Living in London

ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS

It is very important to arrange some form of accommodation before you arrive in the UK, even if it is only temporary. You should do this before you leave your home country. At this time, LISPA does not provide housing for students.

You will need to find accommodation owned by private landlordsor external organizations. You can find and arrange your accommodation either by yourself or with the help of advice and suggestions from the LISPA office.

LISPA will arrange an email list in June/July of 2006 which will allow both new and returning students to contact one another directly to arrange flatshares and start looking for accommodation together. In the past, new UK students and returning students who are already in London have partnered with students from other countries who are not yet in the UK to look for flats on behalf of a group. New students can also arrange for a week or two of short-term accommodation in a hostel, for example, while looking for permanent term-time address.

Remember, if you are not an EEA national, the Immigration Rules state that you must be able to meet the cost of your accommodation in the UKwithout working or claiming welfare benefits. It is very important for you to have suitable accommodation while you are studying. The standard of your work and your health can suffer if your living conditions are not satisfactory.

WHAT TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION IS AVAILABLE?

• Hotels and guest-houses

Guest-houses are similar to hotels but instead of having a restaurant, they may have a dining room where you have no choice about the meals served. Living in a hotel for a long period of time will be expensive. However, hotels and guest-houses provide useful temporary accommodation which you can reserve while still in your home country. Hostels (see below) also offer temporary accommodation. There is a list of temporary accommodation contacts provided at the end of this section.

WHAT TYPES OF LONG-TERM ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

• Hostels

These are normally owned by charitable organizations. Some hostels provide rooms for both single and married students. They usually provide some meals or have cooking facilities and allow students to prepare their own food. Staying in a hostel can give you the opportunity to become familiar with the area where you are studying and this is an advantage if you want to find private accommodation later. If you wish to apply for a place in a student hostel, you should do this in advance because many hostels have long waiting lists. You will have to pay a deposit to secure your booking. There are several websites and phone numbers for hostels listed at the end of this section.

• Lodgings/family hosting

This means renting a room in a private house. The landlord/landlady will also live in the house, perhaps with their family. You will probably have to share the bathroom and kitchen. You may have to fit in with the family’s lifestyle and respect the customs of the household. For example, if there are small children, they may wish to have quiet evenings. Meals may be provided or you may be able to use the kitchen to cook your own food. Lodgings can provide you with good company and support but you will not be completely independent.

• Bedsits

A bedsit is a single room, in which you will have to live and sleep. The building will be divided into several bedsits, which will be rented by other people who may not be students. Cooking facilities may be in the bedsit or elsewhere in the building, in which case, you will have to share them. You will also have to share a bathroom with the other people living in the same building. You will have to clean your own room, do your own laundry and provide your own bed-linen and towels. Heating can be quite expensive. In a bedsit you will be independent and have a lot of freedom, but it may be lonely. Bedsits vary in size and quality so you should never take a room without seeing it first.

• Flats and houses

After you have been in the UK for some time and have found a small group of friends, you may wish to share a furnished flat or house together. You will share the rent, heating and lighting bills, the food bills and the cleaning. This sort of accommodation can be cheaper than the other types but large houses can be difficult to find. Again, you will have to provide your own bed linen and towels and do your own cleaning.

PRIVATE PROPERTY: RENTING A ROOM/RENTING A FLAT

HOW DO I FIND ACCOMMODATION?

Accommodation agencies, local newspapers (for example ‘Loot’ in London) and advertisements in shop and estate agency windows are useful when you are looking for somewhere to live. Agencies often charge a fee so you should find out how much they will charge before you ask them to look for accommodation for you. No agency is allowed to charge you any fee for showing you properties; however, they usually charge you an administrative fee once you have taken the property.

LISPA is in the process of contacting various agencies to negotiate reduced agency fees for LISPA students. Contact the LISPA office directly for more information.

