Parental guidance: what your parents want to know about student living

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.

About the author: My name is Sophie and I’m an MA student in International Public & Political Communications at the University of Sheffield. Currently Arts & Theatre Editor at Forge Press and Editor at EdFringe Review, I have also written for Liberty Belle Magazine, Wild Magazine, The PolSoc Paper and The Liberator. I am a keen thespian with the Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo), and also have interests in culture, LGBTQ+ issues and political science.

Students aren’t the only ones paying keen attention to everything at university! Here’s some questions your parents may be asking, and how to put their minds at ease.

Leaving home and venturing across the nation to university is a daunting time for any student, but even more daunting for the parents you’re leaving at home. Suddenly, they have much less of an impact over what you’re up to and that’s as scary for them as it is exciting for you. They’re going to have loads of questions about how it all works, especially if they didn’t go to university themselves, so here’s a few things you’ll want to consider to get ahead of the game.

1. How will you find your house? 🏠

Possibly one of the most important questions is 'where are you going to live', as well as 'how do you even start looking?' Well, for many first year students, they will move into accommodation (known as ‘halls’) owned by the university. For other first years (and most people who have progressed past this) they will turn to websites such as UniHomes, the UK's leading platform for all-inclusive student accommodation. UniHomes works with letting agents across the country to showcase a wide variety of student homes to suit all needs; it’s a great way to compare properties and ensure you’re finding everything you’re looking for!

2. How does your deposit work? 💷

Once you’ve selected your property, you will usually be asked to pay a deposit before it’s secured. A deposit is a small fee retained throughout the year by the landlord or letting agency, and returned to the tenants at the end of the year. It’s a small contribution beyond usual rent payments, which is kept as a safeguard against property damage. If something’s broken at the end of the tenancy, there will often be a reduction in how much is returned to you, at the landlord’s discretion.

3. How far away are you? 📍

How far your property is from campus is as diverse as student houses themselves! Some are a matter of minutes away, some depend on which building your classes are in, and some are accessible by public transport. Whilst this may seem daunting, remember that every student property is designated as being specifically for students for a reason — so even if it’s a little way away, there will almost certainly be good public transport links (with many providing a student discount). And if you’ve been cooped up in class all day, sometimes a longer walk is a nice way to unwind.

4. Who are you living with? (Do I know them?) ❓

The answer is very much another question; who do you want to live with? First year housemates, course friends, people you’ve met doing activities... the choices of who to live with are endless. Chat to your friends, see what they’re doing and spend an evening looking at student properties together to make sure what you're each looking for is compatible.

5. How much will your bills be? 💰

The exact price of utilities like water, electricity and WiFi ebb and flow from year to year, and can seem like such a daunting prospect. Some properties, such as those on the UniHomes website, all come with bills included; the price you see is the price you pay. Some properties, however, put the onus on students themselves to find utility providers. If you go for one of these houses, don’t be put off — UniHomes can sort the tricky bits out for you, even if you didn't find your property via UniHomes. Just head to the UniHomes website for a free utilities quote!

6. Are you eating (properly)? 🍲

A favourite family question that my grandmother asks me every week, this one may just depend on how good your parents know your culinary skills to be! For those of us who aren’t that skilled in the kitchen (or so I’m told), there’s a great range of ways to improve your skills, with cooking classes, online tutorials and more at the tip of your finger — or your parents can always come and teach you, of course!

7. Why get into all that debt? 💳

This is a question I get asked all the time, as a lot of the messaging around this topic is really unclear. But, in a nutshell, student debt is not like normal debt. People only pay it back when they earn a certain amount (which is taken out of earnings, like an extra tax), most people will never pay it back in full, and it gets cancelled after a certain period. The numbers are big and can seem quite scary, but there are processes in place that mean that paying back student loans is a manageable process that's proportional to how much you earn. Find out more by visiting the government website.

8. Are you enjoying it? 😄

I can’t tell you how to answer this one! Everyone has ups and downs whilst they’re at university — it’s entirely natural! Anyone who says it’s entirely good or entirely bad is kidding themselves. But from my experience, the positives always shine brighter than anything else.

At UniHomes our goal is to make the student house-hunting experience as easy as possible, showcasing the best student accommodation from across the market in one convenient place, to help answer some of the biggest questions you (or your parents!) may have.

Our UniHomes Content Ambassadors are current students across the UK who share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. If you're interested in writing for our programme, click here for more details.