renting – The Orbital

It’s been a week since third year student, Jake Shepherd’s, Bright Idea took off. He wants the university to introduce a ‘Guarantor Service for Students from Non-Home Owning Backgrounds’. I caught up with Jake, who studies Geography, Politics and International Relations to chat about his idea. What are the motivations behind your Bright Idea? As a disadvantaged student and the first in my family to go to university, there wasn’t really anyone to warm me about the potential difficulties in finding a UK guarantor. What are these ‘potential difficulties’? Often your guarantor needs to be a UK homeowner who can satisfy a credit reference agency check (up to 9 linked addresses, no County Court Judgements (CCJs), Electoral Roll data and Credit Score). Whilst house hunting with friend...

Choosing a house to live in is a daunting task, especially after the comfortable safety of university halls, where the worst that can happen is someone stealing your milk. The first thing you have to know is that estate agents will try and pressure you to put money down. They’re a business and you’re a customer, just make sure you’re clued up and savvy about it! There are a lot of estate agents and private landlords in Egham and Englefield Green, ask around for people’s experience of them before you commit and make sure you feel comfortable with who’s managing your property, otherwise, a year can feel like a long time. The second, and possibly most important thing, about second or third year housing is your housemates. How would you actually feel about living half a centimetre fro...

Tag: renting

Bright Idea – University Guarantor Service

A Home From Home