House Hunting 2011 - You are There House Hunting has Started

• There are thousands of bed spaces to view and these are increasing daily. To see how many bed spaces we have available please click here
  

• Our Accommodation Bureau is open extended hours across the house hunting period to view the opening times please click here

In Nottingham there is an administrative start date to house hunting and for next year’s houses (those available from 1st July 2011) this is Saturday 22nd January 2011. On this date Unipol released on to its Nottingham website all of the properties available so far for 2011-12. Unipol will be able to offer you the widest choice and the largest collection of bed spaces anywhere in Nottingham. The Bureau, on University Park, Nottingham University will be open throughout Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd for students to use as a base for their House Hunting. Members of the University of Nottingham's Student Advice and Representation Team will also be on hand in the Bureau to provide a contract checking service.

Follow our top tips for house hunting and make sure you get the best possible deal on your housing.

1. Use the Unipol website to search for your property and prioritise properties that are covered by the Unipol DASH Code.
2. Be sure about where you want to live and who you want to live with.
3. Make sure you get the best possible value – view a selection of properties before you make a final decision.
4. Get your contract checked by your Students Union before signing it.

Remember - accommodation contracts are legally binding and if you sign for a house then fail your exams or fall out with your friends you will still have to pay the rent until you find a replacement.

 The Unipol website and the NTU linked websites is the focal point for advice and support for students looking for private rented accommodation. With the support of your student union and your university, rest assured that at Unipol you will be encouraged in to making the right decisions at the right time, not pushed in to making hasty ones that you will regret later.

In 2010 there have been:

 over 13 million hits on the web site

• 70,509 people have actively used the site undertaking
• over 2.5 million page impressions made by students using the service    
  

 The Unipol DASH Code

 

• Owners voluntarily sign up to abide by a number of conditions that exceed current legal requirements, so you get more protection covering more areas. 403 landlords are in the Code and by clicking here you can see those that are members. Around 10,000 bed spaces are fully covered by the Code and you are advised to rent these as a priority in your searching. Unipol has inspected just over half of all these properties to check they meet the Code and, by using a sampling methodology, is satisfied that Code properties meet the relevant standards. If there are problems then there is an accountable complaints procedure that you can take advantage of.

 

Although we hope that by renting from a Unipol Code owner you will have a trouble-free experience, there are no guarantees. Here's a simple guide on what to do if problems arise during the tenancy:

 

• Let the landlord/agent know what the problem is as soon as possible. If it's a repairing issue, do so in writing (an email would count) and keep a copy;
• Allow the landlord/agent a reasonable time to do something about the problem. The timings will depend on the nature of the problem, with serious risks to life and health taking priority;
• If the landlord/agent fails to respond to the correspondence, or is substantially slower than required, then make a formal complaint to Unipol under the Unipol DASH Code (http://www.unipol.org.uk/Media/PDF/Code_Complaints.pdf) using the appropriate form. Don't wait until the end of the tenancy to do so, otherwise it may be difficult for the complaints procedure to take these matters into account;

 

You can check whether a landlord is registered as a Code owner by clicking here.

The Supporter of the Unipol Code scheme for Managing Agents

Many students like you may wish to use a Managing Agent to look for their accommodation. Unipol does have a number of these companies using our services to advertise their properties but several big ones do not. This can cause confusion as often their offices look really good, you are happy with a property you've viewed but are unsure whether the property is accredited. From this year Unipol has made things easier for you with the introduction of a new scheme specifically for Managing Agents to join. We already have over 8 members and you can find out more by clicking here.

Student to Student Notice Board and Single Lets

If you cannot attend a house hunting event or would prefer to house hunt alone Unipol can help you. As there is a surplus in accommodation in Nottingham 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. In addition you will be able to use the student to student notice board on the Unipol website. This is a great way to meet others to form a group to look for houses together, to advertise that you are looking for a room in a shared house and to see what others who have rooms in houses they have signed for have to offer.

Want to get a great house in your second year?

Check out our guide to not having to wait until your final year to get a great house - Why do 3rd years get the best houses?

Returning Students

The administrative start date of 22nd January 2011 is there to:

• increase choice and transparency in the letting market;
• ensure that there is a decent amount of comparable property for you to choose between;

Some house hunting tips:

• Do not let the start date panic you into renting something you do not want. There are over 2,000 bed space surplus in Nottingham and returning students are at the start of the queue, so there will be a wide range of choice all the way up to summer 2011.
• Do not rent before the start date unless you are staying with your existing landlord. Those that do often pay more. Staying where you are often results in a cheaper rent being paid or no rent increase. If you are content - stay put.
• The start date allows you to plan your house hunting.
• Unipol and the Universities and Colleges provide you with information prior to the start date to help you make sound informed decisions. Check out the key dates below:

 

Key Publications provided to help you:

Unipol has produced

a House Hunting Guide with all the up to date information you will need

and

THE house hunting tabloid detailing lots of properties.

If you have not already got them make sure you collect from them from the  Unipol Office or the Nottingham Trent Accommodation Office

 

What do you need to do?:

• work out who you want to live with;
• explore areas of Nottingham to decide where you want to live
• work out how much you can afford ( don’t forget gas electricity etc.);
• discuss what you want in the property;
• look into the legal aspects of renting – what are your landlords responsibilities and what are yours.

 

Housing Myths and Rumours

Every year some students fall foul of various housing myths and rumours - there is no shortage and if you know what you want you will succeed in renting it any time before April. Use the Unipol DASH Code to help you get the best properties (shown first on the website).