Student Accommodation FAQs: Updated for 2027-28 Letting Season
03 October 2026 • 6 min read
Searching for next year’s student accommodation and booking viewings is exciting, but it can also be confusing. There are loads of things to consider and the chances are you’ll end up with a long list of questions as you go.
To help you out, we’ve created this ultimate FAQ guide to student house-hunting with the most common queries all answered in one place.
Student house-hunting FAQs
What does PPPW mean?
PPPW means “Per Person Per Week”. This is an acronym used by letting agents and landlords to display rental prices. It’s typically used in accommodation for multiple people such as shared student houses (HMOs) to make it easy to calculate how much each person owes.
Remember that in property listings on UniHomes, PPPW already includes utilities as well as rent, which is why the price may appear more expensive than other property sites which only include rent.
When should I start looking for next year’s student accommodation?
This depends on where you’re studying, as next year’s student properties are advertised at different times in some cities. However, in most cities in England it’s in October-November. For more info, check out our full guide to when to start looking for student housing.
How do I choose which type of student accommodation I want? What are the differences?
Students have a lot of choice over accommodation now, from traditional student houses (HMOs) for groups to flats, apartments, studios and private halls for couples or individuals. Again, we’ve got you covered with this guide which explains the differences and pros and cons of each type of student accommodation, drawing on current students’ experiences.
How much does student accommodation cost?
The cost of student rent depends on the city and the type of accommodation you’re looking at. Private halls tend to be more expensive than shared student houses, for example.
For 2026-27, the average cost of student accommodation with bills included advertised on UniHomes across 40 cities was £159 PPPW.
Stoke-on-Trent was the cheapest UK city for student rent and utilities, with an average cost of £121 PPPW, while London was the most expensive at £370 PPPW.
For more information, see our analysis of the UK’s cheapest and most expensive cities by average student rent and utilities for 2026-27.
How do I book student house viewings?
A property may look perfect online, but it’s always best to see it in person so you and your future housemates are sure it’s right.
On UniHomes, you can book a viewing by clicking the orange 'Enquire Now' button on any property listing. The letting agent will get back in touch ASAP to organise a viewing.
You can also quickly add properties to your shortlist by clicking the heart symbol on a listing, so you can come back to them later.
Of course, you may not be the only individual or group interested in a property, so you’ll want to make the letting agent’s life easier by being clear about when you could attend a viewing.
To maximise your odds of a successful student accommodation enquiry, check out these tips from letting agents.
How competitive is student accommodation in my city?
Can I shock you? We’ve got a guide for this too. For 2026-27, the most in-demand UK cities for student accommodation are Liverpool, Bath and London - so if you’re studying in any of those, you might want to consider searching a bit earlier than you would otherwise.
You’ll also find insights on the most in-demand student areas and property types when searching by city on our website.
Does UniHomes allow pets?
Believe it or not we get asked this a lot, but this kind of thing is up to the individual landlord, letting agent or PBSA provider. As we're not a letting agency ourselves, it's best to check in with your agent/landlord/PBSA provider about pets before signing any tenancy agreements or contracts to avoid any disappointment or confusion.
Student utilities FAQs
How do I read my meter?
You may be required to provide readings to make sure your utility bills are accurate and help energy companies predict how much energy you’ll need for future months.
Our dedicated meter reading guide takes you through how to take a reading step-by-step, including where to actually find your meter!
Do I need to take out contents insurance?
It’s your choice, but contents insurance is designed to cover residents for loss or damage to their property or belongings.
A 2024 study of 1,000 UK students found 36% had experienced a break-in in the past year or knew students who had. Check whether you’re covered already and what’s included - if you’re not already covered, you’ll want to consider getting contents insurance.
For more information, check out our students’ guide to how contents insurance works and why it’s important.
Do I need to get a TV Licence?
Unfortunately, yes. If you plan to watch any live TV programmes/broadcasts on services like BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime or ITVX, you’ll need to be covered by a TV Licence.
If you’re using a utility bills package provider like UniHomes, a TV Licence may already be included in the package.
Are my bills included in the rent?
The properties advertised on UniHomes already include utility bills in the price shown.
That may not be the case on other websites.
What is the UniHomes bills package?
Our student utilities package bundles electricity, gas, broadband, water and TV Licence (optional) into one simple monthly payment, split equally between housemates.
We’re trusted by thousands of students to take the stress out of student bills - explore the pros and cons of student bills package compared to managing bills yourself here.
You can still use our utilities package if you’ve already secured your accommodation elsewhere - get a quote here.
And one more FAQ…
Should I use UniHomes?
If you're looking for student accommodation with bills included, yes! We showcase a wide range of student accommodation from across the market in 70+ UK cities and towns, spanning student houses to flats, private halls, studios and apartments.
Every year we help thousands of students and graduates across the UK find their next home – see what they have to say about using UniHomes on Trustpilot.
If you've already found a property, you can also sign up for our utility bills package separately.
