Manchester Metropolitan University does not own, lease or manage the Private halls and has no financial connection to the owners. However Private halls of residence are abundant in Manchester and are readily used by students, especially our students.
The majority of these halls of Residence are very similar to University Halls; in fact some of them have been leased in full or in part by Manchester’s Universities in previous years.
All students can use Private halls of residence so you are likely to encounter students from Manchester’s other Universities. However about half of MMU’s 1st year students use private sector halls and houses so you are very likely to be close to other MMU students.
Many of the privately owned halls offer inclusive bills but if they don’t you may have to pay for heating, lighting and hot water separately from the rent (unless otherwise stated), so think about budgeting between £10 and £20 per week for these.
Private sector halls are businesses and have overheads. The vast majority of the halls charge a deposit the equivalent to one or two months rent before the start of the contract.
Deposits can be used for many things and a full breakdown of what the deposit is used for should be in your tenancy or license agreement. A deposit is refundable shortly after the end of an accommodation contract, provided no damage has been caused to the property during the term of occupancy.
Landlords/letting agents may also use deposits to recoup money for any unpaid rent, bills or cleaning costs (but a deposit should not be used by the tenant against any accumulated rent arrears).
From 6th April 2007, when you pay a deposit, your landlord or agent must protect it using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme. Make sure you ask your landlord about it. Further information can be obtained via www.direct.gov.uk/tenancydeposit.
You may prefer to share a rented house or flat or rent a room in a private house. Manchester Student Homes is a joint accommodation bureau for students at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester, which coordinates private sector accommodation for students.
There is a wide variety of private accommodation available to rent. However, it’s best to make contact with private landlords as soon as possible after receiving the vacancy information as places are snapped up quickly.
Manchester Student Homes (MSH) is owned and managed by Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester. They are the University’s only officially approved housing bureau.
Based in Fallowfield and accessible via their website, MSH serves Manchester’s student community by providing information on good quality and well managed properties available in the private sector.
The MSH Code of Standards is aimed at promoting good practice and raising the standards of privately rented accommodation. All MSH registered landlords have been invited to conform to the standards and details of those who have agreed to do so are listed on the website.
As well as providing property information MSH housing advisors offer free general housing advice including contract checking and mediation services.
Student accommodation in Crewe can also be found in the private sector. A list of private rental accommodation for students can be found on the Studentpad website or the MMU Cheshire Studentpad website. You can search for private student houses, flats and lodgings, 24/7 365 days a year from anywhere in the world.
Using the Studentpad website you can:
This includes flats, bedsits and shared houses, which are all rented from a private landlord.
If you wish to live in this type of accommodation, it is best to visit the addresses in person and reserve the accommodation most suitable for your needs. You should remember that you will require substantial funds from the outset as most landlords will require payment of:
This could amount to over £400 to be paid before your student loan arrives, so spend your money wisely as the agreement you will sign will probably commit you to a ten month contract which will prove impossible or very difficult to break later.
Manchester is such a student city. They know that we don’t have much money and that we are living off our loans, so there are a lot of deals and offers aimed at students. There is so much to do and different places to go which is really good.I decided to move from the Midlands up to Manchester mainly because of its reputation. I was looking at London, but it is so expensive and a bit too busy for me, as I’m from quite a little town.Shakira Stewart