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• Make sure that the amount of rent you need
to pay is clearly stated on the contract and that
you know when it is due to be paid. Always get
a receipt for any rent that you pay.
• Most landlords ask for a deposit at the start
of the tenancy. This is usually equivalent to
one month’s rent and should be refundable,
provided you pay all the rent that is due under
the agreement and do not damage the property.
• If you are in any doubt about the tenancy
agreement you are signing, please seek advice
from the Student Advice Centre before you
/
Some important points to remember when renting
private accommodation
• Do not commit to any accommodation in
the private sector or pay a deposit or any
form of money until after you have arrived in
Newcastle and have had a chance to view
the accommodation and hopefully meet
any flatmates.
• Never provide personal identity or banking
information over the Internet. Only give this
information to a landlord or agency once you
have met them in person, viewed the property
and decided to proceed with a tenancy
agreement.
• When viewing properties, try to ask as many
questions as possible so you get a good idea
about the house, local area and people you
would be sharing with. Ask if the rent is inclusive
of utility bills (electricity/gas/water/Internet).
If possible, take along a friend for advice,
security and a second opinion.
NUstudenthomes leases privately owned
properties and rents them to student groups.
suitable accommodation for groups, couples and
families as well as single rooms in flats sharing with
other students.
Searching for private-sector
accommodation
As well as using NUstudenthomes, you can also
search for private sector accommodation through
a letting agency or estate agent or by looking for
rooms or property to rent on the Internet and in
newspapers.
Tenancy agreements (contracts)
When renting private accommodation in the UK,
you will be expected to sign what is known as
a tenancy agreement. This is a legally binding
document that both you and the landlord of the
property must sign, setting out the terms and
conditions of your tenancy.
• Before you sign a tenancy agreement, always
check the tenancy dates on the contract.
Most student tenancies in Newcastle run for
a 52-week (12-month) period. Once you have
signed a contract, you are legally obliged to pay
the rent for the period you have signed for. In
nearly all cases, it is not possible to break this
agreement. Please ensure you understand this
when signing an agreement.
How to pay for your
accommodation
If you are able to pay your University
accommodation fees in full by the date outlined
in your contract, you may be eligible for a two
per cent discount. Details of accepted payment
methods can be found on pages 22–23. If you are
not paying your fees in full, the preferred method
of payment is by direct debit and you must have
a current account with a UK clearing bank. Your
first rent payment will be due on 1 November 2015
so please make sure there is sufficient money in
your account prior to the due date. You must also
make sure that you allow sufficient time if you are
transferring funds from another account as it can
take more than a week for a transfer of funds
to be cleared.
If you are offered Managed Partnership
accommodation you will be asked to make a
payment in advance, such as a deposit and the first
payment of rent, to secure your accommodation.
If you are unable to provide a UK guarantor, you
may be expected to pay the full-year accommodation
fees in advance of your arrival. Further details will
be outlined in your accommodation offer.
Private sector accommodation:
NUstudenthomes
We strongly recommend that you apply for
University accommodation in your first year of
study, as this will help you make friends and settle
in to student life at Newcastle. If you do not wish to,
or are unable to live in University accommodation,
you can live in the private sector. Our private sector
accommodation service, NUstudenthomes,
offers free help and advice for students who
are searching for rooms and properties.
an agreement with a private provider to offer you
accommodation), you will be sent
either
an e-mail
directing you to the landlord’s online system where
you will register, review and accept the offer made
to you,
or
an e-mail containing several attachments
that you will need to print, complete and return (with
a pre-payment if required) by the relevant deadline.
Your accommodation contract
Contracts for undergraduate students in
University-owned accommodation are for
38 weeks, while in Managed Partnership
accommodation they are for 42 or 43 weeks.
All contracts include the Christmas and Easter
vacation periods. This enables you to leave your
possessions in your room during University
vacation periods.
For postgraduate students in University-owned
accommodation most contracts are for 50 weeks,
meaning you will be able to stay in your room
until the beginning of September 2016. If you
are offered a shorter contract, alternative
accommodation will be made available over
the summer period.
You will be given a contract that will commence
on Tuesday 22 September 2015 and you will not
be able to gain access to your accommodation
before this date.
If you would like to change your allocated room,
you can register on our Facebook page for a room
swap. If we can find another student who wishes
to swap with you, we will issue new contracts prior
to your arrival. Alternatively, on 2 November 2015
you may request a change of room if you would
like to change your initial allocation, but this is
subject to certain restrictions and fees and
cannot be guaranteed.
