Living off campus
Options for living off campus
Private halls of residence
For private halls of residence there are a number of local providers these include Unite who have locations in both Stratford and Forest Gate. Also Cass and Claredale Halls Association who have locations in Bethnal Green and Hackney. In this type of accommodation the length of agreement is normally a minimum of six months - or for the whole of the academic year. Accommodation is normally in clusters of flats with your own study-bedroom - sharing communal facilities with other flatmate's.
Renting a room in a shared or family home
Many students live in privately rented accommodation. Residential Services keep a list of local householders who let out rooms. Often these are in the landlord’s own home. You are normally provided with your own furnished study-bedroom, sharing the other facilities of the house with the landlord and their family. Private lodgings like these usually offer a variety of flexible arrangements, for example, with or without meals.
New students who do not choose, or do not obtain, a place in the university halls of residence often choose this option. Rents are generally reasonable and are payable weekly or monthly. You will not be tied in to a long agreement period and you can usually leave at a week’s or month’s notice.
We can provide you with a list of available rooms, with information about the location, rent and deposit details, the family make-up, facilities available and catering options. These are details provided by the Landlord to us - you should then contact them directly if the property they are advertising is suited to your needs.
House or flat share with other tenants
We normally recommend a house or flat share as more suitable for returning students.
Although this option offers the most independence, you will need to have:
- confidence in those you share with
- be ready to take joint responsibility for rent and utilities
- understand the implications of entering into a joint Accommodation Agreement
If you wish to live in a shared student house you can contact our private letting's section who have lists of properties offered by private landlords in the area local to UEL.
The most common Accommodation Agreement in the private sector is the Assured Shorthold Accommodation Agreement. This type of Accommodation Agreement keeps you tied to a property for a minimum agreement period of six months.
If you sign this type of agreement, you and your flat/housemates are legally bound to pay rent until the end of the agreement. This means that if one of you defaults on the payment - the others still have to make sure it’s paid. That’s why it’s important to have confidence in the people you’re sharing with.
You need to begin your search for a property well in advance of the start of term. Once you have found a suitable property you should inspect it thoroughly and be satisfied with the terms and conditions of the Accommodation Agreement before signing any documents.
The University has NOT inspected any off campus properties and you are strongly recommended to view them before you accept.
Home Stay
This type of accommodation is popular with overseas students wishing to improve their English language skills and live as part of a family. The advantage of this kind of accommodation is that you do not have to commit yourself to a very long stay (often as little as 2 weeks), so if it isn't working you can end the arrangement fairly easily.
The Good Neighbours Guide
When you rent accommodation off-campus, you will be living amongst the permanent residents of the area.
- Get to know your neighbours and be considerate of them – they may be elderly, have young children or have to get up early each day.
- Keep music down to a reasonable level, especially late at night – if you plan to have a party, warn the neighbours beforehand and make every effort to keep noise down to reasonable levels.
- Avoid offensive behaviour – including shouting or drinking in the streets, urinating in gardens (including your own) and tasteless notes or posters in front windows. Remember that being drunk is no excuse.
- Respect others’ property – particularly fences, walls, street furniture and parked cars – minor attempts at demolition count as criminal damage and are treated as such.
- Consider others when parking – elderly neighbours or those with babies or toddlers need to park outside their houses.
- Play your part in protecting the quality of the neighbourhood – keep your garden and surrounding areas tidy and free of rubbish. This is in your interests because run-down areas attract criminal activity and students are the main victims.
If you observe or suffer from disruptive or criminal behaviour, ring your local police, even if it is after the event – it is vital information in eradicating the problems.
Bear in mind that the reputation of other students and UEL is in your hands.
If you require further information about Off Campus Accommodation please contact our team on:
Tel: 020 8223 4445
E-mail: privatelettings@uel.ac.uk
Useful Documents
- Accommodation Agreement
- Handbook for Residents
- Conference & Events
- Download Brochure
For disabled access information for the halls of resisdence see DisabledGo
