Accomodation

Home sweet home? 🏠

Congratulations on looking for a place to stay. If you're looking for help, see Official Support.

We'd particularly advise having a look at:

A quick guide to housing: written by care experienced people, for care leavers finding and setting up their first home. Created by the Care Experienced Young People's Network (Twitter: @CareExp_YPN)
Save the Student: 8 things to check before signing a tenancy agreement
Which? Complete Guide to Renting a Home

We know searching for and living in rented housing can be stressful and uncertain. Hopefully the information below can be of some help to you.

Guarantors

Your University may be able to act as a guarantor for you
Think about maybe asking a housemate/friend's parent to act as a guarantor for you too
If you are comfortable, explain your situation to your landlord/housing company as they may be sympathetic to your situation and be able to overlook you needing a guarantor - especially if you are living in a shared house with several other people (financial risk to them is reduced).
UK Guarantor, who brought in a free guarantor-ship to all care leaver and estranged students, has been taken over recently (2020) by Housing Hand Ltd - who no longer offer the scheme. However, Housing Hand Ltd partner with the University of Salford and Goldsmith University to offer guarantor-ship at a reduced price.

Your Rights as a Renter

Citizens Advice Student advice
Citizens Advice General advice
Save the Student - 10 Tenancy Rights

Rent Deposits

Your University may be able to cover the deposit for you - especially if you are staying in University-owned accommodation or if it is University-approved. Get in touch with them directly to ask this. If you cannot find a contact, we have a list here
Have a look at our Grants & Scholarships page - there are some here that may be able to help you with covering a deposit.
Think about switching your Current Account bank account to an account that gives you a switching deal. For example, Halifax often does a £100 free cash switching deal - these sort of things aren't ideal but it is free cash to help you when you need it. (Be aware of things like account fees though.) A good website to look at: for Bank Account switching deals https://www.money.co.uk/current-accounts/switching-bank-accounts.htm

Dealing with Bad Housemates

Save the Student: 9 tricky housemates and how to deal with them.
Our Everyday Life: https://oureverydaylife.com/deal-difficult-housemate-2337356.html

Tenancy Deposit Protection - The Law

Your landlord legally must put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP) if you rent your home on an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007. In England and Wales your deposit can be registered with:

Deposit Protection Service
MyDeposits - including deposits that were held by Capita
Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in the scheme within 30 days of getting it.

Deposit Information landlords must give tenants

Once your landlord has received your deposit, they have 30 days to tell you:

the address of the rented property
how much deposit you’ve paid
how the deposit is protected
the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme and its dispute resolution service
their (or the letting agency’s) name and contact details
the name and contact details of any third party that’s paid the deposit
why they would keep some or all of the deposit
how to apply to get the deposit back
what to do if you can’t get hold of the landlord at the end of the tenancy
what to do if there’s a dispute over the deposit

Source: https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection

Trying to save for a house deposit (one day)? 🏠

How much will you need to buy your first home?

Saving to buy your first property can be daunting - but having a clear and realistic plan can make it feel much more achievable. The first step is work out how much you need to save. Your deposit is by far the biggest thing you'll be saving towards. It will usually need to cover at least 5% of the cost of the property, with a bank or building society lending you a mortgage to cover the rest.

Browse websites such as Rightmove to see how much properties cost in the area you want to buy in, then use Which's borrowing calculator to get a rough idea of how much you might be able to borrow. Generally, the less you earn, the smaller the mortgage you'll be offered – meaning you may need a bigger deposit than 5% to buy the property you want. If you buy with someone else, you’ll be able to apply for a larger mortgage, and potentially build up a bigger deposit.

What is a Lifetime ISA and how can it help with my saving for my first home?

A Lifetime ISA is a form of Individual Savings Account (ISA) for those ages 18-39 that became available from April 2017 to encourage saving towards buying your first home, or retirement.
You can invest up to the current tax year limit of £4,000 (subject to contributions made to other types of ISA), without paying tax on the proceeds of the Lifetime ISA. Tax advantages depend on individual circumstances and may change in the future.
You will then get a 25% government bonus towards the purchase of your first home or your retirement, from age 60. For every £4 you invest the Government tops this up with a £1 bonus, up to a maximum of £1,000 in this current tax year.

Gov Explanation Website: https://www.gov.uk/lifetime-isa

Which Guide to Lifetime ISAs: https://www.which.co.uk/money/savings-and-isas/isas/lifetime-isas-ac6mf6s7r9d5

Make it your own: interior design project for CEP.

Are you a care leaver aged 16-26 preparing to enter into your own tenancy – or perhaps you have done so within the last year? If so, this programme is for you! Recruitment is all year round so you don't need to worry about missing any application deadlines.

Impact Arts are offering 1-1 face to face and virtual sessions at their venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ayrshire & Renfrewshire as well group taster sessions at a location convenient to you. They will work with you to explore how you can turn your space into a home.

Find out more: Impact Arts | Make It Your Own