Frequently Asked Questions

We are private landlords with 16 student houses in the Brighton area. We manage these ourselves. So there are no additional costs such as administration or agency fees.You will need to pay your first month’s rent in advance before your tenancy starts, and then remain in advance with your rent throughout the tenancy (two months if you have a non UK parental home address).

Is the length of contract negotiable?

We are afraid not. If we leave gaps between contracts it is unlikely we shall be able to rent the property for periods as short as one or two months. However, many students continue to make use of the property during the summer months, either because they have found part time work in Brighton or because they love the city and want to continue to socialise there between academic years!

What about bills, such as gas/electric/water rates/ Council Tax?

Full time students do not have to pay Council tax provided they seek an exemption by filling in the correct form from Uni and sending it to Brighton and Hove City Council.Water and Sewage rates are normally billed by the company concerned at 6 monthly intervals (October and April) and we notify the company concerned of the dates of your tenancy, so the household will receive a bill at those times.

At the official “key handover” we go through all the formalities with you and take gas and electric meter readings. We let you know which companies are currently supplying those services so that you can telephone them to give the meter readings and the names of tenants in your household. The companies concerned will then send quarterly bills to the house.

You will need to budget for gas/electric/water and sewage bills. We are told (by students currently in our 5 and 6 bedroom houses) that they each put aside around £30-£35 pcm to cover this set of bills. Bills might be higher in the winter (when heating is used) than the summer. In addition some households might use more than others, so this is an average figure. The household organises the payment of bills.

What if I move in to the property and decide I do not like it or the group I have moved in with?

By the time you have moved in you will have committed to a 12 month jointly liable contract. This means you will be legally bound to pay 12 months’ rent without the ability to “give notice” to leave early. If you decide to move out you will continue to be responsible for the rent until the tenancy end date, so this is not a decision to be taken lightly.

However, if you are able to find a substitute student to take on your room/house (and all the obligations of your contract) the landlord will consider releasing you from the contract earlier. Your original deposit may be forfeited in this instance, at our discretion. It is best to talk to us at an early stage if you feel you have a problem in this regard.

Can I secure a place in one of your properties without viewing it first?

Yes you can. We have around a dozen students each year who decide to do this because, for instance, they live abroad or a long distance from Brighton (or their personal and/or work commitments do not allow them to make a personal visit). Students are often wise to secure a property regardless because the best properties go first and there is the worry that as time goes on, very little, if any, will be available.

If you wish to do this we supply as much information as we can about room sizes, the profile of students who have taken other rooms (background, year of study etc) and you have the website photos. We have examples of where students have done this and stayed with us, year on year thereafter.You would need to e mail us to make these arrangements and be prepared to put your deposit and first rent down to secure the place.