Six top tips for choosing the perfect student accommodation

By on February 9th, 2017

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When preparing for university life, new students can often be faced with lots of important decisions to make. So, once you’ve picked where you want to study, the next big question on your list is: “Where am I going to live?”

There are numerous factors to consider when deciding which student accommodation is right for you. Downing Students believe that finding the right place to live while you study should be easy, so to help you decide, we conducted a survey of over 450 of our student tenants, who have shared their six top tips for picking the perfect location.

1.Stay connected

The most important requirement recognised by our students was a strong and reliable INTERNET CONNECTION. This is particularly important if you prefer to study from the comfort of your own room, so being confident that your accommodation can deliver a trustworthy internet connection is very important. Downing employs a dedicated managed internet service; Student Com, to deliver an award winning online experience, with 24/7 support, especially for students.

 

2. Location, location, location

Another key factor that was highlighted in our student survey was LOCATION. 86% of all students said that location was very important to them when considering where they wanted to live. It’s important to think about the convenience of your accommodation; can you walk everywhere? Are you near to both university facilities and the local shops and nightlife? Although properties that are not in a central location can often seem cheaper, when factoring in transport costs, they may become more expensive.

 

3. Safe and sound

The third tip our student survey suggested when choosing your accommodation was to consider the SECURITY of your apartment – a crucial factor that can often be forgotten amongst the excitement of starting university. 73% of students claimed that the security of their accommodation was very important to their student experience. It may be worthwhile doing some research into the accommodation, such as finding out about the security systems and whether there will be staff around to make you feel safe.

 

4. A friendly smile

70% of students thought it was very important that the staff at their accommodation are FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE. The team at your accommodation will have an important role to play in making sure that you are comfortable and happy during your stay there. It may be a good idea to make the time to have a quick chat with them when you go to view a property, or ask an existing tenant about their thoughts on the staff. A friendly team can make a big difference to how quickly you settle into your new accommodation and it’s also the staff that will be arranging events and icebreakers – so make sure to ask about the social calendar too!

 

5. Work, rest and play

According to our survey, 65% of students felt that the COMMUNAL FACILITIES were a very important factor when choosing accommodation. Having a communal area, such as a common room, gym or cinema room, can be a great way to socialise and make new friends. If you have the opportunity, we would recommend that you take the time to look around all of the communal areas that your accommodation offers, such as the laundry room, to ensure that they are well maintained.

 

6. It’s all about the experience

The sixth tip shared by Downing students was to ensure that you sign your contract with a TRUSTED AND EXPERIENCED ORGANISATION. Just under two thirds of our survey ranked this as being a very important factor. By choosing an established and experienced organisation, you can be assured that you are in safe hands. For example, an organisation that has been running for over 20 years will have gained invaluable knowledge that can help to make your stay enjoyable – even down to the comfort of your bed.

Hopefully these six top tips from our student residents will help to make your decision much easier, when choosing the right student accommodation for you.

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