Frequently Asked Questions

A: There are a several accommodation options available to you: living in a hall of residence, living in private rented accommodation or living in the home of a British family (Homestay). However, the two main options that students choose are halls of residence and private rented accommodation. There is also the opportunity to live in hostels run by charity groups or religious organisations.

A: Private rented accommodation can work out cheaper than halls, but you need to take into consideration additional utilities bills and travel time/costs. Also, some halls have shared rooms, which work out a lot cheaper than single rooms.

A: The University has two main teaching sites, one in North London and another close to the City of London. You need to find out where your course will be based and where you will have most of your classes. This is the location you will be commuting to most often. The halls we have listed on our website are scattered all over London and are located at varying distances from the University. One may be closer to City, but farther away from North. Download the “At a Glance Guide to Halls of Residence” document from our Downloads page, and you will have a good idea on how long you will have to travel to get there. Do not feel discouraged if you think they are too far: it is common for Londoners to travel for over 40 minutes every day to reach their place of work or study!

A: This is particularly hard to answer. Private rented accommodation is available all over London. It is a matter of finding something that is suitable for you (right price, right quality) at a particular location. It is really hard to say whether you will find something close to the University, but you can certainly look. In our experience, private rented accommodation (that is within a good price range) close to the university campuses get taken up very quickly. So, if you can’t find something close, don’t give up. And don’t be intimidated by the idea of a little bit of travel. It is very common among students.

A: Halls of residence are usually medium to large facilities that mainly house students. In most cases, you will be living in an all-student environment, sharing common areas with other students. The University does not own or manage any halls, but we do liaise with a number of private providers who offer accommodation to our students. These halls offer a wide range of facilities. Most of these private halls are built keeping students in mind, so you will find all the amenities that you will probably need as a student (internet, social atmosphere, etc.). Check our Halls of Residence page for details on individual halls.

A: Halls of residences allow you to live and interact with other students, so you might meet a student doing a similar course as yourself at a different university and gain valuable insight. You will also meet students from many different countries in halls. You will be making new friends and socialising with them.

A: Certainly! Most halls have single room, so you’ll have your own room. If and when you don’t want to be bothered, you will be left alone. Your room can be your own secure zone so your valuables are quite safe (as long as you keep your door locked).

A: Most halls are built keeping students in mind. So, the facilities such as shower, furniture and utilities are of high standards. There are usually dedicated maintenance teams, so any reported faults should be dealt with quickly. Refer to the “Facilities” section in the individual hall pages on our website for facilities available in each hall.

A: Over 30 halls of residences are advertised to London Metropolitan University students. We are not able to guarantee you a place in one of them, as they are all managed by private companies. So, almost everyone gets a place. If you find that a hall of your choice is fully booked, do request to be put on the waiting list, and contact them from time to time to see if places open up. After the start of the term, ie. October onwards, a weekly update of availability will be available in our website. Please note that the cheapest halls get booked up first.

A: No, this is not required for most halls. Some halls may ask this as security but not all of them. Check the hall websites for details, or email the individual halls to find out more.

A: The amount of loan/grants that a student normally receives in England would not be enough to cover most of the halls of residence fees. You should look to finance this in some other way. Contact our Department of Student Services for advice on funding. Student Services also has a Career Development and Employment Service who can advise you how to find a part-time job to meet some of your expenses.

A: All halls require some form of payment in order to secure a room. Unfortunately the university cannot help students with this cost unless they have already enrolled. If you are unsure about the payment we suggest you contact your hall of choice to ask if any special arrangements can be made.

A: The cheapest halls are Claredale House, Sir John Cass Hall, Robbins Hall, Clandon House, Donald Hunter House, and Britannia City.

A: The most popular halls in 20010/11 near City campus are Claredale House and Pacific Court. Sir John Cass is a popular choice between both campuses, and UNITE’s Station Court, Emily Bowes Court and Wedgwood Court are the most popular halls located near North campus.
This may change in 2011/12 as some other halls are opening up nearby. Please check out Halls of Residence page for newer halls.

A: The closest halls to North campus are Unite’s Wedgwood Court and Piccadilly Court, and Opal's Arcade Hall. The closest to City campus are UNITE’s Pacific Court and Nido Spitalfields.

A:  Hyelm Arthur West Hall and Chester House are the two halls that provide meals. Most of the other halls of residences are self-catered, which means you're responsible for your meal. There are, however, kitchens in all the halls for you to prepare your own meal.

A: All the halls of residence have internet access except for UNITE’s Donald Hunter House. Hyelm Arthur West has free wi-fi internet in the communal areas only.

A: Britannia City, Hyelm, and Robbins all offer shorter term contracts. Besides, Liberty Living’s Liberty Fields are also offering single semester contracts starting September 2010. Check out our Single Semester Accommodation page for details.

