North London
Hampstead
So you’ve finally got your results after a long summer of waiting, and you’re going to university in London. Congrats! It’s a massive achievement, and you’ve got a lot to look forward to. Alongside your course – which is obviously your priority – you’ll meet new people, explore one of the best student cities in the world and try new things.
Or maybe, you’ve already finished your first year, or you’re heading back to university for a Masters or PhD. Whatever your circumstances, there’s one question that all students have to face: do you want to live in private student accommodation or rent a flat or house from a private landlord?
If you’ve only ever lived at home or in university halls, it’s a tricky question to answer. There are some pretty big differences between the two, and there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. Luckily, we’ve got your back. We’ve put together this comparison guide on private student accommodation and rented housing in London. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be ready to make your choice.
Ready to get started?
Before we jump into the comparison, we thought it would be useful to give you an overview of the difference between private student accommodation and rented housing. On the face of it, they’re pretty similar – ultimately, they’re both a place that you pay to live in while you’re at university. So, let's take a closer look at what makes them different:
Private student accommodation is a type of housing that is specifically designed for students. It can be either purpose-built or converted from an existing building, such as a hotel or office block.
Private student accommodation is usually rented on a per-room basis, with tenants sharing common areas such as living spaces. Each room is usually fitted with its own en-suite and kitchen area. Unlike traditional halls of residence, private student accommodation is not owned or managed by the university, but by private companies or landlords.
Private rented housing for students in London is any type of housing that is not owned by a university or college. This includes apartments, houses, and rooms in shared flats. Students will usually rent a single room in a property and then share the communal areas like the bathroom, kitchen, dining area and living room.
These properties are owned by a landlord or letting agency and usually require tenants to rent the entire property rather than a single room – but not always. Unlike university halls of residence and private student accommodation, private rented housing is not exclusive to students.
If you’ve ever looked into any form of accommodation in London, you’ll know that it can cost a pretty penny. If you’re looking to study in London, it’s good to start your search for student accommodation knowing that prices can be quite high. But don’t panic – finding affordable student accommodation in London is possible, you just need to know where to look for it.
A lot of the time, the cost depends on:
Let’s take a look at private rented housing prices.
For starters, prices for rental properties in London vary quite drastically. The cost of accommodation in central London (zones 1 and 2 on the tube) is usually a lot higher than housing further out. For example, the cost of a studio flat in the City of London (zone 1) is around £1,350 a month, whereas a studio flat in Barking and Dagenham (zone 4) is around £750 a month.
As you can see, the prices can vary quite a bit depending on where you are looking. The big problem for students is that most London universities are in zones 1 and 2. This means that you can either choose lower-cost accommodation and a long, potentially expensive commute or pricier, more central housing.
It’s also important to remember that there’s a lot of competition for London rental properties as it’s not just students who rent. This often means that you’ll need to offer a higher rent to secure the property. Plus, private rentals very rarely include utility costs in the rent, so you’ll need to pay these separately.
Now let’s take a look at private student accommodation.
In terms of price, there’s not a huge difference. For example, if you’re studying at University College London, a standard studio in nearby Euston costs around £325 a week. This means you’ll be paying about £1300 a month.
But while the price is quite similar, most private student accommodation includes all bills in the cost, so it could work out significantly cheaper – especially with rising energy prices in the UK. Alongside that, most private student accommodation is close to campus, so you can save money on your commute (more on this later.)
Unsurprisingly, you’re probably going to want wherever you live to be nice. After all, it’s where you’re going to eat, sleep and study for at least the next year of university. So while price is often the biggest influence on your decision, it’s worth taking the condition of the accommodation into account.
This is one area where there’s a significant difference between private student accommodation and rented housing.
Let’s look at rented housing first.
Most of us have heard horror stories about the conditions of rental properties. The news is constantly full of people’s experiences with mouldy and damp conditions and landlords not doing anything about it. The good news is that not all private rental properties are in dire condition – in fact, many of them are in great condition.
The bad news is that it can be difficult to tell whether a property is in good or bad condition. Between tenancies, landlords can quickly cover up any issues that might be red flags for potential new tenants. Then six months later, the issues come back, and there’s not a lot tenants can do beyond hope the landlord helps.
