Accommodation at Leeds Uni - His Uni Exchange: Part 3
Part 3: What student accommodation options do I have at Leeds Uni? & If I want something different, what else is there?
As we move from the initial planning stage (see Part 1) to now organising the time abroad (see Part 2), sorting your accommodating can be a difficult task when presented with a ton of choices.
The following breaks down the two routes of accommodation options I could have chosen for my year in Leeds. Between private & uni residences, there are a number of things to consider in their costs, location & the facilities provided.
The general progression of a UK university student is to go into their uni's halls in 1st year, then with a group of friends find a large private share-house 2nd & 3rd year. Beyond that, it depends on the individual & masters & doctorate students find a smaller share house or more private studio accommodation.
For exchange students, the majority will find themselves in one of the 16 Leeds Uni residences, due to the ease of organising, their reasonable cost & providing a large social scene. But my time ended up a little different, so I hope to cover what I had to consider & why I ended up doing something a little different.
Choosing your Accommodation
Finding the right accommodation can be a tricky, but it's definitely worth taking the time to weigh up your options & go with what you think is best. Leeds has a number of housing options available as the city supports roughly 70,000 university students. From on-campus & off-campus student halls to private accommodation, there was a lot to consider when Ruby & I were planning on coming to the city. Here is what we found.
1) Private Housing (What we chose)
I will cover the University of Leeds student halls below, but due to Ruby having graduated before she left, if we wanted to live together then the student accommodation option simply wouldn't allow for this.
So instead, we went through a non-profit organisation called Unipol, which is recommended by Leeds Uni. They have a ton of properties both directly managed by them, or endorsed by landlords they have approved.
Since deciding on this option, we could have waited until we arrived in Leeds to sort accommodation (there are loads on letting agencies, like literally 100's), however, we wanted things sorted before leaving Australia & didn't want to arrive are our stint of travelling with nowhere to stay.
So determining a place was difficult, as we didn't know any of the areas of Leeds, or actually get to physical view the property beyond photos, which meant we really took a punt on what we were going to get.
However, after a bit of looking on Unipol's online search, we settled on a little 1 & 1/2-bedroom terraced flat in Burley for £125 per week, with a 12-month tenancy period from the 1st July 2017. The rent covered contents insurance & unlimited internet, though it didn't include our gas, electricity or water.
In the flat itself, it was split across 3 floors, with the kitchen/living area on the 1st, the main bedroom and bathroom on the 2nd & a little study or spare room on the 3rd.
It ended up being an ideal size for what we needed, the rent is quite reasonable for student accommodation & its location is very walkable to both uni (10 minutes) & city centre (20 minutes). Also, during the tenancy, the kitchen/living area got a nice refurbishment. You can check out these pics.
Pro's of our Private Accommodation
Unipol was a trusted organisation, which provided regular communication & assistance with issues, maintenance & advice.
Understanding & accommodating of our situation of a Leeds student & non-student living together,
Splitting the £125 per week rent between ourselves worked out much cheaper than the cost of uni accommodation.
Having our own self-contained place meant it's more private & we could keep it clean & tidy ourselves.
Con's of our Private Accommodation
The rent didn't include utilities, which meant we were both paying an extra £10pw.
Being in a 1-bed flat you lack any room-mates & coming to a new city & country, it takes an effort to make social connections early on. This would have definitely been more of an issue if Rubes & I didn't have each other.
The tenancy contract was for 12-months from July 2017 to July 2018. With the uni year starting in late September & our desire to travel a bit before arriving, it would have been more appropriate to find something with a 9-month contract.
As young adults with limited experience in housing contracts, we felt aggrieved when Unipol decided to disrupt our daily lives for 3-weeks over January exams to renovate the kitchen & stairs. Especially when they knew we weren't living in the property for the first 2 & 1/2 months of our contract.
Popular Private Accommodation Locations:
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Hyde Park:
Is probably the most popular choice for Leeds students, as it is close to all the essentials (uni, city, pubs, shops & Woodhouse Moore). Properties vary from 1-bedroom flats up to 9-bedroom shared houses.
Price: Approx. £70pw to £100pw
Walk times: Uni 15min/City Centre 20min
Burley:
Situated slightly further away than Hyde Park is & its residents are a greater mix of the wider community. Prices are slightly cheaper, & yet, there is still very good access to everything you need in your day to day life.
Price: Approx. £60pw to £90pw
Walk times: Uni 20min/City Centre 25min
Woodhouse:
Between Hyde Park & Woodhouse, they would be the closest accommodation areas to the campus itself. Although, Woodhouse lacks the same student feel & immediacy of shops right on your doorstep.
