What are my accommodation options in second year?

Trying to find accommodation can be a bit daunting, especially if it’s not something you’ve done before. As a UniBuddy ambassador, I often get asked about what options are available for your second year. So, I figured it might be a good idea to break it down a little. Since private renting is the most common route for students beyond their first year, I’ll be breaking down different ways to find private rented houses. So, let’s get down to business!

Halls

University halls prioritise first year students; therefore, this normally isn’t an option for students beyond their first year. If you have a disability or mental health condition, however, you are given the option to reapply in subsequent years. If you aren’t sure whether you are eligible to live in halls in your second year, it’s always worth contacting the accommodation team and they’ll be able to give you advice.

You can also apply to become an SRA (Student Residential Advisor). If you’ve lived in halls already, you will have seen these guys around. They are students that live in halls and are responsible for organising events and support students when they need it. There is also the added perk of discounted rent, so if you feel like you’re up for another round of halls, then this could be something to consider!

Studenthomes

Studenthomes is a university-led, online search of private rented homes. If you’re really new to the whole house search, this is probably a good shout. Landlords register their properties on this platform and must uphold a certain standard. This basically means you’re a lot less likely to have issues if anything goes wrong.

Estate agents

There are tons of estate agents around Brighton, Hove and Eastbourne. Most of them offer student lets (lets = houses) so it’s worth looking around a few! You can get a good overview of different estate agents looking on RightMove (and you may even find your home there!). I’ve used Coapt and Brand Vaughan, so they might be a good place to start but don’t rule out others either!

Facebook housemates

Typically, students will meet a group of people either in a social group or on their course to room up with. Not everyone finds that this is the case though, and if you’ve found it hard meeting people (thank you COVID!), then you’re probably feeling at a complete loss. You’re definitely not alone though – there is a Facebook group called University of Brighton – Housemates where you can post or enquire about rooms. Personally, I found my flatmates in this group for my second year, and I found it worked well. It’s a little like halls, you meet people you wouldn’t have otherwise and with a bit of luck (or having a really good judge of character) you can make friends for life!

All in all, there are tons of options out there for finding a house beyond your first year. It can be a little tricky finding the right place but remember there are plenty of options out there – it’s all about knowing where to find them.

Word from the uni…

You can find more advice from the university accommodation team and options you can explore to find somewhere for your second year.