When you’re looking for student accommodation in Leeds, you have a few options. Do you want to live in halls of residence, whether that’s university or privately owned; a shared student house; rent a room in a house where the landlord also lives; or live at home and commute in?
The most popular option for post first-year undergraduates is a shared student house. And for good reason. You get more freedom and independence, enjoy the conviviality of living with a group of people and feel part of a local community. But even if you’re heading here as a fresher, your university’s accommodation office should be able to match you up with other people looking for shared student houses in Leeds.
So, what are the advantages of a shared living space? Let’s take a look.
You get to choose who you live with
You may have spent your first year in halls with a random selection of people. And, depending on the luck of the drawer, that will have worked out great, or maybe not so great.
But with a house share, you get to choose who you live with!
By now, you’ll probably have found a good group of friends and have obvious contenders to share your student accommodation in Leeds. If you’re currently living with them in halls, you’ll already know about their foibles and predilections, but if not, it’s a good idea to have a chat before making a commitment to establish whether you’ll make compatible house-share buddies. For instance, night owls and early risers don’t necessarily make a good mix; neither do neat-freaks and people with a more laidback attitude to tidying!
You’ll make great memories
Your time at university will be one of the most memorable of your life and that will mostly be down to the people you share it with.
Your housemates will become the fabric of your university life; the people you share the ups and downs with. From big nights out to cosy nights in; laughing yourself silly to moments of high drama; helping each other with revision and cooking Sunday roasts together, these are the people you’ll make some brilliant memories with and may even establish friendships for life.
You decide where you live
Whether it’s the cultural draw of Hyde Park, the buzz of Headingley or the green spaces and independents of Meanwood, when it comes to student accommodation in Leeds, you’re spoiled for choice.
Hyde Park boasts an iconic music venue, classic cinema and an arts and culture space, not to mention countless great eateries. For non-stop action, Headingley is where it’s at. Meanwood has a more chilled vibe, but there’s certainly no shortage of things to do or places to eat. Other popular areas for shared student houses in Leeds are Burley, which mixes the convenience of gyms, restaurants and an entertainment complex with the peace and tranquillity of Kirkstall Abbey, and Woodhouse, for its sprawling park, great eateries, and close proximity to the University of Leeds.
Wherever you decide to settle, you’ll love being able to explore your new neighbourhood and feel part of the community.
You’ll save money
Living in a house share will cost you less money than if you live alone. Mostly because you are able to share the cost of rent between you all. Not only that, but you’ll also get to split the cost of things like the TV licence fee, streaming services, utilities, and broadband (if they’re not already included in your rent).
It also means you’ll save on things like household essentials, taxi fares, food deliveries and even clothes if you’ve got housemates who are willing to let you borrow them!
Plus, when you haven’t got enough cash to go out, you’ve got the ingredients for a fun night in ready and waiting. Just hit the supermarket for some snacks and drinks, whack on some bangers and have a house party!
You can share the chores
With great freedom comes great responsibility. Namely, cleaning. However, when you all muck in together, it becomes light work. Why not nominate a day when all the weekly communal chores are tackled, and you’ll be done in an hour or so. Alternatively, you could try a rota system. Either way, it leaves you a lot more time to get on with the fun stuff.
You could also take turns to cook dinner for each other. Not only will it give you a good few nights off cooking, but you’ll hopefully get to sample some delicious new dishes.
It’s a live-in social network/support system
Uni life can be overwhelming at times. Studying, work and socialising can all take their toll on our wellbeing but in a shared house, you can usually find someone to talk to or unwind with. You’ll probably find the easy affability between you and your housemates remarkably reassuring and restorative.
On the other side of the coin, when you’re in need of a little distraction, in a shared house there’s plenty to be had. Whether it’s an art exhibition, gig or new bar opening, there’s always someone who knows something happening and always someone to go with.
From small to large student houses in Leeds, we have a great range of properties to suit all requirements. Why not take a look today and start planning your new uni adventure!