Housing
SU Advice offers advice and guidance on Student Housing. We can advise on most things from Renting in the Private Sector to University Accommodation.
If for any reason we are unable to answer your query we can offer advice and contact details for other support services who may be better able to advise you.
Please follow the links below for further information. If you would like to speak to an Adviser about your query please do not hesitate to contact SU Advice.
Living in University accommodation is something
most students will experience
Information about the tenancy
deposit schemes.
Setting billing accounts, checking the
inventory, taking photos etc.
What to do if something gets damaged or is
broken
Simple steps you can follow before,
during and at the end of your tenancy
How to prove your right to rent
Who must the landord check
Tips for what to look for when viewing
a house
General info about tenants rights, obligations
and signing contracts
Knowing your local rubbish collection day,
Solitting the costs, etc.
Information on bill sharing, what type of bills
you might have to pay etc.
Closing billing accounts, giving final meter
readings etc.
What is a guarantor and how they can help
FAQ:
Q: can I still Get a room in campus if the applications are closed?
Student waiting list applications for 2018-19 are now open.
This is for all new and returning students at Colchester and Southend. To apply for 2018-19 University accommodation via the waiting list you must be a registered student during 2018-19. You will need to complete the PDF application form below and email it back to accadmin@essex.ac.uk. The waiting lists will not be published online. Once we are able to start allocating rooms to those on the waiting list, a copy of the relevant waiting list will be emailed to you on a weekly basis. This will then give you the opportunity to see your position on the list. For more information please click here.
Q: Can I Transfer my Campus accommodation?
If you decide to live off campus in private accommodation, you may transfer your accommodation contract to another student in the private sector.
The charges for transferring a tenancy are: £20 fee (non-refundable): to change your accommodation contract into the name of the new student. We are only able to take card payments for this transaction at the Information Desk in the Student Services Hub. For more information please click here.
Q: Can I exchange my University room with another student?
If you would like to move to another room, you have the option to exchange with another student.
If you are thinking of exchanging your room with another student or would like to know more about it, please have a look here and follow the given steps.
Q: What can I do if I can’t get accommodation on campus?
A: For an off-campus rental you can try SU Homes on campus, or private rental websites such as rightmove.co.uk or spareroom.co.uk. The University operates a tenancy transfer system for students wishing to move from private to University accommodation, further details available here.
Q: How can I get a guarantor for my rented property?
A: Your guarantor does not have to be a family member. If your guarantor does not meet the income requirement, it is possible to combine two guarantors to meet the income requirement. You may not know anybody in the UK who would be willing to act as your guarantor. There are services in the UK that can offer guarantors. SU Homes recommends Housing Hand. However, this service does charge: housinghand.co.uk.
The University of Essex is developing its own guarantor service, YourGuarantor. If you do not wish to use Housing Hand or YourGuarantor and do not have a guarantor in the UK, you will be asked to pay 6 month’s rent upfront covering the first month of your tenancy and the final 5 months.
Q: What is SU Homes and how can they help me?
A: SU Homes is a property finding service on campus specifically for University of Essex students. It is a free service with no fees and there is a SU Homes office on campus. Here is their website link for further details: https://www.essexstudent.com/suhomes/