Landlords in London tend to be busy people. They often own multiple rental properties, or they’re just ordinary people with a second property to rent. Unfortunately, this means they’re not always available to deal with issues that crop up.
Private student accommodation is a bit different.
Private student accommodation is usually run by companies rather than individuals, which means they have a reputation to protect and live up to. Due to this, both the conditions of the accommodation and the assistance available tends to be much better.
This kind of accommodation usually has regular renovations to ensure that everything is up to scratch. Between tenants, the companies take the time to ensure that every room is professionally cleaned and deal with any maintenance issues before new tenants arrive. But if something does go wrong, there’s always someone on hand to help, and you’ll probably never have to pay for repairs yourself.
London is a big city. No surprises there, but if you’ve never visited London before, it’s probably tricky to work out just how big it is. Even if you’ve been on holiday in London, it’s unlikely that you went much beyond central London, which is just a small part of the city.
This can make finding accommodation for university challenging as you’re probably not sure where everything is or how long it takes to get from place to place. The last thing you want is to have to get up two hours before a 9 am lecture to commute to university because you didn’t realise quite how far away you’d be living.
For a change, let’s start with private student accommodation first.
As private student accommodation is exclusively for university students, they tend to be close to one or a range of different university campuses. For example, if you’re planning to study at the London School of Economics, you’ll be able to find private student accommodation in nearby Euston and Bloomsbury.
This doesn’t mean that you need to live on your university’s doorstep, but if you want to be close, it’s easy to find private student accommodation nearby.
Private rental properties are a bit different.
As we mentioned, London is a big city, and there are houses and flats available to rent in every part of it. This is great news if you want to live somewhere specific in London, but it makes finding accommodation near your university difficult.
Not only will you have to pay more to be in the heart of London but you’ll be competing with both other students and other renters for accommodation. While it’s possible to find a well-priced rental property near your university, you’ll need to apply as soon as you can and be willing to be flexible on price.
If you’re planning to find a private rental property, check your university’s website as they often have a list of exclusive student properties with reliable landlords.
Read our guide on where to rent accommodation in London.
Now that we’ve dealt with the more financial and logistical aspects of living as a student in London, we can move onto the social side of things. One of the best things about university is the chance to meet new people and make new friends.
The good news is that both private student accommodation and private rentals have social aspects, so you’ll meet new people whichever you choose. There are a few differences, though.
With shared private rental properties, you may not have control over who you live with and share communal spaces with. This is why most students who move into private rental properties group together to rent rather than finding rooms individually. This can be tricky if:
As rooms in rented properties in London are in high demand, you often have to go with what you can get. This means you can end up living with a range of different people that aren’t necessarily students.
With private student accommodation, you won’t have control over who you live with, but they will be other students. It’s also fairly likely that they’ll be at the same university as you if you pick accommodation close to campus.
Alongside that, you won’t need to share bathrooms or kitchens with anyone as you’ll have your own. This is often a big bonus for students who are either tidy or messy, as they won’t need to worry about annoying anyone or being annoyed by anyone.
On the whole, private student accommodation is a safer, more private and cost-effective choice. But it’s not for everyone, and you might prefer the freedom of more choice that comes with private rental properties.
The choice is yours, and we hope that our guide has given you the information you need to make up your mind. But if you’re still not sure, we’re here to help. The team at StudentStudios2Let are always on hand to offer advice and find a solution that works for you.
Even if you’ve made your mind up, we know that moving to London as a student can be daunting – especially if it’s your first time away from home. That’s why we’re constantly adding new student guides to our website. Here are a few of our most recent guides:
Ready to find your student accommodation in London? Explore our range of student en-suite studio apartments close to all major London universities today.
At Student.Studios2Let, we understand that finding affordable student accommodation in London can be a challenge. That's why we offer a wide range of fully-furnished and all-inclusive studio apartments, designed to make renting in London easy. Our studio apartments are available in a variety of locations across London, and come complete with all the bills and Wifi included.
So if you're looking for private student accommodation in London, Student.Studios2Let should be your first port of call. And if you need any extra information or advice on finding the right place to rent, our team will be glad to help. Just get in touch today.
