1

Student Advice Service (SAS)

Accommodation

Guide 2020/21

2

Welcome to Central! 4

SECTION ONE: WHAT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS DO I HAVE?

My Accommodation Options 6

Private Rentals 7-8

Student Halls 9-11

Living with a Resident Landlord / Homestay 12-13

SECTION TWO: HOW DO I FIND FLATMATES?

Finding my Flatmates 15

SECTION THREE: HOW DO I BUDGET FOR MY

ACCOMMODATION?

The Rent Formula! 17

Other Housing related Expenses 18-20

My Weekly Spending 21

SECTION FOUR: WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN VIEWING A

PROPERTY?

Contents

3

Inspecting a Property 23

SECTION FIVE: WHAT SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR IN THE

CONTRACT?

My Contract 25-26

Contract Checking Services 27

Tennant Fees 28-29

My Deposit 30

Guarantors 31

Right to Rent Check 32

SECTION SIX: WHAT IF I HAVE A DISABILITY?

Advice for Students with a Disability 34

SECTION SEVEN: CAN I HAVE A LIST OF CONTACTS?

Useful Contacts and Links 36-38

4

This guide’s main aim is to inform you of what accommodation

options are available during your studies at Central.

Whether you are looking to live a house with other students, live in

halls or live on your own, it is important for your wellbeing that you

find a living arrangement that you are comfortable with and a

property that works for your budget.

By providing you with a brief outline of what housing options you

can choose from, our aim is make you feel more confident in

making a decision about where you want to live.

The Student Advice Service (SAS) Accommodation Guide contains:

What type of accommodation options are available

An overview of expenses you will have as a student

What to remember when signing a contract

A list of useful contacts and websites

We hope you find this guide useful and we welcome any comments

and feedback you may have.

For an online version of this guide, please visit:

https://www.cssd.ac.uk/content/accommodation-support

Whilst Central aims to work with as many providers as

possible, we do not endorse any individual organisation. This

guide is for information only.

Welcome to the Royal Central

School of Speech and Drama!

5

SECTION ONE:

WHAT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

DO I HAVE?

6

As a student at Central, you can choose from the following

accommodation options:

Private Rented Accommodation (p7-8) Many Central students decide to rent out a flat or house with other

students or professional people working in London. Each student

would usually have their own room and share communal spaces

such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room and share the cost

of bills. Some students live on their own, but this can be an

expensive.

Student Halls (p.9-11)

University of London’s Intercollegiate Halls

(p.9) As a college of the University of London, Central receives allocated

rooms each year. Halls are located in Central London (near

Paddington, Kings Cross St Pancras and Euston) and both catered

and non-catered rooms are offered.

Private Halls of Residence (p.10-11) Private halls are student residences operated by private

companies. Rent generally includes all bills and rooms are self-

catered, varying from studios, single en-suite and twin. Most have

communal areas & include additional facilities like an onsite gym.

Living with a Resident Landlord / Homestay (Host

family) (p.12-13) Students sometimes opt for this type of accommodation as a more

flexible and cost effective approach to renting. A student would

usually get their own room and share the rest of the facilities with

the Landlord/host family.

My Accommodation Options

7

The majority of students at Central choose to live in private rented

accommodation as this allows them to live with friends and have

their own space too. It is usually more cost-effective than halls.

Outlined below are a few pointers to help you in your search.

Join Accommodation/Flatmate Finder Facebook Pages

These groups are used by students searching for properties and/or

roommates. Students post properties on this page if they are

looking for flatmates or looking to move out and need to find a

replacement tenant. You can also like our SAS Accommodation

Page.

RCSSD Accommodation Private Group:

www.facebook.com/groups/296002547214739/ University of London’s Housing Services: Facebook Flatmate Finder:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FlatmateFinder/

RCSSD SAS Accommodation Page:

www.facebook.com/RCSSD.Accommodation

Attend the Sharers’ Days

This event will allow students to meet other potential housemates.

The SAS, the Student Union and University of London Housing

Services will be there to provide advice and guidance. Local letting

agents are also invited to present any suitable properties.

