Finding the perfect place to call home in London can be overwhelming, especially for international students and professionals arriving for the first time.
So… BACCOM is here to help! Because we know that your accommodation is more than just a place to stay— as it will be your everyday comfort zone that recharges your energy.
And to help you find the perfect match, BACCOM has put together a detailed guide to the various types of accommodations available in the UK (London and all ;p), along with outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each, making it easier for you to discover your happy place.
The main types of accommodations can be divided into three major categories:
Student accommodation, specifically for students.
Flatshare, living with a landlord or with others.
Apartment, a self-contained unit in a building.
Now let's understand the details of each one together!
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
The first type is Student Accommodations. There are two main types of this accommodation:
1. University Halls of residence
These halls are managed and owned by the university. They typically cater exclusively to first-year undergraduate students. However, some universities may allocate a small quota for postgraduate students, leading to some competition.
Within this category, some universities further divide the halls into two subtypes:
Halls of Residence : Providing breakfast and dinner from Monday to Friday, and brunch on weekends, such as those at UCL.
Student Houses : Require sharing kitchen facilities and utensils to prepare meals, or in some cases, sharing bathrooms as well.
✅ Pros of University Halls of Residence:
Moderate prices, slightly cheaper than private student accommodations.
All-inclusive rent covering water, electricity, and internet.
Secure environment as it's limited to student renters only, with rules and security systems in place. Visitors must be registered to enter the building.
Often located in convenient locations close to universities.
Opportunity to meet fellow students from the same university.
Central communal areas often host various events on important occasions.
Some places offer cleaning services for bathrooms and laundry.
❌ Cons of University Halls of Residence:
Not suitable for those looking to meet people outside of their university.
Some universities allocate accommodations randomly, potentially not meeting preferences.
Lengthy delays in receiving accommodation assignment outcomes can complicate planning.
Limited flexibility in choosing move-in and move-out dates.
Contracts typically last for 49 or 51 weeks only, requiring finding new accommodations if study courses extend beyond this period.
2. Private Student Accommodation / Private Sector Halls of Residence
Similar to university halls but owned by private companies, it exclusively caters to students for renting, without being limited to any specific university or year group. This type of accommodation is quite popular due to its convenience and reliability.
✅ Pros of Private Student Accommodation:
All-inclusive rent covering water, electricity, and internet.
Various room types available, including shared or non-shared kitchen and bathroom options, with diverse room sizes.
Secure environment limited to student renters only.
Often located in good locations close to universities.
Opportunity to meet friends from other universities.
Central communal areas often host various events on important occasions.
Common facilities such as pool tables, reading rooms, or gyms may be available.
Concierge and security systems, requiring visitors to be registered.
❌ Cons of Private Student Accommodation:
Relatively high prices compared to other types of accommodations, but with added convenience.
Possible disturbance from noisy neighbours or parties, especially at night.
Some places may require upfront payment for a full year's rent without instalment options. (Sometimes, there might be an option to split the payment into 2-3 instalments, but it depends on each place. You may need to choose or negotiate accordingly.)
Limited flexibility in choosing move-in and move-out dates.
Contracts typically last for 49 or51 weeks only, requiring finding new accommodations if study courses extend beyond this period.
Some places may have restricted delivery times or limitations on receiving packages on weekends, which could be inconvenient.
FLATSHARE
The second type is Shared House or Shared Flat, which involves renting out a house or flat with multiple bedrooms. There are two main rental arrangements for this type:
1. Room to Rent
Renting out individual rooms separately, each with its own separate contract. This can be done in two ways:
📌 Room to rent with a Live-in Landlord
Similar to staying with a host or Airbnb-style accommodation, where the owner rents out spare rooms. The landlord may be either a foreigner or British citizen who is living in the same place as yours.
✅ Pros of Flatshare Room to Rent (Live-in Landlord):
The condition of the house is generally good since it's the owner's own residence.
Peace of mind when issues arise, as it's easy to communicate with the landlord who can promptly address concerns.
Spacious living areas provide a comfortable and homely environment, often with a living room for shared use.
Common areas are usually cleaned by the landlord's cleaner, reducing workload for tenants.
Negotiation of lease terms with the landlord is possible for convenience.
Rent is usually reasonable and often includes utilities.
