Private renting

If you will be renting in the private rented sector, we can offer advice on your options, finding somewhere to live, finding people to live with and other important things to consider. The information on this web page and in our house hunting guide should help get you started.

There are a range of options for students wanting to rent privately across Brighton and surrounding areas.

Students are eligible for discounted public transport with Railcards and Unizone tickets on the train, and student tickets on the bus.

Download our house-hunting guide

When to look

  • If you are entering your first year at the University of Brighton, we recommend looking for accommodation over the summer. We advise that you do not sign any contracts or make any advance payments until your course place here has been confirmed.
  • If you are a current student and you’re looking for accommodation for the next academic year, we recommend you start looking in January/February. Take your time, there’s no rush.

What to do

  • Decide your budget, what type of accommodation you’re looking for, and who you want to live with.
  • Start looking for accommodation and book property viewings.
  • When you’ve found a place you want, pay the holding deposit to reserve it.
  • The landlord or letting agency will usually carry out referencing checks at this stage and ask you to complete some paperwork for this. They are likely to ask for a guarantor.
  • Provided you pass the reference checks, you will then be asked to sign the tenancy agreement, pay the security deposit and your first month’s rent.
  • Move in and enjoy your new home!

Private accommodation options

The private rented sector refers to properties and rooms that you rent from another party; private rented accommodation is either let by private landlords, letting agencies, or private providers of privately owned residential halls.

Shared housing

Students most commonly live in shared housing. It makes rent and bills more affordable, offers a fun and sociable environment, and you can share responsibility for keeping communal spaces clean and tidy.

Renting with a letting agency

There are lots of letting agencies in Brighton and Hove that advertise student properties. You don’t need to know all of them, there are a range of private websites that advertise properties from a selection of agencies so everything you need is in one place.

You may wish to look at reviews and testimonials of letting agencies through external review websites, Google or the agency’s website.

Renting with a private landlord

Private landlords manage their properties and tenancies directly rather than using a letting agency. Private landlords will either advertise the property themselves, or a letting agency will advertise the property on their behalf but the property and tenancy will be managed by the landlord when the contract begins. Private landlords may be more flexible or open to negotiation.

Joint tenancies

Many shared student properties are rented as whole properties on joint tenancies, you will need to enquire as a group for this type of accommodation. Sometimes properties are not let as a whole, and bedrooms are let separately to individuals.

Brighton houses

Studios and 1-bed flats

If you wish to live alone or move in with a partner, studios and 1-bedroom flats will probably be most suitable. This type of accommodation is widely available, and it is advertised on a range of websites. Although not always the case, you typically secure studios and 1-bed flats much closer to the move-in date compared with shared student housing, often 1-2 months before you intend to move in.

Studios and 1-bed flats are usually a more expensive option, particularly if you plan to live alone. Therefore, you may also want to consider accommodation in the surrounding areas of Brighton as the accommodation may be more affordable. There are many discounts available for students on public transport to assist with commuting.

Private halls

Private halls refers to purpose-built student accommodation in a residential halls layout. There are a range of private halls throughout Brighton, managed by private providers.

Options such as en-suite bedrooms in shared flats and self-contained studios are typically offered in this type of accommodation, and there will usually be communal areas and recreational facilities in the buildings for residents to enjoy as well. Please note that private halls are not affiliated with the university, and any agreement entered into will be completely private.

Lodging

Lodging is a type of accommodation where you rent a room or self-contained living space in someone’s home, and the landlord lives in the same residence. This type of landlord is called a “resident landlord” or “live-in landlord”.

Lodging is an affordable and home-like option for short-term and long-term stays, depending on what you want. Bedrooms are often fully furnished and ready for you to move into, and sometimes you can share the household cookware and crockery, too. Lodging offers a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with the area while searching for long-term accommodation, or as a comfortable long-term solution.

Where to look

You can search for accommodation using the sites listed below.

  • Rightmove:
    Rightmove also has a dedicated student accommodation search function
    Shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • OnTheMarket:
    Shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • StuRents:
    Private halls, shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • Accommodation for Students:
    Private halls
  • OpenRent:
    Commonly used by private landlords
    Lodging rooms, shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • SpareRoom:
    Commonly used by private landlords
    Lodging rooms, shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • Gumtree:
    Commonly used by private landlords
    Lodging rooms, shared housing, studios/1-beds
  • Homestay.com:
    Commonly used by resident landlords
    Lodging rooms

This list is not exhaustive, but it provides a good starting point of widely-used websites.

You can filter your search on these websites to ensure the search results meet certain criteria. For example, you can filter the price, radius, number of bedrooms etc. Each individual property listing will show who is advertising it and instructions on how to enquire.

Facebook group

UoB Housemates Facebook group

Join our UoB Housemates Facebook group! This group is for current students to meet other students who are looking for housemates, post room advertisements, and get advice.

To join this group you need to provide your UoB student number.

