Finding the right place to live is a crucial part of student life.
TENANCY CHECKING SERVICE!
Finding the right place to live is a crucial part of student life. The options can sometimes feel confusing, and tenancy agreements can be long and overwhelming.
ENSA offers a FREE tenancy-checking service to help you avoid entering into an unfair contract and make sure you know your rights & responsibilities before signing. Just make an appointment with our Advice Team, and one of our advisers will go through your lease to check it looks right and will flag anything suspicious.
Listed below are the main types of tenancies that you will come across when thinking about where to live whilst you are studying:
- University Halls of Residence. These are run by Edinburgh Napier, and the rent is inclusive of utilities and internet. This is where most first year undergrad students will live, and there are some limited spaces available for postgrad students too. It can be a great way to meet new friends. You will be asked to sign a fixed-term Tenancy Agreement, either for the full Academic Year (39 weeks) or an Extended Tenancy (50 weeks).
- Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. These are privately owned Halls of Residence, designed specifically for student life. They tend to be modern, with excellent facilities, but can be pricey. Rent will normally be inclusive of bills but do check this. These tenancies will usually have a fixed start and end date. Contract terms can vary, so make sure you read them carefully before signing up.
- Private Residential Tenancy. If Halls of Residence are not available, or not your preference, you can rent from a private landlord. Make sure you get a tenancy agreement in writing - this is known as a Private Residential Tenancy (usually referred to as a PRT). The tenancy agreement will state whether bills are included in the rent or not. Your tenancy will have no fixed end date. You can stay as long as you like (unless the landlord has legal grounds to evict you) and you will usually need to give 28 days notice if you want to leave.
- Lodging. This is a type of tenancy where you rent a room in someone's home while they also live there. You will normally have a private bedroom, with shared living spaces. Tends to be a cheaper option, but as a lodger you will have fewer legal rights than a tenant with a PRT. Make sure you get a Lodgers Agreement in writing. These tend to be fairly flexible, typically running on a rolling basis. The Landlord can normally ask you to leave with reasonable notice.
Contact ensa.advice@napier.ac.uk or book an appointment with an Adviser here.