Our York St John University accommodation is primarily for undergraduate students in their first year of study. As such, our students are expected to move into private accommodation for their second year of study and beyond.
Private student houses
As York has 2 universities, there is a wide variety of student accommodation options in the city centre and surrounding areas. There are lots of student houses available in York and these are ideal for those wanting to look for properties alongside other students they want to live with.
Prices can vary from £150 to £200+, per person, per week, and please be aware that not all student housing has utility fees included in the fees. Most tenancies begin in the summer and are usually longer than York St John University accommodation tenancies.
There are lots of letting agencies in York which include, but are not limited to:
There are also websites that advertise accommodation from a variety of letting agencies:
Spare Room may be of interest for students wanting a shorter tenancy length.
Private student halls of residence
There are a number of purpose built student halls of residence sites in York that are similar to University owned accommodation sites.- These are generally all en-suite options and many have studios as part of their portfolio:
Commutable options
If you are struggling to find anything in York then it may be worth considering some of the villages, towns and cities which have good transport links to York, such as;
Castleford
Garforth
Haxby
Leeds
Malton
Northallerton
Pocklington
Tadcaster
Thirsk
Wakefield
For more information on accommodation in the private sector, please see the following knowledge articles:
KA-01021 Finding housemates in York
Considerations when looking for private accommodation
If you are looking for private accommodation, you will need to consider whether you prefer to:
live alone
with people you know, or
with people you have not met before.
There are advantages and disadvantages to all options.
When viewing a property, it is important to pay close attention to the detail of the house or flat. There are lots of questions you should ask when viewing a property.
Rules and regulations
There are also strict rules and regulations in the UK to protect both you (the tenant) and the person who owns the property (the landlord).
York St John University is unable to help you when it comes to reading or signing a contract, so you must read through everything very carefully. Tenancy contracts are legally binding and very hard to get out of so you must think about them and read them thoroughly before signing.
When you sign your contract, you will also need to pay a deposit, this could be equivalent to 1 to 2 week's, or 1 months’ rent. Your money should be held in a secure deposit scheme. There are also strict rights and obligations that you will have as a tenant.
When applying for a private let, most landlords or agents will ask you to provide details of a guarantor:
This is someone who would be responsible for paying your rent, in the event of you being unable to make the payment yourself.
In certain circumstances it can be difficult for you to find a guarantor, as guarantors must be based in the UK. However, there are services available which can assist you with securing a guarantor, such as Housing Hand and UKGuarantor. These are services developed for students, graduates and professionals. They act as your UK guarantor, so that you can secure private accommodation. These services do have associated fees.
York St John University cannot, under any circumstances, act as your guarantor.
When you move into a property, you should take a note of the condition of the building and its contents, as well as details of any utilities (for example, electricity meter) and there will be paperwork that you will need to keep a record of. It can help to take photos so that you have a visual record of the condition of the property and its contents.
You must also make sure that you are exempt from paying Council Tax, which is a tax on residential properties. Read our other articles about Council Tax exemption for further information. If you will be watching television or live streaming, you will need to check with your landlord whether you need to pay for a TV license.