Student Housing Office About the Student Housing Office – our service to students The Student Housing Office aims to provide a one-stop shop for students’ private sector housing needs, providing you with the tools to make informed decisions. For most students, living in private rented accommodation is an enjoyable and fun part of University life. However, if problems with housemates, landlords or properties arise, then the Student Housing Office team have a widespread range of knowledge and experience of housing issues, plus access to outside agencies and resources. This means that we can give you the knowledge and skills to tackle any housing issues you may have during your tenancy. Should you require legal advice on any issue, we can refer you to the appropriate service. We are open daily Monday to Friday between 9am and 4.30pm   Properties registered with us When a property is registered with the Student Housing Office, what does this mean?

  Get ready to rent Your house hunting guide We know how it is – your mates have found a house, everyone’s telling you that if you don’t sign now you’ll lose it and have nowhere to live, so you think “Should I sign? What’s the worst that could happen...” Well here are a few things to consider before you put pen to paper: You have plenty of choice and you don’t need to accept anything that you’re not happy with. Take time to get to know your friends before deciding whether to live with them. Once you sign, there’s no going back. A housing contract is legally binding. Please visit our Useful Links page for helpful housing information. This includes a ‘Viewing a property’ student checklist by Shelter Cymru, the Rent Smart Wales Tenants' Guide, and our Housing Contract Checklist. There is also advice on safety, deposit protection, energy bills, and avoiding rental fraud. Find out about the Students’ Union Landlord Awards here. The University's Student Housing Office will be working with the Students’ Union on the annual housing campaign in October/November to give you all the information you need about house hunting. So look out for us!   Housing FAQs for international students International students housing guide What are my housing options? Students can apply for University Halls accommodation – visit https://www.bangor.ac.uk/accommodation for details, or contact the Halls Office on halls@bangor.ac.uk If students would prefer to live in privately rented accommodation, rented from a private landlord, visit https://www.bangor.ac.uk/studentservices/studenthousing for details. The Student Housing Office have lists of properties belonging to registered landlords, who have committed to certain conditions. Contact the Student Housing Office for guidance, on studenthousing@bangor.ac.uk I would prefer to live in privately rented accommodation. How do I find a property? If you require privately rented accommodation, the Student Housing Office has a web page advertising available properties, which is updated daily. Please visit https://www.bangorstudentpad.co.uk to search our Studentpad database. All registered landlords have committed to the Housing Office’s conditions. Landlord details are shown on each advert, so you can contact them directly for more information, and to arrange a viewing of the property. Does the University have any advice for students looking for privately rented accommodation? You can access Housing Advice and Useful Links via the website, which includes lots of helpful information. Should I book a property with a private landlord before arrival? We would usually advise against making any payments or signing any contracts until you have viewed the property and made sure that it is suitable for your needs. Unfortunately, we cannot enter into any arrangements or contracts on your behalf.  You must ensure that you are sure that you will require the accommodation, before signing a contract (which will be legally binding), as you will not normally be able to break that contract by moving out before the end of the fixed term. Where do I stay on arrival in Bangor, while looking for privately rented accommodation? Please contact us on studenthousing@bangor.ac.uk for a list of Bed & Breakfast accommodation / Hotels which you may find useful. Make sure you arrange this in advance of your arrival. The University Halls Office has a limited supply of temporary accommodation. You can check directly with them about price and availability at: halls@bangor.ac.uk I’d like to bring my family to stay with me in Bangor. How do we find family accommodation? It is difficult to find family accommodation in Bangor. May we suggest that you come to Bangor on your own in the first instance if possible, and send for your family to join you once you have found suitable accommodation for them. In addition to the advice shown above, you may need to also contact the local letting agencies and/or consider looking at accommodation outside of Bangor. Only students on certain courses and who may be sponsored by their Government are allowed to bring dependants to the UK. Full details can be found here: www.gov.uk/student-visa/family-members Advice for students with families can be found here: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/families https://www.bangor.ac.uk/students-with-families How much does it cost to rent a property privately, off-campus? Visit our Cost of Living and Money Support page for advice and guidance What about bills? Utility bills are things like electricity, gas and water at the property and are normally charged monthly or every few months. Energy bills have risen significantly recently and may cost more than you expect. For more information, visit https://www.bangorstudentpad.co.uk/local All bills (internet, water, heat, electricity) are included in the University Halls rent. However, if you rent privately off-campus, the landlord may include the bills in the rental price, or you may have to pay some of them yourself (or shared with the other students in the house). Properties normally have meters to measure the amount of usage. Check your contract carefully, to look out for any caps or fair usage policy. You may need to pay more for bills, on top of your rent. There may also be other bills to consider, such as internet, TV licence, TV packages etc. What is Council Tax, and do I have to pay it? This is a tax which the local council charges on properties, in order to provide services such as refuse collection and street lighting, for example. However, your property is ‘exempt’ from council tax if it’s only occupied by full-time university or college students. Student halls of residence are automatically exempt. If, for some reason, you receive a Council Tax bill, please come to see the International Support Office at the University, who can help you resolve the issue. Further information for international students can be found here: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/counciltax Can I get out of a housing contract if I change my mind? Unfortunately not, unless the landlord agrees to release you. Once you sign a contract, this is legally binding, and the landlord would expect you to keep to the terms of that contract – including paying the rent until the last day of that contract. On the other hand, the landlord must also keep to their agreement. You can find more information on contracts and agreements here: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/contracts-agreements The landlord is asking me for a ‘guarantor’. What is this? A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay the rent, or cover the cost of any damages, if you fail to do so. The guarantor is normally a family member or friend, who lives in the UK. If you don’t have such a person, then you may decide to use a guarantor service. You can search for these companies online, although you must ensure that it is suitable for your needs. Unfortunately, the University cannot act as a guarantor. Alternatively, you could speak to the landlord/agent to see if they have an alternative option, such as paying a larger deposit or advance rent. Or find a property where the landlord does not require a guarantor. You can find further details on guarantors here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/housing/renting-a-home/using-a-guarantor-w/ What if I have a dispute with a private landlord? If a problem arises during your stay, you can visit our Student Housing Office for initial advice. They can either help you directly, or refer you to other organisations who can help you. The Housing Office is based at Rathbone Hall on College Road, please see their webpage here: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/studentservices/studenthousing What is rental fraud, and where can I find advice on protecting myself from this? Rental fraud happens when students are tricked into paying an upfront fee to rent a property. In reality, the property does not exist, has already been rented out, or has been rented to multiple victims at the same time. For advice on how to protect yourself from rental fraud, visit: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/rental-fraud Where can I find more information on housing for international students? Advice from UKCISA on housing for international students can be found here: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Preparation-and-Arrival/Planning-your-housing Does the University have any other advice for international students? For advice and guidance on a range of welfare related matters to all international students and their families, visit: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/support/   Love where you live! Make the most of your area – how to stay safe, be a good citizen and enjoy it. University Parking Parking, Roads and Travel - Gwynedd Council Waste & Recycling – Gwynedd Council Your rights and responsibilities as a tenant (see Tenant’s Guide)   Housing advice and support Links and information about private renting Please visit our Useful Links page for helpful housing information. Visit Useful Links