We’ve seen an increase in agents charging ‘administrative charges’, which can cost up to £180 (£150 plus VAT) per student. The Government have recognised the unfairness of this practice and in their Autumn Statement have promised to ban “letting fees to tenants as soon as possible”. Not all agents or landlords charge these and some fees are lower than others. Charges should be reasonable, transparent and displayed clearly in office and on website. Agents and landlords should provide you with a breakdown of all fees before you sign the contract. 

Why trawl around estate agents when you can come to one event and meet the agents and landlords all in one place? Our Queen’s Campus fair has already taken place, but come along to the Durham City fair in Epiphany term: Durham Campus: The Ballroom, Durham Students' Union, Wednesday 25 January 12:00 - 16:00 http://www.durhamsu.com/events/the-housing-fair-durhamsu

Damp walls and mould can make living in your student home a nightmare. You will probably need to turn your heating on more which will lead to bigger bills and there are health problems associated with living in these conditions. Look out for condensation on windows, discoloured walls and mould. Ask the current tenants if they have experienced any issues in the house. If you notice any you may want to think twice.

When viewing a property, if the landlord or agent talks about improvements, redecoration or renovations, ask them to put this in writing with date commitments before you sign. Properties should be fully ready on the day you start paying for your tenancy.

One of the best things about living out is you get to choose where to live. Think about whether you are up for lots of noise and late nights, if you want to be near your academic department or you want to be near the sports facilities. Our handy tenant questionnaire http://www.durhamsu.com/resources/2016-housemate-questionnaire can help you make this decision.

Top Tip: If you’re not familiar with the area, be sure to Google the property to see where it actually is, rather than just taking an agents word for it.

Check out our handy housing guide  http://www.durhamsu.com/housing-guide.  

for tips on choosing a location and what the average rents are.  

Housing contracts are a legally binding document. Make sure you check your's carefully. You can use our handy contract checking section to spot the pitfalls. 

Ask them if they are happy with the property and landlord or agent.

Have there been any issues?

Were these resolved quickly?

We have a handy easy to follow housing guide

 http://www.durhamsu.com/housing-guide which gives a quick run down of everything you need to know.

Top tip: Make sure you use our checklist http://www.durhamsu.com/resources/2016-viewing-checklist to ensure you have considered various aspects so you can feel confident with your choice.

Before you get your heart set on a property, set yourself a budget. You will need to factor in household bills, food, social and extra-curricular activities, academic supplies etc.

We get so many people coming to us who are struggling to pay rent. Make sure you’ve done your sums before you commit to a house.

Read our housing guide online here: http://www.durhamsu.com/housing-guide 

check out our housing support pages: http://www.durhamsu.com/main-menu/support/housing-support 

Get in touch directly on

dsu.advice@durham.ac.uk