Whether you are a Fresher or returning student, we know that sometimes getting accommodation may not be straightforward. If you are not sure or are struggling to find anything then please let us know and we can help. Otherwise, here are some steps for you to try:
- You might find that University accommodation services have spare rooms on campus or in Halls of Residence. You can double check by emailing accommodation@surrey.ac.uk or book a meeting with the Accommodation Support team here.
- If you don’t fancy living on campus or there are no University rooms available, then you can also look for available rooms on Spare Room or Roome. These websites give you the ability to message other students that may have a room available. You can post a message with your requirements so others can contact you and also search in the wider area to Guildford e.g. Ash, Aldershot, Woking or Farnborough as options.
- Your Union has a noticeboard near Reception where students have been posting adverts either looking for a room or for a housemate. If you are on Stag Hill campus please feel free to drop by and see if any adverts work for you, or post something on there.
- You may also want to look at Private Halls such as Guilden Village – Future Generation or other Purpose built student accommodation like Scape. These are more expensive then the options above, but still available if you need it.
If you already know who you are going to live with, then that is great, but we know it can be hard looking for a new place to live. Below is some guidance of where to start. Some landlords and estate agents will offer different types of tenancies (such as bills included, rent per room only or, rent for the whole house), so make sure you know what you are signing up for and make sure that you know what budget you can afford.
Renting privately should be a legally binding with a contract, so make sure you can afford the house you want, and that all of your housemates are on the same page. We have a more detailed page for you to check everything here.
Landlords and letting agencies mainly advertise their housing on
- Rightmove
- Zoopla
- Studentpad
- On The Market
- Hoods Residential - we strongly advise you reach out to Hoods first, they are also based in your Union opposite Reception, feel free to drop by!
Agencies will charge a wide range of fees which varies from each agent and also have different requirements for you to pass their referencing process.
Ensure you are clear about this before paying any monies or signing any application forms or tenancy agreements.
We advise students searching for accommodation to consider properties with these letting agents in the first instance:
- Hood’s Residential (Student Lettings): 01483 913916 / tom@hoodsresidential.com
- Leaders: 01483 455990 / guildford@leaders.co.uk
- Bourne: 01483 458 338 / guildfordlettings@bourneestateagents.com
- Cobbles: 01483 457 000 / info@cobbles.co.uk
- Gascoigne Pees (Student Lettings): 01483 300 336 / studenthouse@gpees.co.uk
- SWR: 01483 573 483 / david@swrl.co.uk
- Kings Estates (Student Lettings): 01483 941010 / guildford@kingsestates.net
Have a house but need another person? There are lots of ways to find additional people to live with including looking at EasyRoommate or Spare Room.
If you are already signed into a contract and need a replacement tenant:
- Please start by checking your tenancy agreement (contract).
- Once you are happy with the terms of replacing your tenant you will need to email the landlord/tenant and explain that you are seeking to leave your tenancy and are aware that you will be required to find a suitable replacement tenant to take over your tenancy and associated financial obligations i.e. rent; utility costs etc.
- Your housemates will have to agree to accept any replacement tenant you may find, so make sure you discuss this with them before you look to advertise your room.
Below are some platforms you can advertise on but don’t advertise until you are happy with the terms of your contract! This will avoid any potential problems with your landlord and housemates.
- Sturents
- Student Pavilion
- Roome
- You can also post on your Union housing noticeboard opposite Reception in the Union to look for housemates. We've had many students find someone this way!
Your Union will be running various Belonging events from Freshers Week and onwards in Semester 1 to help you meet other students, who may also be looking someone to live with.
To keep up to date on what is coming up make sure to follow @surreyunion via Instagram and check out our What's On page here for all our events.