❌ Cons of Flatshare Room to Rent (Live-in Landlord):
Typically located in residential areas, which may be slightly further from the city centre.
Not suitable for those who value privacy, as it's akin to living in the landlord's home, necessitating consideration for the owner.
Landlords may have varying personalities. It's unpredictable what kind of landlord you'll encounter.
Lacks the atmosphere of living with peers or inviting friends over for gatherings.
There might be limitations or many regulations regarding living arrangements, such as designated or divided times for using sound, kitchen, laundry, or landlords setting specific times for heating to save electricity costs, which might not be very comfortable.
📌 Room to Rent with a Live-out Landlord
In this arrangement, we will be living together with other tenants without the landlord residing in the house with us.
✅ Pros of Flatshare Room to Rent (Live out Landlord):
Similar to ensuite student accommodations, but at a more affordable price and with more space.
No hassle or worry about lease agreements, as contracts are signed separately for individual rooms and related areas only.
Landlords usually manage utilities such as water, electricity, and internet, with tenants paying their share based on usage, which may be split among other tenants.
Flexibility to negotiate lease terms with the landlord.
❌ Cons of Flatshare Room to Rent (Live out Landlord):
Uncertainty about flatmates, as the landlord selects who rents the other rooms in the flat.
In some places, the owner may let you manage water, electricity, internet, and property taxes ourselves.
Regarding cleaning or shared usage, there may be enforced regulations, or if not, we may have to establish them ourselves to avoid potential issues such as mates not cleaning.
2. Whole Flat to Rent
When the landlord rents out the entire flat, such as the studio, 1-bedroom, or 2-bedroom types. There is usually only one contract, and tenants must enter into a joint tenancy agreement. In London, most of these flats are often in older buildings, while in other cities, there are quite a few newer buildings as well.
✅ Pros of Whole Flat to Rent:
Able to choose flatmates to live with.
Generally cheaper than student accommodations, with more space and the opportunity to share a kitchen with familiar people, akin to living with friends.
Able to choose and manage electricity/internet providers as desired.
Flexibility to negotiate lease terms with the landlord.
❌ Cons of Whole Flat to Rent:
Responsibility for any issues falls on everyone who signed the joint tenancy agreement.
Problems may arise if a flatmate wants to terminate the contract early, requiring finding a replacement and dealing with paperwork.
Need to manage utilities and council tax independently.
APARTMENT
The last type is an Apartment. Accommodations of this type are similar to condominiums. They offer various room types such as studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom units, and can be rented under a single named contract or jointly under a joint tenancy agreement.
✅ Pros of Apartment:
Mostly located in relatively newer buildings compared to shared accommodations.
More convenient, aesthetically pleasing, and visually appealing.
Many apartments offer good facilities similar to private student accommodations.
Can choose and opt for electricity and internet service providers according to personal preferences.
Negotiation of lease terms with the landlord is possible for convenience.
❌ Cons of Apartment:
If it's a new building with good facilities, the price might be high, but overall, there will be options that are not expensive as well.
Responsibility for any issues falls on everyone who signed the joint tenancy agreement.
Check the prices carefully because the rent does not include utilities.
Responsible for managing utilities, internet, and various taxes independently.
All of these are the types of accommodations available in the UK, primarily based on London, and similar options can be found in other cities as well. However, there may be fewer choices in each category compared to larger cities.
In addition to that, you should consider and check thoroughly on the location and facilities! Because whether it's a shared flat, whole flat, or apartment, the price could be both cheaper or more expensive compared to student accommodation, depending on the location or facilities.
We encourage everyone to take time and pay attention to details to find the accommodation type that suits you best.
If you've not yet found your answer or need further advice, feel free to reach out to BACCOM. We're here to assist anyone in the comprehensive search for suitable accommodation in the UK.
Let us be a part of finding your perfect place away from home. We're more than happy to help! 😊
🏡 One-stop service to help you find your favourite home in the UK 🇬🇧
💚 LINE ID : @baccomuk
💙 Facebook : BACCOM UK
❤️ Youtube : BACCOM UK
📩 Email : hello@baccom.co.uk
☎️ UK Call : +44 7400 902 392
🔗 Website : en.baccom.co.uk
Comentarios