House Hunting 2010.....Why Rush?

Unipol, supported by the University of Bradford, Bradford College, the students' union and Bradford Metropolitan District Council, is the focal point for advice and support for students looking for private rented accommodation.

We are not a housing supplier ourselves or a letting agent. We take pride in our role as honest broker, providing you with impartial information about properties so that you can make the best decisions for you.

House Hunting......A Waiting Game

It is estimated that in Bradford over 5,000 students will live in privately rented accommodation and as students return from the Christmas break, many will be turning their attention to finding a property for next year.

The Official start for House Hunting 2010 is Monday 8th February 2010.

As of this date hundreds of bed spaces will go live on the Unipol website as landlords advertise their properties for the 2010- 2011 academic year.

Please don't be tempted to start your search for your next home before the 8th February. There is a surplus of good quality student housing in Bradford so it is not necessary to rush to secure your house. By waiting until the official start date you will be allowing yourself some extra time to get to know your potential housemates and also the city of Bradford itself, enabling you to make a more considered decision about exactly what you want from your next student house.

Housing Myths and Rumours

Every year some students fall foul of various housing myths and rumours which panic students into making rash and poor decisions. Some of the rumours that you may have heard include:

• there is a housing shortage. This is simply not true. There are more student bedspaces than students in Bradford.
• you have to look for a house straight after Christmas. Also not true, many students leave their house hunting until May or June or until the summer before they return to University and still secure good houses and a better deal.
• all the best places go first. The only areas where there might be a shortage are the larger houses 8's and above. But if there are 10 of you, why not look for two houses next door to each other, or in the same street?
• everyone pays sign up fees. Many owners do not ask students to pay admin or sign up fees. Ask what you are paying for. Take your time and look at a good selection of properties.

The Unipol Code

The vast majority of landlords on the Unipol website are member of the Unipol Code. These landlords voluntarily sign up to abide by a number of conditions that exceed current legal requirements, so you get more protection covering more areas. Unipol checks that the landlord is meeting the standards they say they are and last year inspected over 70 individual houses and many of the larger developments to ensure standards.

We hope that by renting from a Unipol Code owner you will have a trouble-free house hunting experience. You can check whether a landlord has registered to be a Code owner by clicking here.

 Not in a group yet? Student to Student Notice Board and Single Lets

If you’re not in a group, there are still plenty of ways to find good accommodation. As there is a surplus in accommodation in Bradford many owners are happy to sign students for individual lets rather than requiring you to be in a group to sign for a joint contract. The owners advert will state “will let individually” if this is possible. To find these properties, you simply need to search online for accommodation that has “1 room available”.

In addition you can use the Student to Student Notice Board on the Unipol website. This is an online forum where you can post messages to look for housemates or respond to existing messages. To use the boards you need to register. Any messages posted are checked by a member of Unipol staff before they appear on the website.

Returning Students

Some house hunting tips: 

•  work out who you want to live with
• explore areas of Bradford to decide where you want to live
• work out how much you can afford (do not forget gas, electricity and water charges sometimes come as extras)
• discuss what you want in the property 
• look into the legal aspects of renting: what are your landlords responsibilities and what are yours
• make sure, if you pay a deposit that it is protected under a Government scheme

 Why do third years get the best houses?

What should I look for?

The Unipol website has lots of useful advice and tips on what to look for when you are house hunting. Go to the Information for Students section and explore the different advice available.

You may also want to pick up a Unipol publication from the Bureau:

• The House Hunting Guide has all the essential information you need on rent levels, viewing a property, signing a contract and paying deposits.
• The Unipol Housing Paper is full of adverts from landlords who are part of the Unipol Code

What if I need more information?

You can visit the Unipol Bureau if you have any questions about the House Hunting process.

Open: Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm

Location: The Hub, Richmond Building, University of Bradford

Phone: 01274 235 899

Email:  info@unipol.bradford.ac.uk