BY ATHA DEVELOPMENTS

CALLING ALL STUDENTS!

Are you looking for the perfect student accommodation?

We know It can be a confusing time when you are on the hunt for your perfect student accommodation and making so many different decisions at once but, lucky for you, we’re here to help! We’ve put together a simple guide you talk you through some key points you will need to factor in before making your decision, whether you’re looking for luxury student accommodation, student house share, university halls or private halls, we’re going to cover all options.

We hope our handy guide will help you navigate the process of choosing your perfect student accommodation.

COVID ADVICE

Please expect things to be a little bit different this year due to the current Covid situation. The main thing which will be affected in regard to booking your new accommodation will the effect on “Viewings”

• Arranging and conducting viewings will be difficult given the government guidance, we feel at Atha Developments that having viewings in our accommodation where going into current residents’ bedrooms and living areas would be irresponsible and would be to higher risk to take. Our current tenants’ safety and comfort in their own home has to be our number 1 priority.

• Most accommodation providers will have enough photos, floor plans and other information on their accommodation they have available for you to make an informed decision you can be happy and comfortable with.

• At Atha developments we have developed “Virtual Tours” of our accommodation so you can virtually walk around, view and explore all our accommodation has to offer. You can even pick which room you would like to reserve while standing in the actual room (Virtually of course).

I know this is not ideal as we would always advise a face to face viewing, however, as this might not be possible, we will help and assist you as much as possible.

1. First up, when is the best time to book your student accommodation?

It may seem an obvious answer but try to start your search as early as possible. The earlier you begin looking means there will be more options and availability for you, and you will be much more likely to secure your first choice of residence. If you leave it too long, you could find that you are forced to compromise on who you live with and the standard of the accommodation available.

Atha Twins Tip: Now is the perfect time to get started! Make your shortlist and send initial enquiries over the Christmas period ready for viewings and bookings for January and February.

Atha Twins Advice: If you are currently in 1^st year and looking to move in with new friends, it is vital that you take a little bit of extra time to make sure your new friends are people you want to live with for the next few years. It’s very easy to be caught up in the excitement of meeting new people and making plans to live together however you need to be certain you are happy to live with that person.

2. Now you’ve started your search, you’ll be wondering what is the best type of student accommodation for you?

There are 3 main options for student accommodation:

University Halls, Individual House/Flat Share & Private Halls of Residence. We’ve weighed up some Pros & Cons of each for you:

University Halls

Pro: University Halls tend to be in great locations (great for both personal & student life!)

Pro: Provides a good support network as they are owned & managed by the University.

Con: You will have no control over who you will live with.

Con: They are often not the best quality and can be expensive too.

Individual House/Flat Share

Pro: The most popular option for second year students after leaving university accommodation.

Pro: This tends to be the cheapest option

Con: Again, no control of your fellow housemates unless you move in as a group.

Con: No control over the quality of your landlord or letting agents.

Con: Quality can be very Varied (what’s lurking behind the woodchip?)

Private halls of residence

Pro: This tends to be very similar to university halls, however you will find the quality is usually better and with a larger range of amenity’s including things like cinema rooms and study rooms etc. (Check out our luxury student accommodation here)

Pro: As they are private, they are open to anybody, so you have the opportunity to meet a large range of people.

Pro: Usually found in good locations.

Con: As they are usually high range in terms of quality this is reflected on the pricing which tends to be the most expensive in the area.

3. Next, let’s take a look at who you decide to live with in your student accommodation.

Option A: New Friends

New friends you’ve just met can be risky but also rewarding. We recommend considering the below:

Will your friendship still be a strong by the time you move in? We hope so, but don’t commit based solely on that friendship. We have had many circumstances where this very thing has happened. You move into University all excited and meet lots of new friends and everything is going great, so you sign up to move into a house together. However somewhere along the line the friendships start to deteriorate, and you no longer want to move into the property with those people. However, by that stage it is too late as you have signed a fixed contract at a new house which you cannot get out of, so you are stuck in a position you do not want to be in.

Atha Twins Advice: Take that extra time to make sure you’ll be happy living with your new friend/friends, then it can also be rewarding and sometimes you can make friends for life and have the best University experience because of these people. Just take that little extra time to be 100% sure at the start.

Option B: Existing group of friends: This is perfect and if you are lucky to have a group of friends who you love living with, then you have hit the jack pot. Stick with them!

Atha Twins Advice: Find yourself some nice accommodation and settle in for the long haul.

Option C: Take the risk & go it alone: There are lots of reasons why students choose for this option. Mainly because they are new to the area, but also because it’s a great chance to make new friends too. This can be a huge positive part of your student experience and can help you quickly adapt to your new student life.

Atha Twins Advice: Signing up to your student accommodation alone may seem a little nerve wracking at first, but the best private accommodation providers will try their best to match you up with suitable housemates. (We certainly try our best to do this at Atha Developments!)

4. Last, but not least, do your RESEARCH.

Do your research, do it again, and then do some more. It’s so important that you explore different avenues and ways of finding out as much information as possible about the perfect student accommodation you’re considering moving into.

Atha Twins Tips: The 4 types of research we would be carrying out ourselves would be: word of mouth from the people who have lived in the accommodation previously, verified reviews so you can be sure they’re genuine, photos & virtual tours online to get a feel of premises and then once you’re happy with all of this, building visits would be our final step.

Atha Developments Choice

Based on our extensive knowledge of student accommodation and the discussion points highlighted above, we have put together a summary of what Atha Developments feel is the perfect option when looking for your next student accommodation.

Studio apartment accommodation in private halls of residence is becoming a popular choice for all types of students in varying circumstances, and definitely our number 1 recommendation. Maybe we’re slightly biased here at Atha Developments, but this is why we do what we do! We’re passionate about providing students with the best possible base for their new student life. Studio apartments in a purpose-built accommodation block offer you so many positives compared to other accommodation types. A studio apartment is your own personal space, you don’t have to deal with anybody else’s rubbish or mess, which can become overwhelming and not a pleasant experience. You can also decide exactly how you want to live and be happy in your own choices. Private halls of residence will usually have a varied number of communal rooms where you can go to and socialise with other members of the building, for example cinema rooms, or games lounges and Gyms etc. This Is giving the student the best of both worlds in regard to you have your own private living area where you can shut the world away if you want a bit of personal space, but also socialise and make new friends in the communal areas of the building.

Also, you don’t need to run the big risk of living with people you don’t know but you get all the benefits that come with a social place to live. Win win!

Our award-winning student accommodation in Teesside is pretty impressive, if we do say so ourselves. With amenities such as private cinema rooms and games rooms included in some of our accommodation options, we think you’ll agree with us.

Take a look through our website for all of options & more details.