Accommodation: COVID-19 Updates for New Students: January 2021 STARTERS

Accommodation: COVID-19 Updates for New
    Students: January 2021 STARTERS
    Student Advice Service
    The Student Advice Service offers year-round accommodation support by
    providing help and advice to students looking for, or currently staying in,
    Private Rented Accommodation, Halls of Residence and the University of
    London’s Intercollegiate Halls.

    Following the COVID-19 Outbreak, the SAS Team have been supporting
    current students with accommodation matters, monitoring government
    policy, noting reopening of Letting Agent Offices/recommencement of in-
    person viewings (at a social distance) and taking advice from colleagues at
    the University of London’s Housing Services.

    The SAS is available to offer advice on your accommodation search until
    Friday 18th December when the School commences its Christmas closure
    period. The school will reopen on Monday 4th January. Further information
    about availability of the SAS Team during the Christmas/New Year period
    will be published in December via email and on the SAS@cssd.ac.uk out-
    of-office message. We would advise that students reach out to us for
    advice as soon as possible in the lead up to the Christmas break.

    Question: I am currently looking at accommodation options and
    understand that I should arrange this as soon as possible. The tenancy
    agreements currently on offer need to know the School’s term start
    dates but I’m worried these might change before I’m due to start. What
    should I do before signing the contract?

    Answer: The School has commenced the 2020/21 academic year with the
    start dates as listed on the School’s Term Dates webpage. MA Music
    Theatre and MA Acting courses are due to start on Monday 4th January
    2021. The most important piece of advice that we can provide is that we
    strongly advise that you only sign a tenancy agreement if you are certain
    you can commit to the dates listed in the contract and ensure that these
    dates work for the full length of your course.

    You can begin the search process of looking online to get a sense of what
    the market is like. If you are interested in renting a house or flat, you can
    also start the process of finding people who you might like to share with
    and we can help you with this.

•    If you are interested in Private Rented Accommodation, we suggest
     that students aim to undertake their search for properties now with a
     move in date around mid/late December. We would suggest holding off
     paying holding deposits or signing agreements until you are sure of your
     move in plans.
•    Those students arriving from non-travel corridor countries should view
     our Self-Isolation Guidance for International Students document
     available to download as a PDF here. These students should bear in mind
     that they may need to self-isolate for the maximum period of 14 days

before ‘in-person’ activity happens on the course (MA Acting: Monday 4th
    January and MA Music Theatre Monday 11th January). You should think
    carefully about your arrival date and aim to arrive in the UK no later
    than Sunday 20th or Sunday 27th December 2021.

    UPDATE: On Tuesday 24th November 2020, the Government has just
    published this news item about allowing international arrivals traveling
    from non-travel corridor countries landing in England, will have the
    opportunity to take a privately purchased COVID-19 test after 5 days of
    self-isolation. If the test is negative students will be able to end their
    self-isolation. Tests will cost approximately between £65-£120. It is
    worth bearing in mind that students should still plan to arrive early
    enough to allow 14 days of self-isolation in case their test comes back
    positive and they need to continue to isolate. Also tests may take up to
    48 hours to process, so even with a negative test, students may still
    remain in isolation for 6-7 days whilst waiting for the result.
•   If you are looking at the Private Rented market, you can also think about
    looking in different areas of London to broaden out your search. It would
    also be worth considering whether your commute can minimise the use
    of public transport in line with current government guidance. Transport
    for London (TFL) is currently advising that the public avoid using public
    transport wherever possible and instead walk or cycle and this might
    influence your search in terms of location. You can find more information
    about TFL’s current travel advice here.
•   Some landlords or agents are using different methods of delivering
    viewings to showcase their properties (e.g. online viewings). However,
    we would advise caution against paying a holding deposit or signing a
    contract for a private rented property you have not actually seen.
    Letting Agents are open and in-person property viewings are taking
    place, so this can be arranged with letting agents individually. However,
    if you need to conduct a ‘virtual viewing’ please bear in mind the
    following:
        o Videos are likely to be pre-recorded, however you should ask for
            live virtual viewings wherever possible. If the viewing cannot be
            streamed live, ask for the file of the virtual viewing so you can
            refer back to it.
        o It may be harder to see any issues with the property virtually, so
            do have a list of questions ready, to ensure the property meets
            your specifications and it is in good condition.
        o Ask to see a floor plan to get an idea of space inside the property
            and ask for to see outside the property as well.
        o Be very wary of using money transfer services or paying anything
            before a viewing has taken place.
•   Remember that if you pay a deposit or sign a contract, you are
    committing to the terms laid out in the tenancy agreement and are
    bound by them. Before you sign a tenancy agreement you should request
    a Break Clause is included as this can be used by either the tenant or the
    landlord to end the contract early. You might still be able to exit a
    contract early, but it will depend on the nature of your contract and if
    your landlord is agreeable to it ending early. You could ask the letting
    agent about whether the landlord will be agreeable to ending the
    contract if there is another outbreak.
•   The majority of students studying at Central live in private rented