Sharers’ Days for 2019 will be held on:

Friday 17th July and Friday 21st August 2020*

To book a place or learn more, please email sas@cssd.ac.uk

stating your full name, course and the date you wish to attend. *Please note that following the Coronavirus outbreak, these dates may be subject

to change. Please email SAS@cssd.ac.uk for confirmation and updates.

Private Rented Accommodation

8

Contact a Letting Agent

A letting agent acts as a channel of communication between a

landlord and the tenant for the rental property. A large percentage

of private accommodation in London is advertised via letting

agents. Using a letting agent has its advantages as they have

access to a large number of properties. However, do keep in mind

that there is no government licensing of agents which means

standards of service differ. Letting agents can join associations

whose aim is to promote a high standard of service and codes

of conduct.

When choosing a Letting Agent, make sure they are a member of

the following body:

ARLA (Association of Registered Letting Agents)

NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme)

Below is a list letting agencies near to Central:

Black Katz Managemnt and Lettings (t): 020 7328 5000 Alan

Goldin Estates (t): 020 8209 0101, Cedar Estates (t): 020 7431

1100, Empire Estates (t): 020 8459 2600, Parkinson Farr (t): 020

8459 4555, Rose & Co Estates (t): 020 7372 8488, Dreamview

Estates (t): 020 8455 0055

Letting Agencies across London - For a list of Letting Agents

across London visit: www.housing.london.ac.uk/find-

accommodation/our-landlords-and-letting-agents/registered-

letting-agents

Property Search Engines - A full list can be found on page 36.

University of London’s Student Homes

https://studenthomes.london.ac.uk/ (2nd and 3rd Year

Undergraduate and all Postgraduate students only)

Average Rent- Search the average rent in London by Postcode

www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-

land/renting/london-rents-map

9

As a Central student, you have the option of choosing between the

University of London Intercollegiate Halls and Private Halls.

University of London Intercollegiate Halls

The University of London owns and maintains eight

Intercollegiate Halls. To be eligible for these halls you

have to be a full time student. Students who are

interested in living with students from other

universities should consider this type of

accommodation. To make an application for

Intercollegiate Halls, please email sas@cssd.ac.uk.

Intercollegiate Halls Allocation for 2020/21

Lillian Penson Hall

4 x Small Single En Suite Catered Rooms

11 x Single En Suite Catered Rooms

£179.83 – £206.78 per week, £500 deposit, 40 week contract

Halls are catered (two meals per day are provided and included in

the rent) and you are not permitted to cook your own food. Meals

are served at the following times:

Breakfast: 8am-9:30am (Monday-Friday)

Brunch: 11am-12:30pm (Saturday-Sunday)

Dinner: 6pm-7:30pm (Monday-Sunday)

If students are going to miss dinner in order to attend

evening rehearsals, they can request a Packed Dinner.

For more information visit: www.halls.london.ac.uk/lillian-penson-

hall For Catering FAQs visit: https://halls.london.ac.uk/catering

Student Halls

10

The Garden Halls

5 x Standard Superior Self Catered rooms*

£216.23 per week, 4 weeks rent deposit (£864.92), 40 week

contract

* each bedroom has its own toilet and washbasin with shared

shower facilities. Every floor has shared showers with an average

of one shower between 2 residents, there are also shared kitchen

and dining facilities on each floor as well as access to the central

kitchen and diner facilities within the development.

For more information visit: https://halls.london.ac.uk/the-gardens

For information about applying for a place at Lillian Penson Hall or

The Garden Halls please visit our Intercollegiate Halls webpage

https://www.cssd.ac.uk/content/university-londons-intercollegiate-halls or contact the SAS Office directly

(t): +44 (0) 20 7559 3900 (e): sas@cssd.ac.uk

Private Halls of Residence Private halls (sometimes called Purpose-built

Student Accommodation or PBSAs) vary from

traditional halls with long corridors of study

bedrooms with en suite or shared bathrooms,

to self- contained studio apartments with

sports and entertainment facilities. Many also

have shared flats where you can have a

bedroom and share the kitchen with four or five other students.

Halls can be found near Central and there is a hub of PBSAs near

to Wembley Park tube station. Private Halls are one of the

expensive ways of organising your accommodation, so students

should budget carefully!

Please note that if you wish to make an application for the

private halls, you will need to contact them directly.

