Living with friends can be amazing, and the start of a lifelong friendship, but sometimes living with your besties doesn’t always work out. We often see students who have fallen out with their housemates, sometimes before the contract has even started, and once you’ve signed the contract there's often no getting out. 

Make sure you get to know any potential housemates before making a decision. We don’t like to admit it, but we all have bad habits and now is the time to talk openly about these. Some habits can be ok at first but when you start living together they can get magnified. To help, talk through some of our quick discussion points:

1. Are you an “owl” or a “lark”? In other words, do you prefer to stay up late or do you like to get up early? 
2. Do you prefer to party a lot or have cosy nights in? 
3. Which courses are you all studying? If you are a nursing student and on a night placement, do you want to live with someone who is up at 6:30am with the hair dryer blasting? 
4. Will you shop or cook individually or do it as a whole house (this can be cheaper)? 
5. Do you feel the cold, or are you still wearing shorts in December? One of the big disputes we see regularly is about preferred temperatures and use of radiators.  
6. Are you ok with other people eating your food? 

Most housing contracts for a group of people have ‘Joint and Several Liability’. This means everyone on the contract is responsible for each other. It doesn’t matter who broke the window or who left without paying rent, everyone is responsible. You need to make sure you know your housemates and feel able to communicate honestly with them. 

Some students prefer to live with people they don’t know. That’s ok too, although we suggest you have some “getting to know you” meetings before you agree to live together.

A great way to find people is through the message board and the uea(su) housing group on Facebook where students can post and chat about forming a group. 

We also host 'Find A Housemate' events to help you meet other students, form a group for house hunting or join an existing group. Events will be held in February and March, so keep an eye on our events page and social media!  

Some landlords will advertise rooms on an ‘individual basis’. This means that you have your own room but you’ll probably have to share the kitchen, living room and bathroom with others in the house. This also means that you’ll have an individual contract. The advantage of this is that you are only responsible for your rent and cannot be asked to pay if others don’t. On the other hand, the landlord does not have to consult with you when they rent out other rooms in the property. 

During your search for accommodation, you may come across rooms which are offered by Resident Landlords. This means that you live with the owner of the property who is not necessarily a student. The landlord may live alone, with their family and with or without other students. 

If you rent a room from a Resident Landlord then you will be issued with a different type of housing contract (a licence or lodger agreement) and have different rights to those who sign a tenancy agreement. Shelter has information about your rights as a lodger.

If you haven’t lived in Norwich before, you’ll find it helpful to research which areas are preferred by students; what’s closest to campus or the city centre, and what’s the best way to travel from home to lectures? Our interactive map identifies the main residential areas in Norwich, where these are in relation to UEA and the city centre, as well as walking and cycling directions.  

Our video series ‘A Guide to Norwich’ features six of the most popular student areas in Norwich, with information about local amenities and travelling to campus – check out the playlist on Youtube.

It’s helpful to know about the size of properties on offer in Norwich. Most properties within the student market have between three and six bedrooms. There are some bigger properties, up to eight bedrooms. Smaller properties such as those with one or two bedrooms are in relatively low supply, particularly in the areas closest to UEA. 

Living in Norwich you also have a variety of student accommodation options, from Victorian terraces to modern Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) blocks, similar to those found on the campus at UEA. 

If you are living with others, then get together and discuss your requirements - make a list to refer back to: 

• Do you want to live in a house, flat or purpose-built student accommodation? 
• How will you travel to campus and placements? 
• Do you need a parking space? 
• Do you need secure bike storage? 

Which of the following are important to you - single/double beds, shared living spaces, en-suite facilities/number of showers and toilets, a garden?

Most student housing contracts start in August or September although some will start as early as July. Most contracts are for a fixed term of 10, 11 or 12 months. 

You will be liable to pay rent as soon as your contract starts, not when you first occupy the property. 

Remember not to forget about the end date too, as it is not normally possible to end a contract early and it is likely to cover some of the summer break. 

By the way… there’s a lot of speculation about what impact the Renters Rights Reform Bill is going to have on student tenancies and contract lengths. We’ll be updating these pages as soon as we know!

Rent costs can vary significantly, depending on the location, size of the property and type of property. We’d suggest doing some research before setting your budget, deciding what’s non-negotiable for you as a household and what each of you can afford. Be honest – money and bills can be one of the biggest conflicts within a house and you’re better to be clear about budgets from the start. 

