Know what the group is signing
In a joint tenancy, each tenant can be responsible for the whole rent and other breaches, not only their personal share. Ask what happens if one person leaves, fails referencing or stops paying.
Check the start date, summer period, notice, guarantor wording and whether each guarantor covers one tenant or the full household.
Budget beyond the weekly headline
Convert weekly rent to an annual and monthly total, then add excluded utilities, broadband, travel and any summer overlap. Full-time students are often disregarded for council tax, but mixed student and non-student households should check the bill with the council.
In England from 1 May 2026, covered student tenancies are generally periodic, although a specific possession ground may help qualifying student HMO landlords recover a property for the next academic cycle.
Check the house as well as the location
Verify any HMO licence with the council, test alarms, look for damp and ask current tenants about repair response. Confirm deposit protection and get promised works in writing before signing.
Do not pay a rushed “admin fee”. Check which payments are permitted in the nation where you will live.
Official sources and further reading
- Private renting as a studentGOV.UK
- Private renting: houses in multiple occupationGOV.UK
- Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenantsGOV.UK · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government