Find all the information you need to decide where you’ll live during your time in the UK.
Ready to live in the UK for a while? If you’re about to make this dream come true, you might want to know what types of accommodation you’ll be able to call home during your stay in the UK. There are many options! And we’re going to go through them all here. Let’s get started!
The good
The not-so-good
The good
The not-so-good
The good
The not-so-good
The good
The not-so-good
Keep reading or fill out the form below and a Dingoos Guide will get in touch with you to advise you on your best accommodation options in the UK.
Contact us and a Dingoos Guide will get in touch with you as soon as possible :)
At Dingoos, our mission is to make your experience of coming to study in the UK one you’ll never want to forget. That’s why we’ve created a new exclusive and completely free service for you: the Accommodation Support Service.
Because going to study in the UK is much more than just booking a course and packing your suitcase. And we at Dingoos think of everything!
With our Accommodation Support Service you’ll enjoy:
Want more information about this and other benefits of joining the #DingoosFamily? You’ll find everything here.
We’ll start with the basics that never fail: hostels. Most of our international students’ adventures begin with a few nights in a hostel, backpacker or similar, while they calmly search for their permanent accommodation.
Staying in a hostel in the UK is one of the most affordable options you’ll find. You can usually book a bed in a shared room. The price includes use of common areas like bathrooms, kitchen and lounge, and sometimes even breakfast.
In general, hostels in the UK have mixed dorms, although many also offer female- or male-only rooms. If you don’t mind spending a bit more, many also offer the option of booking a private room with or without private bathroom.
Staying in a hostel in the UK costs around £20 per night in a shared room, and around £44 for a private room.
Living in a shared house in the UK is another of the most popular options among international students, although it can be a bit difficult to find a flat or house that’s worth it and not outrageously expensive.
Undoubtedly, London takes the cake in terms of sky-high rent, but don’t lose hope! There are areas of London for every budget — and if you don’t believe it, read our article about Living in London.
If you go for this type of accommodation, you’ll usually share a house or flat with several rooms with other people. You’ll have your own room and share the bathroom, kitchen, living room and sometimes storage room, garden, stairway… with the others.
You can rent a room in a shared house in the UK for around £150 to £200 per week (£600 to £800 per month).
Student residences in the UK are another very popular option among international students coming to study English and who don’t want to complicate their lives looking for accommodation.
There are two types of student residences in the UK: those that belong to a school or university, and private ones. To live in the first type, you must be studying at that university. But private residences are open to everyone!
Prices vary depending on whether the room is private or shared, has a private bathroom or not, and whether meals are included. A single room in a student residence in the UK costs about £200 per week or £800 per month. A bed in a triple room costs about £100 per week or £400 per month.
Living with a host family in the UK is a truly authentic experience and the best way to improve your language skills.
By staying with a host family, you’ll live in a private house with all its comforts, habits and customs. It’s a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture, live it from the inside, and enjoy a much more peaceful experience than in a student residence or shared flat.
The price varies depending on the type of room, house location, and included services. A single room without meals included costs around £180 to £200 per week.
There are other popular types of accommodation in the UK that we recommend considering when looking for a place to live during your UK adventure. Let’s take a look!
Bedsits are a very common type of accommodation in both the UK and Ireland. Basically, they are large houses divided into individual rooms that share bathrooms.
Studio flats, also called studios, are apartments consisting of a single room combining the living room, kitchen, and bedroom. The only separate room is the bathroom, which is sometimes even outside the studio and shared, just like in bedsits.
Live-in building guardians are properties whose owners don’t want them to remain empty to avoid squatting and keep them in good condition. There are specialised companies called “guardians” that rent out this type of housing. The price is usually much lower, making it a good option especially if you live in London.
Here are some tips to help you find accommodation in the UK quickly and without issues:
When looking for accommodation in the UK, you can do it online. The most used websites for this are:
You can also search for accommodation through Facebook groups. They often share great options for housing, jobs and leisure plans. The most used by our students are:
Another option, especially if you want to rent an entire flat, is to do it through a real estate agency. This can help you avoid many problems and complications. You might have to pay an agency fee, but in the long run, it can be worth it.
Let’s now go over some things you’ll need to keep in mind when renting a house in the UK.
To be able to rent a flat on your own, one of the requirements will be having a job, especially if you’re doing it through a real estate agency. They’ll usually ask for 6 months’ rent upfront and references from previous rentals (something like recommendation letters from former landlords).
Finally, you’ll have to pay agency fees for things like reference checks, credit checks, inventories… It usually costs around £50.
Your UK rental contract should include the following:
Council Tax is a tax that must be paid to the local government for real estate. The average yearly cost is around £1,200.
Yes, in the UK, if you want to watch public TV, you have to pay a licence fee. The cost is £145.50 per year and is charged per television in your home. If you don’t pay it, the fine can be up to £1,000 — so you might prefer watching your favourite shows online and avoiding the stress and cost. Just saying!
If after reading all of this you need more information or a bit of help, get in touch with us. At Dingoos, we’ll help you for free with all the procedures you need to start your adventure of living in the UK — including finding accommodation.
Contact us and a Dingoos Guide will get in touch with you as soon as possible :)
As soon as you know you’re coming to the UK, let your Dingoos Guide know and they’ll coordinate your arrival with our free Accommodation Support Service. Especially if you’re travelling during peak periods, try to book your accommodation at least 1 month in advance to ensure availability and good prices.
Usually, one week or 10 days is more than enough to find something, so book for that number of nights. And if you need more time, you can always extend your stay and ask your Dingoos Guide if you have any questions.
Yes, you can — as long as you find one and it’s available when you arrive. That’s why we recommend starting with a few days in a hostel while you look.
Of course! Whatever your situation, if you’re coming to study in any of the destinations we offer at Dingoos, you can enjoy this service — and many others — completely free of charge.
An ideal way to improve your chances of practising English daily is to make sure you surround yourself with people who don’t speak your native language. Both at home and with your group of friends, always try to be around people you have to speak English with. You’ll see how fun and educational it can be once you get past the initial awkwardness.
Amanda De Mingo, Events Manager at Dingoos, shares how every activity she organizes turns your international adventure into a unique experience filled with fun, learning, and friendships that last forever.