Join our UoB Housemates group

Things to consider

Budgeting

Upfront costs

  • A refundable holding deposit (to reserve a property) - this must be capped at no more than 1 week’s rent.
  • A refundable security deposit – this must be capped at no more than 5 weeks’ rent where the total annual rent is less than £50,000, or 6 weeks’ rent where the total annual rent is £50,000 or above. Some landlords/letting agencies will offer a no deposit option.
  • It is typical for the first month’s rent to be paid upfront when securing accommodation.

If you are entering an assured shorthold tenancy, your security deposit must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme. Your landlord/letting agency must tell you which scheme your deposit is protected by.

Rent and bills

  • The average weekly rent in 2024 for a studio flat is £232 (bills not inclusive).
  • The average weekly rent in 2024 for a 1 bedroom flat is £307 (bills not inclusive).
  • The average weekly rent in 2024 for a shared house is £140 per person (based on 4-6 bedroom houses, bills not inclusive).
  • Contracts for shared houses and flats in the private sector are likely to be 50 – 52 weeks long, so you need to ensure your budget covers this whole period. You should consider whether you need to work part-time during your studies and over the summer to support your living costs.

The above information is based on our own market research.
Calculate an average monthly cost by multiplying the weekly amount by 52, then dividing the new sum by 12

  • Bills are not usually included in the rent, so you will need to organise these with your household. The average monthly cost of utilities for a 4 bedroom household in 2024 is £107 per person (energy, water, broadband, TV licence).
  • We would also advise all students to arrange contents insurance. You can buy this for as little as £4 a month.

The above information is from Save The Student.

Guarantors

You will probably be required to provide a guarantor when applying to rent a property in the private sector. The purpose of a guarantor is to guarantee rent payments. If you fail to pay rent, your guarantor will be asked for payment. Most students ask a relative or friend. A person must meet certain criteria to act as a guarantor, this will vary across letting agencies and landlords.

If you do not have a suitable guarantor, some agencies and landlords may accept use of a guarantor service instead. A guarantor service is a paid service that provides rental guarantee insurance during your tenancy. Paying for rental guarantee insurance through a guarantor service ensures that a landlord will receive payment if the tenant defaults. Similarly to other insurance policies, tenants will have to meet certain conditions in order to be eligible for the service, such as passing reference checks, providing a deposit and providing an eligible co-signer.

See some guarantor services listed below:

Another alternative to a guarantor that may be accepted is paying rent upfront. A commonly accepted payment schedule is 6 months upfront, with a second payment of the remaining amount after 6 months. Sometimes the full rental amount for the tenancy period will be requested upfront. Not all agencies/landlords will accept this instead of a guarantor.

If you plan to use a guarantor service, or suggest an upfront payment in place of a guarantor, we advise that you check whether this will be accepted in your initial queries, before viewing a property, so that you don’t waste your time.

Private landlords and residential landlords may be more open to negotiation regarding guarantors.

Council tax

When you move into private accommodation, you need to register your household for Council Tax. You can register for Council Tax with Brighton & Hove City Council online. 

After registering, you can then apply for any applicable discounts you and others in your household are eligible for.

Full-time students are exempt from paying council tax. You can register for student Council Tax discount online.

You can find out more about other available discounts online. 

Advice services

  • UoB Community Liaison and Housing Advice Officer
    If you are unsure of anything you come across, or have questions relating to private sector housing, feel free to contact our Community Liaison and Housing Advice Officer.
  • UoB Student Advice Service (financial advice)
    The Student Advice Service provides information, advice and support to students relating to a wide range of financial issues, from eligibility to the statutory student finance package and DWP Benefits, to budgeting and money management, and everything else in between. 
  • Careers and Employability team
    The Careers team can offer you support with finding a job during your studies, as well as help you decide what you want to do when you finish studying.
  • Brighton Students’ Union
    Brighton SU can provide one-to-one advice and support and help students explore their housing options. 
  • Save The Student
    Find lots of advice for students on their website.
  • Money Saving Expert
    Find lots of financial advice tailored for students on their website here: 

 

Top tips

Tips on renting safely:

  • Always view the property before making any deposit or rent payments, whether you do this in person or arrange an online viewing. On no account should you part with money before seeing a property.
  • Use your common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions when viewing a property, that’s what the agent/landlord is there for. If they don’t have the answer there and then, follow it up in an email. 
  • Always get a receipt when making any payment.
  • Our House Hunting Guide also has a property checklist to help you out during viewings.
  • Make sure you read the tenancy agreement in full before signing and seek advice if you need to.
  • Not sure what something means? We have a jargon buster in our House Hunting Guide to help you! Make sure you understand your tenancy agreement.
  • The security deposit should not be paid until you have signed the contract.

Be aware of online scams such as the use of money transfer services like Western Union or Money gram. Money transfer services are not meant for any kind of transaction connected with someone you don't know.

The university accepts no liability arising from the use of any website and what you do with the information here is at your own risk. The university disclaims all express or implied conditions, representations, and warranties of any kind, including any implied warranty or condition of satisfactory quality or fitness for habitation.