This is the second post in a multi-part thriller about the rollercoaster journey that was (and still is!) house hunting. IF you haven’t already read the last instalment I’d advise you read that first.
The university have a very specific outline of how they help students find accommodation. Firstly they release a list (online) of all the “university managed housing”. This is essentially houses that the university rents from private landlords and then sublets to students on a fixed term. This list becomes accessible to all students at midnight on 23rd February.
Luckily the university have more sense than to make it first come, first served so instead each group can fill out a form to express interest in up to 7 houses on the list. The university then draws a ‘raffle’ where a first and backup group are randomly selected for each house on the list from everyone who was interested in renting that property. This seems like a very fair system in principle but it does mean that one group could potentially be selected at the first group for all 7 of their chosen houses.
Another down shot of this is that once selected as the first group for a property you view the house and then have 2 days to decide whether you want it or not.
But the university also release another list a week later, the private landlord list. It is essentially a list of all the student accommodation in Guildford. Any reputable landlord has their property and contact details listed. Unlike the university managed list, this one is first come, first served. It’s a matter of who can ring the landlord, arrange a viewing, view and get their deposit down before anyone else. Sound fair? Sounds deadly.
So you may be able to figure out that as I’m writing this the private landlord list has been out for 5 days. So did I manage to get a house? Was it easy? Was I chosen in the ‘raffle’ to get university managed housing? All in good time……
Stay tuned for part 3 - “The First List”
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