Thursday, August 17, 2023
What is the key to finding a place to live? Currently, finding student housing can be extremely difficult due to the competition in the market. With lots of other students searching for a place to live, finding one for yourself might seem daunting. That’s why we’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to find student housing.
Step 1. Determine what kind of living arrangements you’d like
You’ll want to decide ahead of time what your living arrangements will be so that you know what to look for when you are house or apartment hunting. Some things to decide are:
- Do you want to live with roommates and how many?
- What kind of space would you like to live in, such as a house, apartment building, or basement apartment?
- What part of the city would you like to live in?
Need help deciding? Check out our blog that covers all you need to know about student housing in London, Ontario.
Step 2. Find housing online
Our best tip to find housing? Use Places4Students.com. It’s an online housing listing platform that Fanshawe has partnered with to help students find reasonable, legitimate housing, roommates, and landlords. You can filter by type of accommodation and number of rooms and easily see pricing and amenities. Register your account using your fanshaweonline.ca email address and set notifications. Start by searching for listings that meet the requirements you decided on in Step 1.
Step 3. Contact landlords/rental companies and book viewings
Once you’ve gone through the available listings and found units that meet your needs and wants, contact the landlord or rental companies and book tours. Try to book multiple tours with different landlords to see what options are out there.
Some tips for successful viewings:
- Bring backup – friends, family, or your new roommates will help you look at the rental unit with an objective eye
- Keep a checklist or document that outlines what needs and wants each apartment meets
- Test things like light switches, faucets, or appliances to see if things are working correctly
- Lookout for things like storage space, parking spots and noisiness
- Ask lots of questions
Image
Step 4. Review the lease carefully before you sign
It’s very important that you read the document you’re signing before you sign it. You’ll want to make sure it matches up with what you’ve discussed with the landlord. Now is the time to ask any questions that you have about the lease.
Step 5. Prepare to move in
Once all the paperwork is signed, make sure to get ready to move in ahead of time. Pack your things and ensure you have all your paperwork handy. Some other things to prepare ahead of time:
- Get renter’s insurance
- Ensure your utilities will be ready for when you move in if these aren’t included in your lease
- Enlist the help of friends and family for moving day
- On move-in day, make sure to do a walk-through with the landlord and take pictures of the state of the unit
These are the key steps to finding student housing. Once you’ve followed these steps, you should be ready to move into your new home with confidence. Once you’ve moved in, if you need assistance with roommates, landlords, or neighbours, contact our housing mediation services.
Learn more about student housing options in London, Ontario and what to be aware of when determining where you'd like to live.