11

Private Halls near Central:

IQ Student Accommodation

www.iqstudentaccommodation.com/

Goodenough College (PG only)

www.goodenough.ac.uk/

The Nido Collection

www.thenidocollection.com/student-

accommodation-west-hampstead/

Unite Students

Beaumont Court:

www.unitestudents.com/london/beau

mont-court

St Pancras Way:

www.unitestudents.com/london/st-

pancras-way

Chapter

www.chapter-living.com/

Urbanest Student Accommodation

uk.urbanest.com/

For a list of private halls all over London, please visit:

www.housing.london.ac.uk/find-accommodation/registered-independent-

halls-residence

www.cssd.ac.uk/content/private-halls-residence

Netherhall House (Men only)

www.nh.netherhall.org.uk/

Host Wembley

www.hostwembley.london/

AXO Student Living

www.axostudent.co.uk/

AXO Camden

axostudent.co.uk/properties/axo-

camden/

The Stay Club

Camden: www.thestayclub.com/

Homes for Students

Bloomsbury Janet Poole House:

wearehomesforstudents.com/index

Scape Wembley

www.scape.com/en-uk/student-

accommodation/wembley

12

Some students opt for this type of

accommodation as there is a more flexible

approach to renting, i.e. there is space to

negotiate a contract length that suits you. A

student would usually get their own room

(sometimes bathroom) and share the rest of the

facilities with the Landlord/host family. There might be particular

‘house rules’ that might restrict your freedom and independence

which would need to be explained in advance by the landlord/host

family.

Homestay is an accommodation option sometimes explored

overseas students looking to improve English as their second

language, who would like to live in a home setting or for those

moving to London for the first time. Families/individuals offering

homestay are generally very helpful to the student and are happy

to give advice on living in London. Homestay also does not require

you to commit to a long stay if the arrangement is not working for

you.

Central students sometimes post details of their room and host

family on the SAS Accommodation Facebook platforms listed

below.

RCSSD Accommodation Group:

www.facebook.com/groups/296002547214739/

RCSSD SAS Accommodation:

www.facebook.com/RCSSD.Accommodation

Living with a

Resident landlord /

Homestay

13

Please note that the SAS does not have a database of

Homestay Families.

If you would like more information on homestay or would like to

find families offering homestay, the University of London’s Housing

Service provide more information on the organisations listed

below: https://housing.london.ac.uk/find-accommodation/short-

term-housing/homestay-host-family-accommodation

Live-In Carers In recent years, some Central students have chosen to become

residential carer assistants or personal assistants. This can be a paid

position that also includes accommodation. However any student

entering into a resident carer position, needs to carefully consider

whether they have the time to undertake the duties of caring for the

property owner and balancing this with their studies.

Britannia Student Services

http://britanniastudents.com/

HFS London

http://www.hfslondon.com/

Home from Home -

London Homestays

http://londonhomestays.com/

Hosts International

http://www.hosts-international.com/

14

SECTION TWO:

HOW DO I FIND FLATMATES?

15

Finding my Flatmates

Be prepared to ask and answer all kinds of questions in relation to living

habits. For example:

Do you mind friends coming to the house?

What time do you go to bed?

What music do you like?

Do you cook? / How we will arrange a cleaning rota?

These questions are not about judging one another, they are about working

out how compatible you and your potential housemates will be. For further

advice, please email SAS@cssd.ac.uk and more resources will be sent to you.

Be cautious! If you’re meeting people you’ve communicated with online, arrange to meet

in a public place or even think about bringing someone along with you.

Remember to ask questions!

It is very important that you think carefully and talk

about what you and your flatmates are looking in your

house-share. This begins by choosing people you are

comfortable sharing a home with.

Students looking for flatmates often:

Attend one of our Sharers’ Days events (find out more on p.7 or visit

www.cssd.ac.uk/content/accommodation-support)

Join the RCSSD Accommodation Private Group:

www.facebook.com/groups/296002547214739/

Join the University of London’s Housing Services: Facebook Flatmate

Finder: www.facebook.com/groups/FlatmateFinder/

Use an online search engine like

o SpareRoom

www.spareroom.co.uk/

16

SECTION THREE:

HOW DO I BUDGET FOR MY

ACCOMMODATION?