accommodation. Whilst students studying at Central live in all parts of
    London and further afield, the following areas are popular because to
    their proximity to the School and can be reached by walking or cycling:
        o West Hampstead;
        o Kilburn;
        o Willesden Green;
        o Dollis Hill;
        o Golders Green.
•   Many students have used letting agents local to Central to assist with
    their search for accommodation and there is information about them in
    our 2020/21 Accommodation Guide. We do not endorse specific letting
    agencies or businesses and cannot take any responsibility for the
    standard of service received from these businesses. Always ask
    questions if you are not sure about the terms and conditions being
    offered and do feel free to get in touch with the SAS by emailing
    SAS@cssd.ac.uk if you are unsure about part of your agreement.

•   If you are interested in a room in a Private Hall, we are aware of some
    accommodation providers who are offering ‘free-cancellation’ promises
    but these are often restricted to very specific circumstances and not
    always related to the current situation. It would also be wise to look to
    see if the provider has a ‘Flexible Check-in date’ policy, which may allow
    you to change the start date of your agreement if required. Again you
    should check that the contract will run for the length you need to
    complete your studies.

    There are a number of privately run student Halls, mainly run by
    commercial companies. You can contact them directly for further
    information and prices. Private halls near Central can be found here.
    Please note that these listings are provided for guidance only and do not
    constitute an endorsement of any kind by Central.

•   If you are interested in applying for a room in one of University of
    London’s Intercollegiate Halls of catered and self-catered rooms,
    please complete their single applicant waiting list form or
    email info.halls@london.ac.uk for more information.

    However, you should discuss the contract length when enquiring to
    ensure this suitable for you as they may not cover the entirety of your
    academic year and may require you to request an extension.

    University of London’s Intercollegiate Halls currently have some rooms
    available in the following Halls:

    Lillian Penson Hall en-suite rooms (£179.83 - £206.78 per week). These
    halls are located near London Paddington Station and are an
    approximately 25 minute journey by cycle or London Underground to
    Central. Nearest station: Paddington

    International Hall single rooms with shared bathroom (£162.33 - £228.83
    per week). These Halls are located near Russell Square and are an
    approximately 25 minute journey by cycle or London Underground to

Central. Nearest station: Russell Square, Kings Cross and Euston.

 College Hall single rooms with shared bathroom (£242.83 per week).
 These Halls are located near Russell Square and are an approximately 25
 minute journey by cycle or London Underground to Central. Nearest
 station: Russell Square, Kings Cross and Euston.

 Nutford House single rooms with shared bathroom (£162.33 - £220.78 per
 week). These Halls are located near Marble Arch and are an
 approximately 30 minute journey by cycle or London Underground to
 Central. Nearest station: Marble Arch, Edgware Road and Paddington.

 Eleanor Rosa House en-suite rooms and studios (£214.48 - £304.08 per
 week). These Halls are located in East London near Stratford and are an
 approximately 35-40 minute journey by London Underground to Central.
 Nearest station: Stratford

Students starting in January 2021 can make an appointment to discuss their
accommodation search by emailing sas@cssd.ac.uk. We can arrange a
conversation via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

For help, advice and the latest news on accommodation, please join our
Facebook group. Students can use the Facebook group as a forum to make
contact with future housemates, advertise rooms and seek advice from
current students. If you cannot access these, please contact the Student
Advice Service.

University of London’s Housing Services
The University of London’s Housing Services (UOLHS) has also produced a guide
that features a wealth of useful information on a range of accommodation issues.
You can access their guide here.

The UOLHS have launched a new app and property search platform with
properties offered exclusively to University of London students: you can
learn more about this on their website. You can contact them on
housing@london.ac.uk or +44 (0) 207 862 8880.

International Students
Students coming from overseas may face some challenges viewing
properties before arriving in the UK and will need to undertake Right to
Rent Checks before signing a contract. Also students should be aware that
letting agents might be closed at certain points around the Christmas
holiday period. This is particularly important when planning your self-
isolation period (if required) and arrival in the UK. To mitigate this,
international students might want to consider Private Halls of Residence
or applying for a room at the available University of London intercollegiate
halls as an alternative option that is suited to international students
arriving in the UK. Again, students should check the contract length is
appropriate for their term dates.

Renting in the private housing market is possible but fulltime students are

often required to provide guarantor (this is someone who will sign a legal
document promising to pay the rent if the students defaults) who is also
a UK resident. Students from the UK usually ask their parents to sign this
document but international students may not have someone with a UK
address to call upon. The alternative offered by some landlords is payment
of rent in advance (typically six months’ rent in addition to the damage
deposit) or use of a Guarantor Service such as Housing Hand.

Points of Contact:
The Student Advice Service is available to provide you with advice and/or signpost
you towards additional support if required. You can make contact by emailing
SAS@cssd.ac.uk