A blog from Dan, Student Money Assistant:

We know many students start to think about finding housing at this time of the year, but make sure not to rush into anything as it is important to find the right housing. There is always housing available throughout the year, so don’t feel you have to sign the first contract you come across; it may contain unfair clauses. Reading legal documents is unfamiliar to most students, but the SU Advice Centre has experience with housing contracts, determining whether they are fair and legal.

The majority of non-first year Warwick students live in private rented accommodation in Leamington Spa, Canley (near campus) or Kenilworth. However, places are available to returning students on campus on a first-come, first-served basis. If you will be a third or fourth year student next September, you may want to consider joining the Residential Community Team who also reside on campus.

Students searching for private accommodation tend to use property listing websites such as Rightmove or UniHomes, with most tenancies starting in September and lasting eleven or twelve months. You can usually book house viewings from these websites. It is vital that you view a property in person before signing a tenancy agreement as there may be unexpected problems not apparent in the online listing.

Unfortunately, tenants sometimes have problems with their accommodation or landlords. That is why it is important to learn your rights as a tenant. The SU Advice Centre has created a comprehensive guide, explaining what to expect when renting. You can also search Rate Your Landlord to see if other students have had a bad experience at a particular property.

If you need any support with your money during the year, you can contact Student Funding Support by email (studentfunding@warwick.ac.uk) or telephone (024 7615 0096) Monday to Thursday 8.30am – 5pm or Friday 8.30am – 4pm. Alternatively, you can drop in and see us by going to the Wellbeing Reception in Senate House between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday.