, especially if you’re an international student. If lockdown taught me something, it’s the importance to live in a space where I can feel comfortable and safe. I’ve met people who decided to go with cheap options so they’d have more money to go out but when the pandemic hit, they just had the worst time, in the worst house. A bad housing situation can lead to serious emotional distress and is often hard to fix. That is why you shouldn’t settle for a place you don’t like. It’s always good to start looking early into the year but don’t be too worried because new houses are added onto the market every day. You might find your dream house in July and it’s okay to take your time. However, if you like a house, you’ll need to move fast.

In terms of location, don’t underestimate the distances between your house and essential services such as grocery stores, public transportation and social spaces. The perfect house in the middle of nowhere isn’t the perfect house. As a student, you’re usually walking everywhere and unless you order your groceries, you don’t want to be walking up a hill with your grocery bags. In Brighton, Elm Grove, Lewes Road, Bevendean and London Road are the main area dedicated to student housing. Beware that Elm Grove and Bevendean are on the hilly side and that the commercial end of London Road can be sketchy. For the latest, the closer to the train station the better. If you’re feeling fancy, you can look for a place in the Lanes but it’s usually more expensive and further away from the universities campuses (unless you’re attending BIMM).

Unfortunately, students are known to be messy, loud and destructive. Mostly perceived as party animals by real estate agencies and landlords, students rarely get nice houses to stay in, since they might break things throughout the year. And I suppose that this applies to a lot of students, particularly freshers. On the other hand, landlords are greedy and know that students are desperate for accommodation. They exploit students’ bad reputations, furnishing their houses with the cheapest furniture and skip the annual maintenance altogether to make as much profit as possible. Moreover, students are not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that house hunting represents and agencies will use your inexperience to their advantage. Keep in mind that just because a company owns half the town, it doesn’t mean they’re good landlords. Some companies, (yes, we’re looking at you Brand Vaughan) seem great at first but won’t blink an eye the day your boiler stops working and you’re stuck in a poorly insulated house with no heating during winter. That is why, while viewing a property, you must ask about the landlord and how responsive they are, what the protocol for emergencies is, etc. Additionally, look up the reviews before signing with a company and don’t be afraid to ask the current tenants about their experience. Finding a good landlord can be difficult, but not impossible. Some of my friends had the best time staying in a WSE property that had been completely refurbished and whose house manager was amazing. Because it’s a smaller company, they put effort into making their tenants happy and it shows. Their properties are on the expensive side but for once in Brighton, you can see your money’s worth. I cannot stress enough how lovely and helping the people at WSE are and couldn’t recommend their houses enough. Having a good landlord truly makes the difference particularly if you’re an international student. I also heard great things about Tangerine properties.

Once you’ve found your ideal house, you’ll need to consider the rental’s payment, pay attention to your contract and ask questions. To get a house off the market, you’ll need to pay a (usually non-refundable) holding deposit and shortly after another deposit (usually 1 month worth of rent) as a security deposit. Often companies will ask for a UK guarantor (often meaning home-owner), or to put down money ahead of your tenancy. They might ask for 6 months worth of payment or even the whole tenancy to be paid ahead. As an International Student, I had to put down 6 months worth of rent which was a lot more than I anticipated. You can also pay £100/month for a third-party company to be your guarantor but it adds up to an additional £1200/year so choose wisely. Things move pretty fast once you’ve taken a house off the market and it’s important that you also have rights as a tenant. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need (preferably by email so you have written proof) to your landlord and try to make sure to carefully read your contract before signing it. If possible, always see the house/flat in person before signing anything so you can ask for fixtures and negotiate before signing your contract. By law, landlords are obligated to provide a liveable house so don’t be afraid of being pushy if needed. Moreover, getting out of your contract can be tricky so try looking for a break clause, just in case.

Finding the perfect student house can be a stressful and thorough job however, I’m convinced that a good house is essential especially when you’re away from home. Sometimes you’ll have to make concessions and compromise to fulfil everyone’s needs but keep in mind that your wellbeing is more important than pleasing people. In my opinion, everything is about balance and good communication. Make sure you feel comfortable with the people you’ll be sharing your personal space with. When in doubt, trust your guts.

Things ask about during a house viewing:

• What is the price per person per week?

• Are the bills included? If so, what utilities are included and at what price?

• What is the length of tenancy?

• What kind of guarantors are required? UK home-owner?

• If I don’t have a UK guarantor, what are my options and how much money could I be paying up-front?

• How responsive is the landlord? Are they reliable?

• How old is the boiler? Have any issued been reported this year?

• Are there any issues with the heaters/radiators/boiler/stove/oven/electricity I should be aware of?

• Will the house be professionally cleaned before the moving-in date?

• When is the moving-in date

• What amenities are provided (TV, kettle, vacuum cleaner, mop…)?

• If there’s a TV: will the TV license be provided by the landlord?

• Is there a parking spot or would I need a permit?

Things to look for during a house viewing:

• Kitchen amenities such as dish-washer, oven

• Washing machine and/or a dryer

• Fire alarm

• Carbon monoxide detector (It’s a legal requirement, yet I had to argue for one last year!)

• Locks on the bedroom doors

• The amount of natural light (the lack of vitamin D in winter is real!)

• Presence of a suitable desk and chair in each bedroom

• The state of the walls and floors/carpets (cracks, chipping paint…)

• The bathroom amenities and state; is there any mould of gimme build-up?

• The state of the furnitures: if the wardrobe looks like it’s about to fall apart, it probably will. Same with the chairs

Lastly, be patient, don't settle and good luck on your house hunt!