Accommodation in the private sector

Are you thinking about finding student accommodation in the private sector? We have helpful advice and links to private halls of residence and student housing options for York St John students wanting further options.

On this page you can find guidance on:

• Looking for student accommodation
• Rental fraud awareness
• Finding housemates
• Cost of rent
• Paying council tax
• Finding a guarantor
• Financial support
• Applying to return to university accommodation
• University support
• Private halls of residence

You can also download the Students' Union Housing Guide (PDF, 0.2 MB) and visit the Students' Union website to read more about tips and advice regarding house hunting in York.

Looking for student accommodation

The term private sector accommodation refers to accommodation not partnered with a university or local authority. Private sector accommodation will often be owned by a landlord, either independently or managed by a letting agency, or managed by a company as Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA).

As York has 2 universities, the city has a thriving student community with a variety of student accommodation options in the city centre and surrounding areas. 

It is important to consider the practicalities of finding student accommodation based around your own personal circumstances:

• What is your budget?
• Who do you want to live with?
• Will you need a guarantor, or to pay a deposit?
• What amenities are included in the property? Does this include bills?

Renting within the private sector also means that contracts will begin earlier than those managed directly by the university. Most contracts will begin within the summer, so it is important to make sure that this is considered when managing your budget.

York city centre has a variety of local property agents, local papers and online forums to find accommodation. Researching and looking into these different providers can prove useful when taking into account important factors when considering accommodation options: average price, location and amenities included.

Local agents include, but are not limited to:

• IG Property
• Adam Bennett
• Blue Door of York
• York Student Accommodation
• AP York
• Quantum Sales Lettings
• York Student Properties
• 2Let

Students are advised to research properties and letting agencies before the signing of contracts.

There are also websites which advertise student accommodation from a variety of letting agencies and landlords including Rightmove, SpareRoom, Zoopla, and Accommodation for Students.

York St John Students' Union (YSJSU) have helpful resources for students to use when looking for accommodation. For more information visit the YSJSU website.

If you are struggling to find anything in York, it may be worthwhile considering a nearby town with good transport links, such as:

• Selby
• Tadcaster
• Wakefield
• Castleford
• Knaresborough
• Harrogate
• Thirsk
• Malton
• Pocklington
• Northallerton
• Garforth
• Leeds

Some students may also choose to commute to York from their home address. If you need to be on campus for an early morning, avoid the rush-hour traffic by staying overnight in our exclusive accommodation for commuting students. We have one accommodation site that we use for our commuting students requesting overnight accommodation:

• Our 49 Clarence Street commuter flat has en-suite rooms as standard and are available at £25 per night.

To make a booking, send an email to the Accommodation team at commuter.rooms@yorksj.ac.uk with the subject 'commuting room'.

Sending an email does not guarantee accommodation. We will respond as soon as possible to confirm if a room is available.

To find out more about commuting as a York St John student, visit our Commuting page.

Rental fraud awareness

When looking for accommodation within the private sector, it's important to be aware of potential scams and rental fraud.

Rental fraud occurs when potential tenants pay upfront fees to rent a property which may not exist, or is already 
accounted for by other tenants. Scammers who commit rental fraud make a profit from keeping the upfront fees from their victims.

Action Fraud is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime. The below link provides more information regarding how you can protect yourself from rental fraud:

Rental fraud (Action Fraud website)

Finding people to live with

The Accommodation team traditionally collaborate with the York St John Students’ Union to run events to help you find other students to live with or fill gaps in your current household. These events are usually held during November. Check out the below social media pages, or email accommodation@yorksj.ac.uk to find out more.

YSJ Accommodation Instagram

YSJ Students' Union Instagram

The team also run a Find a YSJ Housemate Facebook group where you can meet fellow students looking for housemates. Please note: you will require to provide your York St John Student ID Number when requesting to join this group.

There are also private social media groups mainly found on Facebook which can be utilised to find accommodation, either as a group or an individual. These groups are not endorsed or managed by York St John University, so we would recommend that students remain careful when considering accommodation options or the payment of a deposit via this route.

Rent costs

Prices vary throughout different areas of York. Students can expect to generally pay around £150- to £200+ per person, per week. You may be asked to pay your rent monthly or quarterly (every 3 months) depending on the conditions outlined in your tenancy agreement. Make sure to consider your budget before signing an agreement.

Check what is covered in your rent payments and if things like utility bills and parking charges are included.

Paying council tax

Full time students are exempt from paying council tax while they are living in private or university managed accommodation.

Email support@yorksj.ac.uk if you need information on council tax exemption, or visit the 'Letters' section on your E:vision account.

You can apply for a council tax exemption on the City of York council website.

Finding a guarantor

Most landlords or agents will ask for you to provide details of a guarantor when applying for a private let. This can often be a parent or guardian who would be responsible for paying your rent, in the event of you being unable to make the payment yourself.

If you are unable to find a guarantor, there are some resources online that may be able to help. For more details, please see Housing Hand or Rent Guarantor. Please note that not all letting agencies will accept online guarantor services.

Financial support

Each student's financial situation is different. You can contact our Student Funding Advice team on fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk for information on the financial support you are eligible for or any other advice regarding your finances.

You can also find out more about the support we offer on our Help with finances page.

University support

The Accommodation team have little control over the terms and conditions you agree to when signing a contract with a private provider. You can still contact the Accommodation team for advice when living in private housing through our Student Hub.

Our Welfare team can advise you on how to deal with any problems you have with a private landlord or agent. More information about the rights you have as a student in a private rental can be found on the Citizens advice page.

Rate Your Landlord

York St John University and York St John Students’ Union has collaborated with Unipol Student Homes to launch 'Rate Your Landlord York', a review and ratings website that allows student tenants to leave feedback about their renting experiences. Visit the site to learn more about first-hand student experiences regarding accommodation in York.

Purpose built student accommodation

There are a number of purpose built halls of residence which are very similar to University owned accommodation. Student flats are available at:

• Percy’s Place
• Abode
• Student Castle
• Foss Studios (studios only)
• IconInc @ Roomzzz
• Rathmell Hall
• Stay City
• Vita
• Samuel Tukes
• Student Roost
• Piccadilly Residence (studios only)
• Student Lets for Four
• Raffles Hall
• Fusion York

Private halls of residence can be a good option for students who want accommodation with amenities like ensuite facilities.