Are you renting university accommodation for the first time? Or are you already studying in Sheffield and looking to switch to something different?

Before you put pen to paper and sign a contract elsewhere have a quick think about the costs. Here’s a bit of an idea of what you and your pals could end up paying next year.

Renting in Sheffield

As expected rent will take away the biggest chunk of cash from your pot when living in a shared house. Rent for private houses is often advertised as weekly but it can be collected on a weekly, monthly, termly or quarterly basis depending on your contract.

At The Pinnacles there are only three rent collection dates which coincide with you receiving your student finance. And so this makes things less complicated and giving you one less thing to worry about.

Deposits and fees

There’s a very good chance that you’ll be asked to pay something up front when you are signing up for any accommodation. In a lot of cases this could be up to a month’s worth of rent and halfway through your first year. Also trying to find money for a deposit right now could be quite the task.

If you were to re-book at The Pinnacles, finding a deposit right now would not be an issue as we roll over your deposit for you!

Guarantors

A guarantor is somebody who won’t be living at the property but is responsible for paying the rent if you don’t.

A lot of private landlords only accept a guarantor who lives in the UK. In some cases, charge a larger deposit fee if you can’t in fact provide one who lives in the UK. Here at DIGS it doesn’t matter whereabouts in the world your guarantor is from because we’ll accept a guarantor regardless of where they’re based.

Council Tax

Although you don’t need to pay council tax if you and your housemates are full time students, you do however have a responsibility to tell the council that you are excused from paying it.

Booking at The Pinnacles again means there will be no need to inform the council of your exemption. At DIGS we love making life easier.

Bills

Bills are arguably the biggest factor to take in to consideration when renting. It’s a big decision whether to go ahead and take the plunge in to private housing.

There are many bills that you’ll be responsible for:

Gas and Electricity – The average cost for a combined fuel bill last year was £125 for a house of 5 *

Water– The average cost for a water bill is £32 a month *

Internet – The very cheapest deals are around £15 a month and even then, you usually require a minimum 12-month contract

Insurance – You’ll be responsible for your own contents insurance for your valuables

Seem overwhelming? Well if you rebook at The Pinnacles then you won’t have to worry about any of these things. Choose DIGS as your student accommodation provider and then your gas, electric and water bills are included in the rent. On top of this we also provide contents insurance and wi-fi at no added cost throughout the year.

So… for those of you who like a long shower and those of you who are terrible for leaving the light on, it might be worth taking in to consideration added bills before deciding where you live next year.

* Stats provided by Co-operative energy

Making the most of rented accommodation

As well as expenses, you also need to take in to consideration these aspects when renting accommodation in Sheffield.

Maintenance – At The Pinnacles we have a dedicated maintenance team working daily to ensure that any concerns raised are dealt with promptly and efficiently. Some landlords can take days, even weeks to respond to issues

Security – At The Pinnacles we have a devoted a 24-hour security team ensuring that your safety and wellbeing is a priority. Not many private landlords can offer that

Experience – The Pinnacles has hundreds of students living on site and a unique atmosphere which can’t be replicated in any private housing

Start renting with DIGS for another hassle-free year

Enjoy our hassle free inclusive living and book again. DIGS has many rooms and flats to rent close to Sheffield Hallam university.  You could even choose your flatmates if you’ve found a great set of people this year…