Accommodation choices for graduates on 4 and 5 year

[KTY]

Hi guys

I've got an offer for 4 year and was wondering where everyone is planning to live.

Had a look at the brochure and I'm thinking:
1. Great Dover Street
2. Stamford Street

I'm trying to find somewhere with a decent number of grads.

[Chwirkytheappleboy]

I've just received the offer pack and it seems that I'm unlikely to be offered accommodation because I'm currently living within zone 2. I guess they don't take into account that my current living arrangement is a 12 month contract that expires when I'm due to start Uni, so am not really an any better position than someone living a million miles away from London

[FlippertyJibberts]

Chwirky is that true? I'm in Zone 3 renting from a friend and had planned to move into halls as I have to move out in Sept anyway. Will prob call the accommodation people to check with them, otherwise will have to find somewhere to rent I suppose. Are you guys going to the post offer open day on the
24th? It is all seeming so real now...how exciting :-)

[KTY]

Yup, will see you there.

I also live in london right now, but I won't by Sept when we start so I'm hoping to go into halls. Seems a bit unfair if they won't give us a place based on that.
I might put down my parents address on the form instead then!

[elise_h]

I think the chances of getting a place in hall as a graduate are quite low anyway. The KCL prospectus says that undergrads entering higher education in the UK for the first time are guaranteed a place in hall at some point (not necessarily first year). Since we are graduates doing a second undergrad degree we are probably a lower priority.

I haven't received the offer pack yet as I'm overseas and its gone to my parents house, who are on holiday! What's in it? Not sure yet whether I'll accept the 5-year offer - I won't decide until I've heard from Barts GEP in April. How about you Chwirky, do you plan to accept the 5-year offer?

[Polish]

Hi Guys,

I also have an offer for the 4 year, and will be heading along to the post offer open day. I was hoping that they might give us some more info on accommodation then - I was planning on moving into halls, and hoped that there would be some arrangement to get a group of GPEP'ers together. Knowing how intense the first year will be, I figured it'd be good to be able to chill out and vent together. Obviously, it'd be just as cool to arrange something with grads on the 5 year course too.

Does anyone know if the accommodation office help out with organising private renting if a place in halls doesn't seem likely? Like a list of approved properties and/or landlords?

[Chwirkytheappleboy]

a list of approved properties and/or landlords?

Heh, the notion of landlord in London that cares anything more than getting as much money out of their tenants as possible is quite a funny one

My experience of living/renting in London is that estate agents are bastards and Landlords are only as nice as they have to be to make sure you pay your rent. I actually once had an estate agent say to me "how's how I reeled you in, and here's how I screwed you over"... no exaggeration! It was such a ridiculous situation it was actually comical.

Most people I know (myself included) have come to the realisation that getting accommodation in London basically involves dealing with money-grabbing estate agents who will lie through their teeth to get you to give them as much as they can scam out of you, and paying a landlord an extortionate rent for a small flat, only for them to be very slow/cheap in dealing with any problems that might arise. Unfortunately though, it's a necessary evil. You just have to grin and bear it while you're here

[FlippertyJibberts]

Crikey Chwirky...sounds like you have had some bad experiences! I rent in West London and have done on and off for around 4 years. I've been quite lucky and have found if you get landlords that own only a few properties they are more attentive and less inclined to 'rip you off'. Also make sure when you give your deposit that they are part of the deposit protection society (or whatever it is called) then they can't sting you at the other end when you try to move on...I've made that mistake before and it's expensive!

Hopefully we have a bit of time to shop around and find somewhere reasonable, otherwise I'm going to say in West London and try the commute for a bit...does anyone else plan to commute from anywhere?

[mera]

If you are looking for non-university accomodation, the University of London does have a housing database of approved landlords, i know people who have used it and found good places to live.

ULHS: Search our Housing Database

[BGG]

Several GPEP students did get accomodation in the 1st year in halls in my year (2008 entry).