Placement Ready: Top Tips for Accommodation
| So… you’re either thinking about doing a placement year, or perhaps you’ve already got one and don’t know where to start with accommodation. We are here to help! In this blog post, we outline our advice on finding accommodation from former placement students. Whether you want a placement in and around Leeds or much further afield, this post covers advice for both. Should I sign for a house with my friends? A very common worry amongst students is that whilst waiting to find a placement – which can be up until September before your final year! – you may feel you don’t want to miss out on signing for a final year property. Although this may feel quite daunting, there are many options available for you whether you end up getting a placement or not! There is always the option to sign a contract, and, in the case you secure a placement, find someone to replace you. You can advertise the room on many websites, including SpareRoom; on one of the University of Leeds Student Accommodation Facebook Groups; email your landlord about letting the room for you; or organising between mutual friends. On the other hand, if you don’t sign for a house but don’t end up securing a placement, there will be many houses available for you to sign on to. Other students in Leeds will be advertising their houses – for instance, on some of the previous websites mentioned – up until and even into the new academic year. There are options available for either scenario, and, as the deadline isn’t until September of your final year, don’t rule out securing one until then! How do I get accommodation for a placement outside of Leeds? For most placements, you are required to find your own accommodation that is an appropriate distance from your place of work. Your placement provider may give you advice about placement accommodation, and will often provide you with the contacts of other people on the placement so you can find accommodation together. When looking for accommodation it can be useful to use sites such as SpareRoom, as well as if the city has a university that has an accommodation group on Facebook, or contacting local letting agents. Martha: ‘For myself, GSK created a LinkedIn group with those who had got a placement and people started messaging to live together. During our induction day prior to starting, they also had those currently on the placement I would be undertaking there to answer any questions we had, including advice on accommodation etc!’ Erin: ‘I lived in Manchester during my placement year, but there were unfortunately no other placement students I could live with throughout the year. I joined Manchester University’s Student Accommodation Group on Facebook and messaged other students who were advertising rooms on there. Although there were moments this was quite stressful – for instance, one house I was messaging ended up giving the room to someone else – I eventually found a very lovely house in the location I wanted! I didn’t end up signing until June, so it is still possible even when it’s later in the year.’ Molly: ‘I was lucky enough to find a placement where I could live at home with my parents. This was a nice break from the chaotic university life as it allowed me to relieve financial stress and maintain a better work-life balance. While it worked for me, it may not suit everyone.’ What if I sign a contract in Leeds and then get a placement elsewhere? As previously mentioned, it is relatively easy to find someone to take over your contract in Leeds. Speak to mutual friends, or advertise on Facebook or SpareRoom. Letting agents see this every year, so let them know you are finding someone to replace you, and they will tell you the steps to take. What if I don’t get a placement? Don’t worry if you don’t manage to secure a placement, there are always rooms available even until September. If you join Facebook accommodation groups, you will find lots of rooms in every area of Leeds. It’s better to try your hardest to secure a placement and have third year as your backup than not try! Don’t forget, your employability team are always there for you with plenty of support, resources and help. |