Accommmodation in Edinburgh (Accommodation in general)

Name: j-star

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Product:	Accommodation in general
Date:	25/07/00 (256 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good variety both in size and style

Disadvantages: expensive

The University only guarantees accommodation for first year students. The accommodation service is responsible for housing (http://www.accom.ed.ac.uk) and they will either be put into self-catering University flats or into the Halls of Residence known as Pollock. Pollock is continually undergoing improvements and around one quarter of the rooms are now en-suite, your rent includes breakfast and dinner on weekdays, with lunch thrown in at weekends. If you stay in Pollock, you will probably have to totally vacate your rooms during the holiday periods when they are rented to visitors.

After first year, most students will branch off into privately owned accommodation. There is a wide variety available with rents ranging from £150 pcm to £300pcm. Expect on average to pay around £230pcm. There are several parts of town that have proved popular with students: New Town with its Georgian architecture, Marchmont, Morningside and Newington. Where you live may be determined by where you’ll be studying. Arts and Science at Edinburgh are on different campuses; the trek from New Town to King’s Buildings (Science) can be lengthy. Utilities will set you back around another £20-40 per month, (heating can be expensive – Edinburgh gets cold). As students, you are entitled to exemption on council tax, but be warned, should a resident of the property become employed the whole flat becomes liable for tax (rates vary according to numbers in work).

A few students buy their properties outright, though numbers have dropped recently as mortgage rates have risen. Edinburgh has plenty of student accommodation, most agencies and landlords will be looking to rent from June/July; others prefer to rent their properties out during the festival (see fringe guide) so a lease from September for nine months is to be expected.

Good Luck.

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