Student Pages
Manchester Student Homes (MSH) is the Universities' only official source of student accommodation in the private sector and the only place you'll need to go for private housing and housing advice. We're owned and managed by your Universities and Students' Unions, meaning that we're accountable, independent and don't exist to make a profit. These pages are especially for you, our student customers, and are packed with useful tips, advice and info about Manchester Student Homes.
How to use our website
You can search our site for all kinds of private sector accommodation; houses, flats, rooms in houseshares or in an owner's own home, private halls of residence and family homes. You can search using basic criteria such as the number of bedrooms you need or maximum weekly rent per person, or you can use the Advanced Search facility to search with more specific criteria, such as a keyword or a facility you'll need. Your search will return a list of homes that fit your criteria. These are listed in order of Code status, with 'Code Plus' properties first, then 'Code' properties (as of the 2008 registration year, adherence to the terms of the Code of Standards is compulsory for all landlords registering with Manchester Student Homes). Read on to find out more about our Code of Standards.
Our Code of Standards
Manchester Student Homes runs a compulsory accreditation scheme for landlords and the properties they advertise with us. This is our Code of Standards. From 2008, the Code of Standards is compulsory for all landlords who advertise through MSH. This means that each landlord who advertises with us guarantees that s/he will meet all the clauses in our Code of Standards, which ensure good quality accommodation and good management practices. Homes marked with a 'C+' symbol are 'Code Plus' properties. These properties meet everything in the Code of Standards, as well as some additional clauses which ensure even better accommodation.
While it's not possible to inspect all of the thousands of Code and Code Plus homes before we advertise them, we do aim to inspect 10% of Code registered properties in any one operating year. We do this proactively, or reactively if you complain about your Code home or landlord. We are inspecting to see that your landlord has followed the clauses of the Code of Standards.
Don't be alarmed! These aren't 'spot checks' good practice, the law and respect for you and your landlord don't allow this. Our Housing Officer will contact you and your landlord,in writing, inviting you to work with Manchester Student Homes and your landlord to arrange a mutually convenient appointment.
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This page gives you tips on how you can search for accommodation> with Manchester Student Homes, arrange to see the accommodation, and sign your contract. There is also information on University Leased Housing and safety.
How to search for accommodation
Manchester Student Homes has adverts for houses, flats, rooms and private halls of residence (this means halls that are not owned by the Universities), on our website. We don’t place students in University halls of residence – if you have a query about University halls you will need to contact the Accommodation Office.
You will need to decide what type of accommodation you would like. For example, do you want to live in a flat on your own, in a house with other students or in a room in a private hall of residence?
If you want to live in a room in private halls, take a look at this page. Click on the photo for full details of a hall. Phone numbers and email addresses for the hall are included in the full details. Contact the hall to book your room.
If you want to live in a house or flat or want to rent a room in the owner’s own home, use the search on our homepage. You need to select the type of accommodation you want. These are:
Bedsit – a flat which has only one room, plus a kitchen area and bathroom. You may have to share a kitchen and bathroom with other tenants
Studio flat– a flat which has one room, plus a kitchen area and bathroom.
Family – a house or flat which is suitable for students with children
City Centre Apartments – a flat in Manchester City Centre, or very close to Manchester City Centre
Flat – an apartment. Flats usually have only one storey and are often in a building which has other flats in it. The landlord will expect you to rent the whole flat, either on your own or with a group of your friends. You will not be able to rent one bedroom in a flat which has more than one bedroom.
Large scheme – this means private halls. You can find private halls here
Owner-occupier – rooms in the home of a single person or couple or family who own the home they live in. You would usually share the kitchen, bathroom and living area with the people who own the house.
Rooms – rooms in a house or flat shared with other students. You would usually share the kitchen, bathroom and living area with other students. There may be more than one bathroom in the house or flat but the rooms are usually not en-suite.
Staff – only suitable for people who work for the Universities. Not suitable for students.
Whole shared – a house for a group of students. The landlord will expect you to rent the whole house with a group of your friends. You will not be able to rent one bedroom only.
You will need to choose the number of bedrooms you need. This is listed as ‘number of people’. For example, if you are a couple who want to share one room, choose ‘1’.
Viewing accommodation
We recommend that you never sign a contract for privately rented accommodation without seeing it. To arrange to view accommodation on our website, contact the owner. We can help you with this if you’re not confident when speaking English.
If you are not in the UK, we recommend that you book temporary accommodation for your first few days in Manchester. You can then spend these first few days searching for more permanent accommodation. Contact us if you would like a list of hotels, youth hostels and B&Bs.
Contracts
When you sign a housing contract in the UK, you must pay the rent for the full duration of the contract. For example, if your contract states a start date of 1st September and an end date of 30th June you will legally need to pay rent until 30th June, even if you leave the house before 30th June.
Manchester Student Homes can check your contract before you sign it and we can explain the terms of the contract to you.
Never pay a deposit before you sign a contract.
In the UK, a child who is 6 months old or older must have their own bedroom. For example, if you are a married couple with a one-year-old child, it would be illegal for a landlord to rent you a flat with only one bedroom.
University Leased Housing
These are houses and flats rented by the University of Manchester. You can book a University Leased House if you are a student of the University of Manchester, MMU, City College Manchester, MANCAT, or RNCM and are staying for at least one year.
If you are a sponsored student, we may be able to invoice your sponsor if you book a University Leased House.
Safety
Manchester is no more dangerous than other large cities but crime does occur. There are things you can do to protect yourself and your property. See our housing guide for tips.
No area of the city is crime-free. People have different opinions of what is a ‘good area’ or a ‘safe area’. Choose an area where you feel reasonably safe and read our area guide. Always choose a secure house on a well-lit street.
Contact us if you have any questions