When you are budgeting for your accommodation costs, it is important to factor in additional costs such as: 

• Utility bills - gas, electricity and water (see more on this below) 
• Broadband 
• Insurance for your personal possessions 
• TV Licence 

If you are currently living on campus, your rent will include utilities (gas, electricity and water), internet and other services such as cleaning. 

In the private sector some rents include all utilities, others include one or two, and some won’t include any. If utilities aren’t included, remember to allow an amount on top of the rent to cover these extras. As a guide we suggest allowing an additional £70-£80 per person per month. This might not cover superfast fibre broadband, a phone line and TV package! Also remember that your bills for utilities are likely to be higher during colder months when you have the heating on! 

You might find it easier to budget with an all-inclusive rent as you'll pay a set amount each month, or you might be happy to pay rent to your landlord or agent and pay suppliers directly for utilities. The cost for a room in a PBSA (purpose-built student accommodation) usually includes utility bills.  

There isn’t a right or wrong way but whichever you choose, make sure the budget works for everyone in the household.

If you're paying for utilities on top of your rent, you will sign up to a fixed or default (variable) tariff with your energy provider. Your tariff will be made up of a standing charge and unit rate. 

A fixed energy tariff means your unit rates and standing charge stay the same for the length of the contract you agree with your energy supplier. Your bill will vary though as it is based on your actual usage. 

Unit rates and the standing charge can go up and down with a default tariff. This means that your bills could increase or decrease, even if you use exactly the same amount of energy each month. Variable tariffs are also subject to the energy price cap, a limit on what your supplier can charge you.  

Some landlords specify a whole property rent and ask you and your housemates to determine how the rent will be split. Other landlords have a set rent per room and you’ll be asked to pay the corresponding rent for your chosen room. 

As a postgraduate student, you can apply for on campus accommodation. Find out more about your options and the application process on the UEA website.

If you’d prefer to live in the private sector, or want to check out all of your options, then you are also welcome to view our Home Run housing list (see below). 

Some landlords/agents advertising on Home Run state that they are looking for postgraduate tenants. This may happen where spare rooms are advertised and the current tenants have specified that they would like to live with other postgraduate students. 

If you would also like to live with other postgraduates and an advert is not specific about the current tenants (if included, these details will be found in the property description) then it will be necessary for you to request further information from the landlord/agent. 

The Home Run search function also includes a ‘Student Type’ filter and postgraduates is one of the available options. 

The message board is also split into different topics, some of which are for postgraduates only.

Visit our dedicated page for student parents for information about family accommodation.

UEA campus accommodation is available to some students after their first year, but a lot of students choose to look at private sector accommodation in the city.

Our Home Run housing list features a variety of accommodation which is offered by private landlords and letting agents. All accommodation providers who are advertising rooms and properties have agreed to comply with our advertising Terms and Conditions. 

Home Run features a message board where you can post to find other students to group up with or advertise spare rooms.

There are many other landlords and agents advertising accommodation across Norwich who are not advertising on Home Run. It is for you (and your housemates) to decide who you rent from. We’d encourage you to look at our list, first as these are the accommodation providers that we have a relationship with.

We recommend that you view a property in person before agreeing to rent it. Agreeing to rent a property without seeing it in person is risky, as the details advertised will not show potential problems with the property and do not always give an accurate impression of features such as the size of rooms. 

If you haven't looked for accommodation in the private sector before, then you might be wondering what to look out for when you view a property. Use our viewings checklist to get prepared. 

Some landlords will ask you to pay a small holding deposit to take their property off the market while they prepare the tenancy agreement (contract) for you to sign. This is perfectly legal, but under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, it should be no more than the equivalent of one week’s rent. 

If you are asked to pay a holding deposit, make sure you get a written receipt, which confirms how long the property will be held for you. 

If the landlord decides not to proceed then they must refund the holding deposit. However, if you change your mind and decide not to go ahead with the tenancy, the landlord is entitled to keep your holding deposit. 

Landlords can also keep your holding deposit if you fail to sign the tenancy agreement by the deadline you have been set. The ‘deadline for agreement’ is normally the 15th day after the holding deposit has been paid although you and the landlord can mutually agree a different ‘deadline for agreement’ which could be more or less than 15 days.

A tenancy deposit (also referred to as a damage deposit) is something you will usually have to pay when you sign the tenancy agreement. You should not be asked to pay your damage deposit (or first month's rent) before the agreement is signed. 