17

Many letting agencies charge rent on a weekly basis, however, if you

wanted to work out how much you are paying per calendar month

(pcm), this would be your calculation:

For overseas students that want to work this out in their home

currency, visit: www.xe.com

THE RENT FORMULA!!!

Weekly

rent

charged

for the

whole

property

X =

Monthly

rent for

the entire

property

52

(weeks

in a

year)

÷

12

(months

in a year)

Monthly rent

for the entire

property ÷

Number of people

in the house =

YOUR

RENT

PCM

Then calculate…

18

It is no secret that London is an expensive

place to live. We therefore encourage

Central students to choose a living

arrangement that you (and your flatmates) feel

financially confident with. Before you choose your

accommodation, it is important to plan a realistic budget. This

should include all your income (i.e. student maintenance loan,

family contributions, bursaries, work salary etc.) and all of your

costs. Do ensure that you work out a budget before you choose

where to live. This could determine the type of accommodation

you will eventually choose.

Below is a table which indicates what expenses you will have

on top of your rent in accommodation: X = Not included in rent

Type of Accommodation

Utility Bills

TV Licence

Broadband Insurance (contents)

University of London

Intercollegiate Halls

X X

Private Rentals X X X X

Private Halls X X

Homestay X

Other Housing related Expenses

19

Council Tax

If you are a full time student you are exempt from council tax. You

will have to prove your student status by requesting a letter from

the SAS. However, if you live with other people who are not full

time students, they will still be eligible but may receive a discount.

For further advice on this, please email SAS@cssd.ac.uk or get in

touch with your local council: www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council.

Utility Bills

If you are living in a privately rented property, you may need to set

up accounts with utility companies (e.g. water, gas, electric). The

landlord should be able to tell you which companies supply your

address. Utilities such as gas, electricity, water should already be

connected when you move in. You should note down and

photograph all utility meter readings for future reference. All you

would need to do is open an account in your name or, ideally, the

names of everyone in the property.

TV Licence

You will need a TV License even if you live in halls or watching TV

on your laptop. Full guidance can be found on the following site:

www.tvlicensing.co.uk

Telephone and Broadband

If you are living in a private rented accommodation, ask your

landlord if there is a working phone line/broadband or fibre optic

internet connection in the house. If not, there are some suppliers

that offer special student deals, including shorter contracts. You

can compare student broadband deals at

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/broadband/student-broadband/

If you opt for homestay, hosts generally allow you to use their

wireless internet at no extra cost. However, this should be

discussed when you enquire about the property.

20

Insurance

It is a good idea to first check with your chosen accommodation if

there is insurance to cover your possessions. If you are in halls,

there is a possibility that some of your possessions are

automatically insured. There may be an extra cost for higher value

possessions such as laptops, so do ask before signing a contract

with them.

You may also wish to check with your family and see what type of

household insurance they have. There are cases where your

possessions are insured under household insurance even if you live

away from home.

If you are renting on your own, please double check with the

landlord to see if your possessions are automatically insured (it

should be stated in your housing contract). The landlord usually has

insurance for the property which may not cover your possessions.

Endsleigh are well- known for providing

student friendly insurance and are the only

insurance company recommended by the

National Union of Students. Their website is:

www.endsleigh.co.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

21

As prices for accommodation in London vary greatly, it is difficult to

provide students with an exact figure. A student should expect to

pay approximately £150 - £210 per week in rent. This of course

depends on the facilities offered in the property, the size of the

room and the area.

Below is a rough guide of what a Student should expect to pay

per week in London:

£150 for accommodation* £10 for gas/electricity/water* £35 for food £2.50 for contents insurance* £1 for a TV License* £30 for entertainment £30 for travel £5 for books/equipment/printing/photocopying £10 Home Broadband*/ Phone bill £15 other costs such as toiletries, clothes, laundry

Approximately: £288.50 per week

*based on three people sharing

My Weekly Spending

It’s worth noting that the type of accommodation can

change this guide. For example, Halls of Residence

may cost approximately £200 per week (depending on

location and room type, it can be more than this)

22

SECTION FOUR:

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN

VIEWING A PROPERTY?

