So, I'm trying to sort out second year housing now, it should've been done a while ago, but I left it to my flatmate, who seemed like she knew exactly what she was doing. At first I was asking her what was happening, what to do about viewings etc, and then she said something about wanting to go private, and she sounded like she had definite ideas about what to do, so I stopped worrying...

I've just spoken to her though, and she says she has no idea what she's doing - the other guy we're living with is about as hands off as it's possible to get, and so it seems like it's up to me - but I have no idea either! Does anyone know what I have to do? My flatmate doesn't want to go the student housing route - I don't know why! I'm completely lost.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Might be an idea to approach local estate agents who do lettings. They will advise you on viewings and properties available in your area. Also, they will act as collection agents on behalf of the landlord in regards to your rent, and contact the landlord for you if any repairs need to be done in the property.

I would start as soon as you can if you need to vacate your property soon...

Also - your college/university will have an accommodation office who will give you good advice on finding and negotiating for a house. Go and see them.

You are not particularly late - in fact, the very earliest birds sometimes end up paying over the odds, and my university advises not starting to look before February. But don't hang around too long, get it settled.

Alternatively - why not stay where you are?

And why not ask your housemates what they want to do? Seem to me that they must take responsibility for themselves, and its far better to have some joint responsiblity (even if you do a lot of the work) than have them as sleeping partners...

Lucky, first things, it is definitely not too late to get started on housing. There is no need to panic about it yet. At my Uni, the official housing list (of accomodation inspected and vetted by the Uni) has only just been released.

Your first step is to find out what services to help first years find accomodation your Uni offers. Most publish a vetted housing list, or give advice talks, or have an office of people who can help. Talk to the support available at the Uni, so that you feel confident and informed before approaching any landlords or agencies. My Uni also offers a housing contract checking service, so that all students know what their legal obligations are, and that the contracts they sign are not unreasonable.

Secondly, get in touch with any second, third etc years at your Uni that you know. Find out how they found their houses. If there isn't a Uni vetted housing list, check which agencies they recommend, and which ones have been known to mess people about before. (There is a particular one here in Bath that is known to always find someway to keep some of your deposit, and take about 6 months to return what they do agree to pay back.)

If you do decide to approach letting agencies, remember that they should never ask for money in advance of producing a housing contract. Similarly, always talk to the current residents of a house if possible. Ask why they are moving out. That way you'll soon find out if the bathroom leaks, the landlord is a pain, etc.

I'm not going to describe the formal legal stuff, as I'm not very confident with it myself, but hopefully that is enough to help you feel calmer and more in control.

Ok thanks, I'm a bit calmer now. We're all a bit shaken when it comes to housing, because unfortunately there was a great deal of drama in our flat over the issue - tears, broken friendships and bad atmospheres all round to be honest. I stayed out of it, but it's left us not really wanting to get involved with the whole process! I think my flatmates will help, but I'll have to do the bulk of the organising.

A couple of friends have had bad experiences with one company - so we're going to avoid them, but what I really don't understand is my friend's insistence that "going private" is the best way to do it... Does that just mean going with a company that doesn't specialise in housing for students particularly?

I think I do have plenty of time, but I'd like to get organised anyway.

To me 'going private' is where you deal directly with the landlord, rather than an agency.

I rent privately, paying money directly to my landlord and having a contract with my landlord. With an agency, I believe you pay money to the agency, who then pays money to the landlord/house owner, and have a contract with the agency rather than the landlord. I am not certain on exactly how agencies work, though.

There are no obvious advantages to one over the other, although for me renting privately has worked well. I'm on good terms with my landlord, who has always been quick to deal with problems and is understanding about rent payment (or delays in it). Other people find it difficult, with their landlords being rather too inclined to drop by unexpectedly, slow to deal with problems, and having to threaten small claims court action to get deposits back.

An agency is far more likely to know what they are doing than a individual landlord (in terms of their legal responsibilities) but to them you aren't individuals. You can't really be on good terms with an agency in the same way you can be with a landlord.