Chances are, during your first year, you were living in university halls. Living in purpose-built university accommodation on or near campus was probably incredibly convenient and simple. Now, you’ve got to start searching for your second-year house, and you’re still trying to figure out where to start.
The good news is that there are loads of private houses available for students to rent in student cities up and down the country. Whether you want to live in a massive house with all your mates or share a flat with a couple of close friends, there’s a privately rented uni house to suit you!
Split The Bills has put together this guide with our 5 top tips to help you find the perfect second-year uni house.
Put simply, a uni house usually refers to a rental house available for multiple students to rent. Unlike university halls and private halls, which are purpose-built, uni houses have usually been converted or renovated to make them more suitable for students to share.
They range from small two-bedroomed flats to huge, shared houses with eight or even ten bedrooms. Whatever the size of your house, you should expect at least one communal living area and a shared kitchen. Some uni houses might have en-suite bathrooms, while most will have one or two shared bathrooms for everyone to use.
When looking for student accommodation for your second (and third/fourth) year, most students will opt to live in a privately rented uni house. In fact, according to Save the Student’s National Student Accommodation Survey 2023, 46% of all students (including first years) rent from private landlords.
One of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing who to live with. Whoever you choose, you’ll be living with them for the entire year, so don’t rush your decision.
Try and think practically. If you’re naturally a bit messy and disorganised, living with someone who wants the house to be spotless all the time might not be the right choice, even if you get on really well.
If you’re struggling to find housemates for your second year, it never hurts to ask. Speak with people on your course, anyone you’re currently living with, or people you know from clubs or societies about their plans for next year. Your university might have an online forum or a social media page where you can connect with people in the same situation.
When it comes to starting your search for your ideal uni house, don’t waste time getting started. Student housing is becoming more and more competitive, and if you’re not proactive, you’ll end up stuck with the accommodation options no one else wants.
You can start looking as early as October, but by January, you should definitely have started your search and ideally have some viewings booked. Check out our blog, ‘When should you search for student housing?‘ for more detailed information.
Before you start booking viewings, make sure you sit down with your future housemates and have a chat about where you want to live. Decide what’s important to you as a group – do you want to be as close to campus as possible for an easy commute? Or is it more important to be near your favourite bars, pubs and clubs?
Whatever you decide, make sure everyone agrees to avoid arguments later down the line.
No matter how perfect a house looks online, always attend a viewing before you sign the contract. Photos and even videos can be old or misleading – the only way to truly see what a house is like is to visit it with your future housemates. You’ll be able to see the size of the bedrooms, the conditions of the house, and what the area is like.
One of the big differences between student halls and private accommodation is that in a private house, you’ll likely have to handle the bills yourself. If you’ve never paid utility bills before, this might sound completely overwhelming.
The good news is that there’s a simple solution – a bill-splitting service. A specialist company that will handle your water, gas, electric, and broadband. All you have to do is pay one neat bill each month. All the bills will be automatically divided between everyone you’re living with, so there’ll be no arguments about missed payments and no calculations trying to work out who owes who.
There’s no reason to let the stress of utility bills ruin your second-year uni experience. At Split The Bills, it’s our mission to make shared bills as simple as possible for students.
Split The Bills is the simplest way to deal with shared household bills. Our expert team will do all the hard work – we’ll contact your utility suppliers, find the best deals, and set up accounts on your behalf. You can customise your package to include what you need for your second-year house (uncapped energy, water, broadband and even a TV licence if you need it).
All the bills are split between you and your housemates – so there will be no awkward conversations about late payments or arguing about who paid who!
Learn more about how we work, or get a monthly price estimate for your second-year uni house today.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.
The move from first to second year at university often comes with a lot of change as most students will have to start paying bills for the first time. In this feature we discuss how you can keep your finances organised and pay bills responsibly.