23

When viewing a property it is easy to get carried away

and ‘fall in love’- especially when it has big

rooms, a garden and if you are seeing it on a hot

summer’s day: it will definitely seem more appealing.

What you have to do is imagine it during the winter when

it is a cold blustery day. Remember to ask yourself:

Is it within your budget to heat all the large rooms?

Do you want to spend your time gardening?

Do you feel safe walking home at night in the area when it

gets dark early? How close is it to transport links?

Please have a look at the SAS’ Housing Checklist

(https://www.cssd.ac.uk/content/accommodation-how-it-works). It

gives you an outline of what to look out for when viewing a property.

If you do not have one, request one from sas@cssd.ac.uk.

Inspecting a Property

For your SAFETY make sure:

There is no evidence of damp, mould or condensation

Windows are double glazed

Locks on windows and doors are secure

The heating in the house works- find out if the property is

centrally heated or are there electric heaters?

All furniture, décor and rooms are in good condition

The bathroom has an extractor fan if it has no windows

There is smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher

There is a carbon monoxide detector

Your landlord must give you an up to date Gas Safe Certificate for ALL

gas appliances and ensure that the electrical installation is safe when

tenants move in and maintained in a safe condition throughout its duration

24

SECTION FIVE:

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR

IN A CONTRACT?

25

On the Contract, also known as a tenancy agreement, always

remember to check for the:

Start date of tenancy

Date rent is due monthly

Length of the fixed term (if there is one) and the end date

How rent is paid

Promises, promises…

If the landlord/ managing agent promises to carry

out repairs, decorating or provide or remove furniture,

make sure you receive a written and signed pledge.

You may be able to negotiate some form of

compensation if the written agreement is not carried out.

Inventory

Make sure the landlord provides you with an

inventory so you and the landlord know

exactly what is in the property and what

condition it is in when you move in. If the

landlord does not provide you with an

inventory, you insist on one being created or

write one yourself and send it to your landlord or letting agent.

If any of the property/ furniture is damaged, do take photographs

as evidence.

For more information about inventories please get in touch with

the SAS at SAS@cssd.ac.uk or visit Shelter’s Inventories page:

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/how_to_check_and_agree_an_inventory

My Contract

26

As a student, you are likely to get an Assured Shorthold Tenancy

(AST). The AST comes in two forms: Joint and Individual Tenancy

The tenant has exclusive possession of the property, so the

landlord cannot enter without permission.

The landlord needs to protect the tenant’s deposit and

undertake certain repairs within a reasonable timeframe.

Entitles the landlord to regain possession of the property at

the end of the fixed term tenancy.

The tenant is bound to this contract for the whole of the

fixed period and liable for the rent- whether in occupation

or not

Your landlord needs to give you two months’ written notice

on a standard form in order to end the tenancy.

If you have a joint AST it means you & your flatmates rent a

property together, all named on the same contract & are

jointly liable for the full rent of the whole property, all bills

and the jointly responsible for the condition of the

property.

If one of the tenants wants to move out, there is joint

responsibility for finding a new tenant and all tenants will

be responsible for the full rent of the property.

An individual AST means that you are liable for the rent of

YOUR room only, but have access to all the joint facilities of

the property. Each tenant has a separate contract: you

have no say in who moves into the property. Check the

contract for liability for the bills.

Always ensure your room has a lockable door with this

agreement. This type of tenancy can only be given if the

landlord is not a resident in the property

The AST

Joint AST

Individual AST

27

NEVER SIGN A CONTRACT YOU DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND.

Remember that you have every right to take a copy of the tenancy

agreement and seek advice from:

Contract Checking

Services

The University of London Housing Service

www.housing.london.ac.uk/cms/housing-advice/

Law Centre Federation

www.lawcentres.org.uk/i-am-looking-for-advice

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm

Shelter

https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

28

As of 1st June 2019, landlords and letting agents can no longer

charge many of the fees that were often associated with renting.

The Tennant Fees Act 2019 places strict laws on what a tenant can,

and cannot be charged.

What can I be charged for?

Rent: You still need to pay rent, but you can’t be charged a higher

amount for the first month to make up for the fees.

Holding Deposit: A landlord or agent can still ask for a holding

deposit to take the property off the market, but it cannot be more

than the value of one week of rent.