Price: Approx. £70pw to £100pw
Walk times: Uni 10min/City Centre 20min
Headingley:
One of the nicer areas for students to live due to the easy access to nice pubs, restaurants, takeaways, shops & services. However, prices are higher because of this appeal & it is a farther walk to the campus.
Price: Approx. £75pw to £120pw
Walk times: Uni 25min/City Centre 35min
City Centre:
Being in the heart of Leeds there is plenty to see, do & access from shops, nightlife, activities & transport, while the campus is still very close. However, prices can be much higher & you'll be restricted in choice to mainly studio flats or small apartments.
Price: Approx. £90pw to £150pw
Walk times: Uni 5min/City Centre 0min
2) Uni of Leeds Student Accommodation
Taking up the option of one of Leeds Uni's 16 residences is the best way to get straight into the student experience. For single travellers going on exchange, you'll be put into a flat or hall with other exchange students or Uni of Leeds students, & is a great way to make connections.
However, with 16 options, they vary in what they can provide & it is worth considering what you want. You'll want to think about the costs of accommodation against your budget, whether it's on-campus or not, having meals provided or cooking for yourself & what additional facilities the residence has. See below an expert from the uni itself on accommodation info, while I've also included a comment from what I've seen myself & heard from others.
Uni of Leeds Residences:
Oxley (Map Ref 1): Its biggest issue is that it's the furthest accommodation away from the campus & will require a bus or bike ride to avoid the very long walk. However, it is the cheapest option, is quite comfortable & located directly on the Uni's extensive Westwood sporting fields.
Lupton (Map Ref 2): Again, it is a distance away, however, located within Headingley provides good access to shops & services. It is also quite a popular option, with a big social vibe.
North Hill Court (Map Ref 3): As the smallest in size, I haven't heard a great deal about North Hill. However, being within Headingley, it is quite a nice location for a student.
James Baillie (Map Ref 4): A lot of talk comes out of James Baillie for its immense social/partying scene. Again, it's located in Headingley.
Devonshire (Map Ref 5): Having had friends in Dev, I've been quite a bit. It is one of the most attractive accommodation with its old styled facade. It offers both catered & self-catered & is a big mix between UK students & exchange students.
Leodis (Map Ref: 6): It is relatively close to the campus & accommodates for the 2nd largest number of students (this is either a positive or negative).
Montague Burton (Map Ref 7): From my experience, its location & cost make it an incredibly underrated option. There were a large number of fellow exchange students living here & it was a very nice vibe.
Ellerslie (Map Ref 8): Being on-campus is a definite plus, however, you will be paying for this. It is also catered, which will mean your meals will be provided by the Refectory in the Student Union.
Henry Price (Map Ref 9): Of the on-campus options, this provides the flexibility that self-catering brings, the slightly cheaper pricing for its location & the ease of getting around each day. It is currently being renovated so price & facilities may change.
Charles Morris (Map Ref 10): One of the newest & most elaborate accommodation, situated in the heart of the campus. For this though, it is one of the closest to all uni facilities, but also includes catering by the University Union's Refectory cafeteria.
Lyddon Hall (Map Ref 11): Situated close to Charles Morris, Lyddon is on-campus in old converted terraces, with a great location & catering from the Refectory. However, it is still one of the dearest options.
Central Village (Map Ref 12): Arguably possessing the best location, CV's towers are between the city centre & campus, which makes for quite the social hub, though, it is one of the dearest self-catered accommodation.
CitySide (Map Ref 13): Right next to CV, CitySide shares the same qualities, however, with fewer accommodations options, the standard rooms don't vary in price.
Sentinel Towers (Map Ref 14): Down the hill from both the city centre & campus, Sentinel Towers offers an alternative to most others.
The Tannery (Map Ref 15): Just a little further away from campus than Sentinel Towers, the Tannery is moderately priced & comparable ST.
Liberty Dock (Map Ref 16): Is a fair distance from campus, as it is situated beyond the city centre & requires walking or bus through & up to campus. Though for the price, there were positive responses for the quality of its facilities.
Here is a map to help orientate you with each of the 16 residences around Leeds (Click to enlarge).
So that's it on accommodation for now & I hope that it is useful for prospective exchange students to Leeds or the UK on things to consider about student life. Once again there is a bit to digest & my next blog in this series will definitely cover my experience of first arriving in Leeds & starting uni.
But if you have any questions about accommodation, previous topics or any exchange related things, don't hesitate to get in touch via our email hishertravelings@gmail.com. Thanks for your time & have a good week.