If you take private accommodation, you must read any contract or other document carefully, before you sign, and get a copy for yourself. You must also get receipts for all payments. If you need help with your legal rights, you can get free advice at a local Law Centre or Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

Renting private accommodation procedures will vary depending on whether you make the arrangements with the landlord or an agency. Please visit the following websites to obtain a more general idea of the private property offered in London.

www.loot.com
www.net-lettings.co.uk
www.pastures-new.co.uk
www.gumtree.com
www.accommodation.com

Note: In the case of bedsits, flats and houses, DO NOT sign any contract you do not fully understand. If you are unsure, take a copy of the agreement to the LISPA office for advice.

The following is a chart of pros and cons between renting a room and renting a flat/house. Some students have paid up to three month’s rent in advance, in addition to a deposit, in order to bypass ‘proof of income’. The documents requested may vary from agency to agency.

DEPOSITS

Whichever type of accommodation you choose, you will probably be asked to pay a deposit when you move in, as well as one month’s rent in advance. A deposit is a sum of money, usually one month’s rent, which you pay to the landlord/property management agent when you move in. This money will be given back to you when you leave the property, on condition that there has been no damage caused during your stay, beyond what could be considered ‘normal wear and tear’. If any repairs or redecoration are needed when you leave the property, then the landlord/property management agent will keep all or part of the deposit to cover the cost. Since most properties are rented furnished, there may also be an inventory made of items already in the flat (eg furnishings, kitchen items) when you arrive, and all those items will have to be accounted for when you move out. Be sure to be present whenever an inventory is taken, and ask for your own copy of any paperwork related to it.

COUNCIL TAX

Council Tax is a system of local taxation, which is collected by local authorities. It is a tax on domestic property and residents in the UK have to pay unless the law provides that they do not have to pay. Full-time students who live with other full-time students do not have to pay the tax. LISPA will provide you with a Council Tax Exemption letter should you rent accommodation which is taxable.

INSURANCE

Whatever type of accommodation you choose, it is wise to protect your belongings from theft, fire, loss or accidental damage while you are staying in the UK. Insurance companies can provide policies to cover clothes, books, computers, TV, hi-fi equipment and valuables.

USEFUL CONTACT INFORMATION – TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

ADDRESS LIST

Please note that much of this temporary accommodation (for example, International Students’ House) can be used by international students whilst they look for long-term accommodation in London. Please check with the accommodation provider; and book in advance.

London Conference on Overseas Students ( LCOS)

Website: www.lcos.org.uk

LCOS publishes a London student hostels directory, which can be accessed on the web.

Tel: 020 7631 8309

Both short and long-term accommodation

International Students House ( ISH)

1 Park Crescent
London W1N 4SH
Tel: 020 7631 8300: main switchboard
020 7631 8310: reservations office
Web: www.ish.org.uk
( ISH is a residence and club for British and international students).

London Hostels Association Ltd.(LHA)

54 Eccleston Square
London SW1V 1PG
Tel: 020 7834 1545
Web: www.london-hostels.co.uk
(Runs hostels for students)

Goodenough College

London House
23 Mecklenburgh Square
London WC1N 2AN
Tel: 020 7837 8831
Web: www.goodenough.ac.uk
(Post graduate students).

Temporary accommodation

Hotels; bed and breakfasts; guest-houses

The London Tourist Board
Tel: 020 7932 2000

Accommodation Booking Service

Tel: 020 7932 2020
Mon-Fri, 9am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-2.00pm ( UK time)
You can also book accommodation via their website at www.londontouristboard.com

Women’s Link

Tel: 020 7248 1200
Mon-Thur 10am-1pm and 2-4pm for telephone advice
Email: advice@womenslink.org.uk
Web: www.womenslink.org.uk
(Advice and help about accommodation for women and girls in London)

THROUGHOUT UK

British Tourist Authority

Web: www.visitbritain.com
(Hotels; bed and breakfasts; guest-houses)

Youth Hostels Association (YHA)

Customer Services: 0870 870 8808
Web: www.yha.org.uk
(Provides lists of Youth Hostels throughout UK, for temporary accommodation.)

Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)

642 Forest Road
London E17 3EF
Tel: 020 8520 0931
Web: www.ymca.org.uk
(Provides temporary hostel accommodation for people of any religion, throughout UK)

Best of the Web - London - a helpful resource for students researching London on the Internet.

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