Renting Student Accommodation vs Private Housing: Everything You Should Know

Before you move to uni, you’ll have to choose where you live from a range of accommodation options. This is usually a choice between university-owned student accommodation or private housing. Although they’re similar in the sense that you’ll pay rent to both, they still operate in very different ways.

This guide is here to help you understand the differences, as well as their pros and cons. Let’s get into it…

What is Student Accommodation?

Student halls are university-provided accommodations designed specifically for students. They typically include individual rooms with shared communal areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and lounges. Most halls also offer additional facilities like laundry rooms, study areas, and common spaces for socialising.

Do you have to stay in student halls in your first year?

The simple answer is no. Every university differs, but most will allow you to choose where you live in your first year and the years after too. It is, however, most common for first years to stay in university student accommodation. Here’s why:

Benefits of living in student halls

  • Easy to meet new people: Living in halls is a popular way to meet new people and make the friends you might want to live with in second year. You have an opportunity to get to know your flatmates, as well as venturing across campus.
  • Located close to campus: Student accommodation is usually located close to campus, or sometimes on If not, halls are often well-connected to the town/city centre with supporting transport links.
  • Nearby friends: If you choose to live in student accommodation, you’ll most likely only be a short walk away from each other.

Cons of living in student halls

  • Small rooms: In order to fit so many students into the halls, the rooms aren’t the most spacious. They’ll usually have a single bed and a small amount of storage space.
  • No private garden: Compared to private housing that usually has gardens, student halls don’t. This is probably not the ultimate deal-breaker but it’s one to keep in mind.
  • More noise: With so many people living in one small area, you might find the noise pollution to be really disruptive. With people having house parties and coming home from nights out, this could be an annoyance when you’re trying to study or sleep.

What is Private Housing for students?

Private accommodation for students allows you to live alone or with others. It’s great if you know who you want to live with because you have complete choice over where you live, how many rooms the house has, who you live with, and so much more. It gives you more independence than student halls because it’s not classed as university property (which may have extra supervision and restrictions in place), but is handled by landlords and letting agents instead. It’s also up to you to sort your bills and your rent.

Benefits of private student housing

  • More variety in living options: There are so many types of private housing to choose from! Whether it’s a one-bedroom apartment, studio flat, or an 8-bedroom semi-detached house, there’s usually something on the market to suit everyone’s preferences.
  • Better amenities and modern facilities: You’ll typically have a ¾ or double bed, high-speed Wi-Fi, a lounge, a kitchen, and a garden space.
  • Choose who you live with: You have complete control over who you share the accommodation with.
  • Choose where you live: Private accommodation for students can be scattered around the city. So, if you want to be in the heart of the city centre where everything is, you can be. Alternatively, you have the option to live further away from the busyness and settle into the quiet of friendly neighbourhoods.
  • Greater privacy: You have your own space to yourself since you’re not sharing it with hundreds of other students, just who you choose to!

Cons of private student housing

  • House hunting: The housing market moves fast and with so many students in every city, the demand for student houses is high. Be prepared and know what you and your prospective housemates are searching for!
  • Splitting bills with housemates: Living in private rentals means it’s up to you and your housemates to sort and pay your utility bills. You’ll have to consider who’s paying what and make sure they’re paid on time.

How Split The Bills Can Help

Split The Bills is a bill-splitting service trusted by thousands of students across the UK. Our team will set up utility accounts for your household, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of ringing suppliers, setting up direct debits, or calculating how much everyone owes.

Our bill package includes energy and water, your choice of broadband and an optional TV Licence (if you plan on watching live TV). All you need to do is pay one monthly bill, which automatically covers all your household bills.

By choosing Split The Bills, you don’t have to worry about sorting or paying your bills because we do it for you! Get a monthly price for your household bills instantly, and make moving into your new student house as hassle-free as possible.