Security Deposit: Cannot be more than the value of 5 weeks of

rent.

Lost keys: You can be charge a reasonable cost to replace keys.

The landlord or agent should be able to evidence this cost with

invoices or receipts.

Tenancy Changes: If you need to change the tenancy agreement

(such as adding a replacement tenant) you can be charged

reasonable costs (around £50).

Early termination: Should not exceed the loss the landlord/agent

has incurred (evidence should be provided to demonstrate losses).

The landlord/agent can still take reasonable costs for damages,

unpaid rent and bills from your security deposit.

Tennant Fees

29

What fees are prohibited by law?

There are some examples of things that a landlord or agent can no

longer charge for…

- Fees for viewing a property

- Tenancy setup fees

- Admin fees

- Inventory fees

- Check in / Check out fees

- Professional cleaning (although you are responsible to

return the property in the condition you found it: aside

from fair wear and tear)

- Gardening services

If you are unsure about any fees you have been charged, please

reach out to the Student Advice Service: sas@cssd.ac.uk

Does this apply to my contract?

From the 1st June 2020 all contracts must comply with the Tennant

Fees Act.

What happens if I’m charged a prohibited fees?

It should be refunded to you within 28 days of paying the fee. If still

not returned, the landlord/agent is breaking the law and you can

report them to your local council’s trading standards. The financial

penalty for breaching the law is up to £5000 fir a first offence, and

up to £30,000 for further offences.

30

From the 1st June 2019, a deposit can be no more than the

equivalent of 5 weeks rent (if the annual rent is £50,000 or

less). Holding deposits are capped at one week’s rent.

A landlord MUST protect your deposit by choosing to register with

one of the following schemes within 30 days of receipt:

Deposit Protection Service (DPS)

www.depositprotection.com

My Deposits

www.mydeposits.co.uk

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) – does

not cover holding deposits*

www.tds.gb.com

The schemes encourage landlords and tenants to draw up clear

tenancy agreements and provide a free service to resolve disputes.

In any other scheme, the deposit is not protected by the law.

If your landlord fails to protect your deposit or issue you with

‘Prescribed Information’ detailing how your deposit has been

protected, how you get it back at the end of your tenancy and how

to resolve disputes (please see more here), you can take them to

court. The landlord will also be unable to seek possession of the

property.

*Landlords and Agents are not required to protect a holding

deposit with a scheme before you become their tenant,

however, once you have signed the tenancy agreement the

holding deposit becomes a deposit which must be protected

with a scheme.

My Deposit

31

Most landlords or agents insist on a guarantor. A guarantor is

someone who agrees to pay your rent and reimburse the landlord

for any damage caused at the property if you, as the tenant, fail to

do so. A guarantor is usually required to:

- Be resident in the UK

- Complete a reference check.

Guarantor agreements are legally binding. For many students,

their guarantor might be a family member of family friend. If you

are an entering into a joint tenancy, your guarantor will most likely

be guaranteeing the rent for the whole property and not just

your share of the rent.

Where possible, it is better for your guarantor if the guarantor

agreement:

- Limits their liability to just your share of the rent.

- Limits the guarantee to the set period of time, i.e. the fixed

term of the contract.

- Limits the guarantee to only the rent and does not include

the costs of damage or disrepair.

What if I don’t have a guarantor?

International students who do not have a UK-based guarantor may

be asked to pay rent in advance, e.g. 3-6 months. Students should

try to negotiate to limit the amount of rent in advance that you

need to pay. Six months’ rent in advance should be the maximum

upfront payment.

Students without a guarantor can ask their letting

agent/landlord/hall of residence if they would accept the student

using the services of a Guarantor company (e.g.

https://www.housinghand.co.uk/) in lieu of a guarantor.

Please note that Central does not operate a Guarantor scheme.

Guarantors

32

This information is important for UK and International

Students.

Landlords and letting agencies are required to carry out checks

relating to the immigration status of the tenants. This applies to UK

students as well as international students.

The landlord or the letting agent will ask you to provide original ID

documents to prove that you have the right to rent in the UK and

will take photocopies. This could include:

- Passport

- BRP (Biometric Residence Permit)

If you don't have a passport, you have to provide 2 alternative

documents instead. For example, a UK birth certificate and driving

licence. Find a full list of acceptable documents on GOV.UK: Right

to rent user guide

REMEMBER!

