If you're a first year who is making the transition from on campus accommodation to privately rented accommodation you may find that everyone starts talking about housing before you've barely settled in. The main thing to remember is do not panic! There are a number of things you will need to consider such as who you will live with, where you will live and how much you want to pay but there is plenty of accomodation available and plenty of time to work these things out.
Where can I find accommodation?
You will be able to see accommodation available through various websites throughout the year but be weary of higher agency fees you may pay by going through these especially if you sign up early. Studentpad is the Univeristy of Bath's Accommodation finder which has an online database you can access at any time throughout the year to look up accommodation or even find other housemates. Properties for the 2014-15 academic year will be uploaded on December 1st but this doesn't mean that you need to rush to get a house straight away. There will be plenty of accommodation available after your exams in Fenruary/March.
If you are a Postgraduate or Exchange student you may need to wait until the summer months to start looking for accommodation but there will still be plenty available and the The Advice & Representation Centre with Accommodation host a House Hunting Weekend every August to assist students in their search.
Where should I live?
OK, so you know you have to live in "town". But what is town? You've heard of Oldfield Park but where is this place and what does it have to offer? Like most cities, Bath is made up of smaller communities that are focussed around the City Centre.
To help you pick out areas in Bath to live in, the Student Community Partnership (SCP) have put together local profiles about each community in Bath, including feedback from students who live there.
What about housemates?
If you are worried about who you are going to live with first of all don't panic. It can take a while to find your good friends and when you do whether or not you want to live with them or not, try not to feel stressed as there is plenty of time to find accommodation and plenty of people in the same position who may or may not have a group sorted already. Start off by having a think about some of the following:
- Do you want to live in a small or large group?
- Do you want to live with your best friends?
- Would you like to be nearer to campus or town?
- Do you want a party house or a place you can retreat to?
If you'd like the opportunity to meet new people to live with or add an additional person to your group you can also use the message board on Studentpad to advertise this.
There will also be a 'Find a housemate' event organised by the Advice & Representation which will take place in January. Dates and times to be confirmed.