A: Magic Student Housing will accept families but you must pay full rent for the rooms. Contact them for more information.
If your partner is a student they will be able to live with you in the following properties:
UNITE accept couples in their studios and charge a non-refundable charge of £100 for this.
Opal’s Mcmillan Student Village accept couples with no extra charge.
Urbanest accept couples in their studios for an extra £30 per week.

If your partner is not a student then they will not be permitted to live with you in halls of residence.

A: All halls allow overnight visitors except Hyelm. Policies vary but most allow a maximum of two nights in a row, and guests usually have to sign in. If this is an important issue for you then we suggest you contact the hall to discuss your individual needs.

A:  Urbanest, Nido King's Cross, Nido Spitalfields and UNITE’s Pacific Court, Charles Morton Court, Wedgwood Court, Woodland Court and Emily Bowes Court all offer adapted (DDA compliant) rooms. Some other halls may also be able to offer accommodation suitable for disabled students, please inquire them directly.

You may also wish to visit the Student Services website for information on other areas of support offered by the University.

A: It is best to apply for accommodation as soon as possible after you have accepted your course offer at London Metropolitan University. Please remember to check the individual halls deposit refund policies before paying, so you know the risk you are taking if you are not granted a student visa.

A: Private Rented Accommodation means renting a house, flat, or a room in a house/flat directly from a landlord. The house can have any number of bedrooms, usually up to (but not limited to) five bedrooms. You would be renting directly from the landlord, which means you would enter into a contract with the landlord to occupy the property/room for a certain amount per week/month for a specified period of time.

A: Take a look at the Private Rented Accommodation section on our website. In London, private rented accommodation is very common, and there are several websites and agencies who keep listings of properties available for rent. We suggest you read through the Housing Advice section found on our website (under Private Rented Accommodation). A list of websites and estate agencies can be downloaded from Accommodation Bureau website’s Downloads section.

A: Netlet (www.netletlondonmet.co.uk) has been renamed LondonMet StudentPRS (www.londonmetstudentprs.org). It is the University’s own house hunting website. This website lists properties from landlords who directly advertise with us. In order to use the website, you are required to register (registration details can be found on the Netlet/StudentPRS website). The website also has several pages dedicated to advising students on accommodation search procedures and safety guidelines. Netlet/LondonMet StudentPRS also has a “Noticeboard” – a user forum where students can share information, advertise, or look for other people with similar interests to find accommodation together. We strongly suggest looking at the Noticeboard as sometimes students also advertise for flatmates there.

A: Send an email to accommodation@londonmet.ac.uk with your full name and Student ID (Applicant ID) number and we will email you back the password.

A: You can come in to have a chat with us, and we can advise you on the best course of action. You might also want to contact Citizens Advice Bureau – a charity that offers advice and information on renting issues. Check this link for information on some common problems encountered with renting in the private sector.

A: Yes. A landlord will almost certainly ask for some sort of deposit when moving into a flat or house. The amount payable is up to the landlord but usually equivalent to 4 - 6 weeks worth of rent. Some landlords may ask for 2 weeks worth. Once a deposit is paid it is the Landlords legal obligation to secure the money in a independent Deposit Protection Scheme within 14 days of receipt. Please check our Guide to Renting page or here for the Directgov information on tenancy deposit.

A: Landlords will almost always insist that you sign a contract to support what you have agreed between you. Even if they do not it is always a good idea to draw one up just in case arguments/discrepancies occur. The key features in a contract should include the amount of rent, when it is to be paid and the contract length (start and finish dates). Please click here for more info on signing contracts.

A: Rental prices vary with location, size and type of the accommodation. Always make sure you ask a landlord what is included in the rent (for example: are utility bills included?). Check our guide to rental prices.

A:  Homestay means staying in the home of a British family. It is ideal for students who are new to London or for those who are looking to improve their English language skills. It is easy to arrange from overseas and can be arranged at short notice. You can choose the area you want to live in and to have meals provided at extra cost.

A:  Homestay accommodation can be booked from overseas easily, securely and sometimes at very short notice*. It is arranged through an agent: Britannia Student Services. Check our Homestay webpage for details.
*It is always best to arrange your accommodation as soon as possible after securing your place at London Metropolitan University.

A: It is very useful to calculate your living costs before you come to London so that you can budget effectively. You can use this easy on-line calculator.

A:  You can choose to live in a self-catered or catered Homestay when you make your booking. If it is catered you can choose how many meals you would like provided. Most students choose to have at least one meal a day with the family. Britannia Student Services, one of the biggest homestay agencies in London, have listed some guidelines on their website which might give you more information in this regard.