- You should not be charged for a Right to Rent Check

- Do not send any original documents via post or email

to the landlord or the letting agent – these checks need to

be done in person

- It is illegal for a landlord or letting agent to

discriminate against you on the basis of your nationality

or race

If you have any questions, please email sas@cssd.ac.uk or if you

require more information, visit: www.gov.uk/righttorentchecks

Right to Rent Check

33

SECTION SIX:

WHAT IF I HAVE A DISABILTY?

34

Advice for Students with a

Disability

For support and advice on adaptations you might need if you have

a disability, contact dds@cssd.ac.uk

Below are a list of organisations that offer advice, support and

guidance regarding housing and disability.

Habinteg

www.habinteg.org.uk/main.cfm

Ability Housing (requires a referral from your social worker)

www.ability-housing.co.uk/

Thomas Pocklington Trust: for people with Sight loss,

blindness and partial-sight

www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/guide-finding-home-visually-

impaired-people

www.pocklington-trust.org.uk/i-will-be-student

Disability Rights UK

www.disabilityrightsuk.org/getting-advice

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/benefits-information/factsheets/education-factsheets

Disability Rights Commission

www.odi.gov.uk (Information on disability rights)

Rethink

https://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/housing

Private Halls of Residence

Please note that if you are living in halls, it is illegal for them to

charge you higher rent or an additional fee to accommodate any

form of disability.

35

SECTION SEVEN:

CAN I HAVE A LIST OF CONTACTS?

36

Student Housing Advice

The Student Advice Service

(t): 020 7559 3900 (e): sas@cssd.ac.uk

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9am – 6pm (Term Time)

Facebook:

RCSSD Accommodation Group:

www.facebook.com/groups/296002547214739/

University of London’s Housing Services: Facebook Flatmate

Finder:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FlatmateFinder/

SAS Accommodation:

www.facebook.com/RCSSD.Accommodation

University of London Housing Services:

www.housing.london.ac.uk

(t): 020 7862 8880

(e): housing@london.ac.uk

Disability Rights Commission – information on disability rights

and accommodation: www.odi.gov.uk

Independent Advice Bodies

Citizens Advice Bureau: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Shelter: www.shelter.org.uk

Legal Advice

Civil Legal Advice: www.gov.uk/civil-legal-advice

Law Centres Network: www.lawcentres.org.uk/

Law Works: www.lawworks.org.uk/

University of London Housing Services:

www.housing.london.ac.uk

(t): 020 7862 8881

Useful Contacts and Links

37

Letting Agency Associations

ARLA (Association of Registered Letting Agents): www.arla.co.uk

NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme): www.nalscheme.co.uk

NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents): www.naea.co.uk

RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors): www.rics.org

TPOS (The Property Ombudsman Service): www.tpos.co.uk

LLAS (London Landlords Accreditation Scheme):

www.londonlandlords.org.uk

Property Search Engines

https://housing.london.ac.uk/find-accommodation/housing-database https://studenthomes.london.ac.uk/ (2nd and 3rd Year

Undergraduate and all Postgraduate students only)

www.rightmove.co.uk

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/

https://www.openrent.co.uk/

https://www.spareroom.co.uk/

https://www.accommodationforstudents.com/in/london

Find your Local Council

https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Safety

www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk/Students

www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/for-students/

Deposit

General Information: www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection

Deposit Protection Service (DPS): www.depositprotection.com/

My Deposits: www.mydeposits.co.uk/

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS): www.tds.gb.com/

38

Currency Converter

XE Services: www.xe.com/

Travel

Transport for London: www.tfl.gov.uk/

Local Letting Agencies

Black Katz Managemnt and Lettings (t): 020 7328 5000

Alan Goldin Estates (t): 020 8209 0101

Cedar Estates (t): 020 7431 1100

Empire Estates (t): 020 8459 2600

Parkinson Farr (t): 020 8459 4555

Rose & Co Estates (t): 020 7372 8488

Dreamview Estates (t): 020 8455 0055

Useful Numbers:

Police Emergency 999

Police non- emergency 101

NHS Direct 111 111

Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111