info for landlords

If you have a flat, house or a room that you are looking to let, you have come to the right place! If you've never considered renting to students before, but are in need of letting your property out, we're here to offer you a step-by-step service.

With over 10,000 students enrolled at Essex University, each looking for somewhere new to live every September and throughout the year - it's a guaranteed rental market. We offer 'better-than-highstreet' competitive rates and a 24/7 service to offer you peace of mind when renting to students.

We always need accredited properties to add to our existing portfolio in the Colchester, Southend and Loughton areas. If you think you have a student-friendly room or property to let here's what you need to do...

how do I get my property accredited?

We run an accreditation service in conjunction with the local councils to ensure that all properties let through us are in good condition and suitable for letting. The accreditation certificate lasts for 5 years and costs between £50-£175 depending on the type of property.

Colchester accreditation certificate
Epping Forest accreditation certificate

Please contact us at sulets@essex.ac.uk or call us on 01206 878978 and we will book an appointment for you. Once your house is accredited, you can let your house through us.

can you directly find me a tenant?

Yes. With our Tenant Find Service option we take care of all viewings, tenant selection, referencing of students and their guarantors, arranging tenancy agreement, first month’s rent, registering deposits, collection and transfer, signing of the contracts and setting up the appointment for your new tenants to meet you on move in day. We can also provide an inventory at an additional fee.

To find out more about this service, plus our rent collection service, please contact Ruth Paige the Lettings Manager by her email rpaige@essex.ac.uk or call us on 01206 878978.

can you offer me a rent collection service?

Yes. We provide landlords with our Rent Collection service, which offers all the benefits of the Tenant Find, but with a small additional fee we can take the stress away from chasing rent, should the students pay late. With this service we will also manage all deposits and carry out check out & closing inspections.

To find out more about this service please contact Ruth Paige the Lettings Manager by her email rpaige@essex.ac.uk or call us on 01206 878978.

can you manage my property for me?

Yes. We have a fully managed service that we can offer you, with all the benefits of the Tenant Find and Rent Collection services (see above), plus more. We provide the solutions to any issues that arise throughout the tenancy and arrange for appropriate servicing to be done (i.e heating, electricity, plumbing, etc) to ensure that you keep up-to-date with the accreditation.

We have 24/7 competitively priced contractors on standby and carry out a free House MOT on the property each year to ensure there are no hidden expensive problems that are likely to arise while you have students in your property. We keep all legal certificates up to date, as well as regular visits to the property, giving you peace of mind that your property is being taken care of.

To find out more about this service, and the benefits of having the student union managing your property please contact the Lettings Manager Ruth Paige by email rpaige@essex.ac.uk or call us on 01206 878978.

how do I list my property on essexstudentpad.co.uk?

If you are looking to let your property or room through us and have not registered with us previously, you will need to get your property accredited through the Colchester Borough Council.

If your property is accredited, please complete this form and send it to us along with a cheque payment for £54 incl VAT made out to ‘Essex Student Lets Limited’. This is an annual fee paid to advertise your property.  We will also need copies of your Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate, Energy Performance Certificate and Periodic Electrical Report. If you need any assistance in getting these documents, we can arrange for our contractors to carry this work out for you. Once we receive your form, relevant documents and cheque payment, we will list your property on our website. There is no additional charge to re-advertise the same property more than once in a year.

If you are a resident landlord (i.e letting a room or multiple rooms in the house you live in), simply complete this form and send to us along with your Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate, Energy Performance Certificate, Periodic Electrical Report and a cheque payment for £54 incl VAT made out to ‘Essex Student Lets Limited’. Once we receive your form, documents and cheque payment, we will list your property on our website.