Now is the time to be lookingfor a new student home

The first semester will soon be over, and students are already being advised to start looking for their housemates for the next year.
Student accommodationStudent accommodation
Student accommodation

If you’re looking for people to live with a month or two before you head home for the summer, the options in regards to choice of people or houses are both going to be limited.

You could just hope to get lucky, but, that’s not very realistic.

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The advice is the earlier you do your homework and start looking, both for premises and companions to live alongside, the better.

Lancaster University graduate Alex TkacovsLancaster University graduate Alex Tkacovs
Lancaster University graduate Alex Tkacovs

So when’s the best time to look for a shared house?

The busiest times for students looking for housing in Lancashire is said to be between October and December for the following academic year.

How do you decide who to live with?

Your choice of housemates has the potential to make your living experience fantastic or drive you absolutely crazy.

Award winning student accommodation provider CityBlock Group has secured £8.2 million in new funding from NatWest to support a major refurbishment project.
The Lancaster-based company provides high quality, secure student accommodation facilities in Lancaster and Leicester. The facilities are used by students from more than 40 countries.Award winning student accommodation provider CityBlock Group has secured £8.2 million in new funding from NatWest to support a major refurbishment project.
The Lancaster-based company provides high quality, secure student accommodation facilities in Lancaster and Leicester. The facilities are used by students from more than 40 countries.
Award winning student accommodation provider CityBlock Group has secured £8.2 million in new funding from NatWest to support a major refurbishment project. The Lancaster-based company provides high quality, secure student accommodation facilities in Lancaster and Leicester. The facilities are used by students from more than 40 countries.

Living with friends, in close quarters, for the first time can sometimes put a strain on relationships.

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Small things can quickly be blown out of proportion – you’ll have to take a constructive approach as being passive aggressive won’t solve any problems.

The advice from experts is: “You can make your house and house mates choices in two ways - find the perfect house and fill it with house mates, or, find people you like and find a house to match.

“Either way, before the end of the first term back is the best time to make these decisions, and put down a deposit on your next new home.”

Ellie PritchardEllie Pritchard
Ellie Pritchard

Lancaster University graduate Alex Tkacovs (inset) said: “During my first year, we made the mistake of not looking for a house until it was almost too late and it was manic, difficult and we didn’t get an ideal house or landlord.

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“My two friends and I had decided we wanted to live together within weeks of arriving at uni, however, we didn’t actually make a move until the final term. It was a lesson we all took away and corrected the following years.

“Start looking as soon as you can and give yourself time to plan and breathe.”

Student HQ has put together an ultimate guide for students who plan on living in shared accommodation.

The detailed tome includes some tips on common issues that tend to arise in a shared student house: https://www.studenthq.co.uk/blog/ultimate-guide-for-shared-student-housing.