Getting started

Choosing flatmates House size & cost Types of accommodaion What area?Feedback

Choosing your flatmates: take your time

If you decide to live with other people, this will form an essential part of your living experience. When you choose your flatmates, you want to enjoy living with them! Think carefully about who you would like to live with, as housing contracts can be very inflexible if your group changes.

Have you considered:

Lifestyle differences?
Shared interests?
Tidiness?
Daily routine and how you would share responsibilities?
Budget when sharing the cost of a house?
Shared expectations for visitors and guests?
How will you choose who will get the larger/smaller room? Will you change rental costs based on this?

Be sure to check out additional advice from the SU about choosing flatmates under the ‘Choosing Housemates’ section.

Need to find an extra housemate for your group, or struggling to find a group to live with? Check out the Housemates Wanted ForumLink opens in a new window run by the SU to help you find flatmates to live with.

When choosing flatmates it is important to have discussions before you move in. Have a look at our guide here on things to think about or discuss:

Flatmate Discussions »

Students in the Faculty of Arts building

Consider House Size and Cost

When choosing who to live with, it is also important to consider not just who you want to live with but if you can find properties that will cater for your groups size and needs.

As of 21/01/2025 the average rent prices (from Warwick Studentpad, based on 1,460 rooms) per person per week was:

No. Bedrooms	Min	Average	Max
3	£92.31	£154.71	£206.54
4	£63.46	£118.87	£184.62
5	£85.38	£181.89	£692.31
6	£90	£138.04	£170
7	£103.85	£151.36	£190

Type of accommodation

PBSAs

Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (or PBSA) are accommodation blocks specifically built and designed to host students. Similar to the accommodation blocks you would find on campus, you can expect to rent a room in the accommodation block.

Here’s what makes them unique:

All-inclusive bills

Utilities like electricity, water, gas and internet are typically included in the rent for a room.

However, this may not always be the case: check with the PBSA if they offer bills-inclusive rooms (you may be able to find this information on their website).

Important to note: Many PBSA tenancies have a cap attached to their all-inclusive bill clauses. You need to be aware of the electricity, gas and water rates cap as, if exceeded, extra costs will be added on top of your rent, either monthly or at the end of your agreement.

Explore room options

Some PBSAs offer a variety of room options to suit different student preferences. You may be able to choose from options like shared flats with communal kitchens and bathrooms, en-suite rooms for more privacy, or self-contained studios for complete independence.

Be sure to check what type of room options are available at the PBSA you’re considering. Some PBSAs may also allow you to live with your friends.

Please note that more self-contained options, like en-suites and studios, tend to come at a higher price compared to shared flats.

On-site facilities Security Social Opportunities

Image of terraced houses with a small front garden and path leading up to the white door

Private rented- student homes

Student homes are usually regular houses or apartments rented out specifically for students. They offer a more independent living experience and are often located within the local areas around campus.

Here’s what you can expect:

More independence Homier feel Integration with the community Share home with friends Potential lower cost Check tenancy type- shorthold vs living with a landlord

Important to check- there are 2 different types of private rentals:

Shorthold tenancy- most privately rented accommodation sits under this and it means that there are certain statutory terms
Living with a landlord- although rare, in some cases where your landlord cohabitates with you, or one of their family members, then you will be a 'excluded occupier' which has more limited rights

It is always worth double-checking, if you are unsure if this is the case then ask or reach out to the SU Advice Centre'sLink opens in a new window free contract reading service who you can contact through this formLink opens in a new window.

Different areas will have different types and quantities of student accommodation types- consider which is more important to you, style of housing or location.

What area?

Image of a map of the West Midlands, zoomed in to highlight campus, Coventry & Earlsdon, Canley & Tile Hill, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa in different colours

There are a lot of different local areas that you can live in. We've created local area guides on each of these, which you can see below:

We recommend visiting a few of these and getting a feel for the area itself before deciding where you want to live. Remember, commuting time, transport options, things to get involved in and amenities (such as shops) are all things to take into consideration.

We have some self-guided tours on our Local area tours page that might help with some guidance on where to get started, or have a fun day out with one of our EXPLORE suggestions.

Questions and things to think about

How busy or quiet do you like it?
What is the travel like, does it get crowded around when you might need to be on campus?
How long does it take to get to campus?
Do you feel safe and comfortable (imagine walking home in the dark)?
What is the local community like, will the neighbours be friendly (do you want friendly neighbours)?
Availability of study spaces?
Availability of shops- how far away is the corner shop for urgent needs, how far away are the big shops for the weekly food run? Can you get there by walking or public transport?
What types of housing are there (student accommodation vs flats vs housing)?

Image of a crowded passageway on a bus, showing the bottom half of a lot of peoples legs

TOP TIP: try travelling to and from the places you're thinking of living, around the same times you would normally travel there and see what the buses (or other transport options) are like.

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