A damage deposit is a refundable payment that can be used at the end of the tenancy to cover damage and unpaid rent. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, a landlord can charge the equivalent of five week’s rent but a damage deposit of one month’s rent is more common. 

If you’ve paid a holding deposit then the landlord might ask if you are happy for this to be used as part payment of the damage deposit. This is permitted as long as you consent to the deposit being used in this way. The landlord should ask you to confirm this in writing. 

It is a legal requirement for damage deposits to be protected with one of the 3 approved Tenancy Deposit Schemes (TDS). Landlords must protect your deposit within 30 days of receipt and provide you with evidence that your deposit has been protected. If they don’t, you could claim compensation of up to 3 times the amount of your deposit 

The three authorised Tenancy Deposit Schemes are:

• The Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
• mydeposits
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) Insured

Most landlords require tenants to have a UK guarantor.  

What is a guarantor?  

A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay your rent if you are not able to. A guarantor may also be liable for other costs such as damages to the property if you don’t pay.  

Who can act as my guarantor?  

Many students ask a parent or family member to act as their guarantor, but your guarantor can be any person who meets the criteria of the landlord/agent.  

Most landlords and agents will ask that your guarantor is an adult who lives and works in the UK. They may also need to be a home owner and give permission for a credit check.  

Guarantor liability 

If you are renting a property with other students then you may be asked to sign the same tenancy agreement.  

This is a ‘joint contract’ – you and your housemates are equally responsible for payment of rent and damages. A guarantor on a joint contract could be asked to pay all of the rent, not just your share. Your guarantor may want to seek professional advice before signing their section of the agreement.  

We suggest asking your landlord or agent if your guarantor’s liability can be limited to just your rent, or request an individual tenancy agreement.  

What if I don’t have a guarantor?  

There can be various reasons why you would be unable to find a suitable guarantor. Your family might not be willing or able, you no longer have a relationship with your parents, or are an international student with no-one who is a UK resident who could act as a guarantor.  

If you are unable to provide a UK guarantor then you might be asked to pay rent in advance – the amount requested can vary but you may be asked to pay rent for the whole contract. Try to negotiate and ask to split the payments into 3 or 4 instalments.  

Some private companies will act as your guarantor in return for a fee. Research the company, look at reviews and make sure you read all the terms and conditions before signing up.

Landlords/agents are legally required to check the identity of everyone who wants to rent a property to verify that they have the right to rent in the UK. This applies regardless of whether you are a UK, EU or international student.

Read our Right to Rent leaflet to learn more about the two types of right to rent check and the ID you'll need to have ready to show to your landlord or agent.

For any tenancy agreement signed on or after 1 June 2019, there are restrictions on what fees you can be changed as a tenant. 

Landlords and agents cannot charge fees for:

• referencing and credit checks 
• immigration checks 
• renewal of tenancy on the same terms 

The fees which landlords and agents can charge (other than rent) are:

• a refundable tenancy deposit of no more than 5 week’s rent (detailed above) 
• a refundable holding deposit of no more than 1 week’s rent (detailed above) 
• losses or reasonable costs incurred by the Landlord or agent as a result of early termination of the tenancy by you or if you leave without notice. This could be, for example, the balance of the whole rent due for the rest of the tenancy 
• up to £50 (or actual cost if reasonably incurred) for changes to the tenancy agreement including change of tenant 
• payments of bills including utilities, communication services, TV licence and Council Tax 
• interest on late payment of rent, if it is paid 14 or more days late and the tenancy agreement provides for this 
• replacement of a lost keys where this is specified in the tenancy agreement 

If you are concerned that you are being asked to pay a deposit or fee which does not comply with the above then please request an appointment with advice(su).

A tenancy agreement is a contract between a tenant and the accommodation provider specifying the terms and conditions of the rental agreement. 

You should be provided with a copy of the tenancy agreement and be given time to read it and get it checked before signing. 

Be cautious of any landlord who puts pressure on you and be prepared to walk away. Good landlords never pressurise and if you’re feeling pressured and uncomfortable at this stage, what will they be like when you actually move in? 

Read advice(su)’s leaflet on tenancy agreements for information.

Before you sign anything make sure you fully understand your tenancy agreement. Never sign a tenancy agreement until you know exactly what you are signing up to. In most cases, once you have signed you are legally bound to that contract and it's not possible to leave the contract early, even if you have changed your mind or fallen out with your housemates. 

It’s quite common for students to ask a family member or friend to look over their tenancy agreement. Remember, if you're a current UEA student, advice(su) can also help with this too.