Frequently Asked Questions

Booking A Room

Can I apply for dual occupancy?

Dual occupancy is available on most rooms over 23sqm. Both occupants would need to apply and mention in their application that they are applying for dual occupancy so that the price can be amended. The price would be the total rent plus an additional £50 and then divided by two for each occupant’s weekly cost unless otherwise stated. 

What Happens to My Deposit?

Your deposit is placed into a Deposit Protection Scheme, where it is held safely throughout the academic year.

What if I Want to Cancel My Booking?

Our full termination policy is available on our Homes for Students Documents page.

Please read it carefully and ensure that you fully understand it.

You can cancel your booking up to 7 days after you accept your offer or pay your deposit (the Initial Cancellation Period), providing you have not already moved in to the property and we will refund your security deposit in full. Deposits will normally be refunded within 28 working days of cancellation, however our legal obligation as a landlord is to secure all deposits with a third party protection scheme. In the event that your deposit has already been sent to the protection scheme by the time you cancel your booking, your refund could take up to 60 days to be refunded due to the protection scheme’s processing period and your deposit refund will come directly from them – you will need your repayment ID which will be sent to you directly by the protection scheme. If the deposit has already been sent to the deposit protection scheme, unfortunately, we are unable to influence their processing time.

If you cancel your booking after the 7 day Initial Cancellation Period, you will remain liable for the weekly rent (for each and every week or part week) until we are able to re-let the room. If we are able to re-let the room we will release you from the agreement upon payment of a £50 variation of contract fee which we will recover by retaining part or all of your deposit. If you have paid a lower deposit amount, that’s the amount that will be retained.

What Do I Do if I’m a First Year Post-Graduate Student and I’m Still Waiting for My Exam Results?

If you’re still waiting for your exam results and you’re not sure whether your place at university is confirmed, don’t worry, you can still apply.

If you are a prospective first year Postgraduate student and your offer of a place at your preferred University or Higher Education Institute is withdrawn by the University or Higher Education Institute because you do not achieve the required entry grades, you may be eligible to be released from this agreement.

You must provide written evidence from the University that you do not have a place within 3 days of your results being published (and no later than 28th August, whichever date is sooner) and we will release you from the contract without penalty and refund the deposit paid.

You may also be eligible to be released from this agreement if you are a prospective first year Undergraduate student and you choose to go to a different University because you have exceeded your expected grades. To apply to be released from this agreement in the circumstances referred to above, you will need to supply us with a copy of:

a written or email confirmation that you wish to cancel your reservation, stating full name and full details of the property booked;

a written rejection letter from your chosen university/college or UCAS, a screenshot of your UCAS status which confirms that the required results were not achieved, or a copy of the proof of acceptance of your new university by UCAS adjustment.

These document(s) must be received by us within 3 calendar days from the date your results are published. On receipt of the required documentation it will be verified and, provided we are satisfied, we will cancel your agreement and refund your deposit in full.

Paying Your Deposit

When Do I Get My Deposit Back?

Your deposit will be returned to you after your tenancy agreement has ended and your room has been inspected. The amount returned to you will depend on any outstanding charges and any damage found in your room or the communal areas of your apartment. Please see your tenancy agreement for more information. The deposit can take up to 30 working days to be credited at the end of your tenancy period.

All deposits are secured with a deposit protection scheme, such as the Deposit Protection Service or Letting Protection Scotland. You will be contacted by the deposit protection scheme and asked to authorise the refund and submit your bank details to them. For this you will require your deposit repayment ID, which will have been sent to you via email at the time of registering your deposit.

Please be aware, the deposit refund process is managed by the deposit protection scheme and is not able to be influenced by OneLiving. Should you have any queries regarding your deposit repayment ID, you should contact the deposit protection scheme directly: Deposit Protection Service or Letting Protection Service.

Please note if you ask for your deposit to be repaid to a non-UK bank account, bank charges will apply. Please see deposit protection scheme FAQs:

Deposit Protection Service (England and Wales)

Letting Protection Service (Scotland)

How Much Are Deposits?

Deposits vary by property from £50 to £300 and your deposit is placed into a deposit protection scheme, where it is held safely throughout the academic year and will be returned to you at the end of your contract subject to the contract terms.

The deposit you pay when making the application cannot be used towards a rent instalment, as this is secured with a deposit protection scheme for the duration of your tenancy.

Moving In To Your Room

Is There Car Parking Facilities for When I Move In?

Some properties have car parking facilities available for a small charge, please speak to your property team directly if you would like to reserve car parking.

What Do I Need to Bring with Me?

When you come to pick up your keys you need to bring some photographic ID such as a Passport or Driving Licence.

Viewing A Property

I’m in A Different Country, How Do I View a Property?

We offer a Online Viewings for those who cannot view in person. Just click ‘Arrange a Viewing’ and from there you can choose the Online option and organise a time and date that suits you. A member of the team will Skype call you at your arranged time.

How Long Does a Viewing Take?

A viewing usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes, however you can spend as long as you wish viewing the property.

Paying Your Rent

What Is Included in My Rent?

All utility bills are included in your rent such as gas, electricity and water, and unlimited WiFi*. However, your TV licence is not included, and this is the sole responsibility of the resident as this is not classed as a utility. *connection fees may apply. Dependant on property, please see your property page for more info.

How Do I Pay My Rent?

Your rent can be paid online through the “Make a Payment” link on the website. You can log in to the pages using your booking email address and password to see any outstanding amounts and to make a credit or debit card payment. Some properties are able to take payments in reception, or by bank transfer – please contact your chosen property directly for more information

Living with OneLiving

What Is the Process for Dealing with Complaints?

We want you to enjoy your time with us, but we understand that sometimes we get things wrong. If you’re unhappy and feel the matter needs further attention, we’re here to listen and help resolve it. Most issues can be sorted quickly by speaking to a member of your Property Team, so we ask that you do this in the first instance.

The Complaints Process

Most issues can be resolved quickly, so in the first instance please contact the property team by speaking to a manager in person at one of our properties or by emailing the site team directly. They will investigate and deal with the matter immediately.

If you feel a formal complaint is required, you can complete this complaints Form ensuring you provide as much detail as possible and include any relevant supporting evidence.

Stage 1

The General Manager of your property will investigate your complaint using the details and evidence you provided and provide a response on their findings.

Stage 2

If you wish to escalate following the stage 1 response a Senior Manager will review your complaint, the supporting evidence and the Stage 1 response and provide their response to you.

Stage 3

In the event you wish to escalate to our final stage, the Director will review all stages including any new details and supporting evidence. We will then provide you with a full and final response.

If after eight weeks we have not responded to your complaint or you remain dissatisfied, you can refer your complaint to the Property Redress Scheme or ANUK/Unipol National Code for an independent review. In Scotland, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing & Property Chamber) if there has been a breach of the Scottish Letting Agent Code of Practice.

To see our full Customer Complaints Procedure please click here.

All terms of the tenancy agreements remain applicable unless notified otherwise in writing by Home for Students. All notifications are final and there is no appeal or escalation process for such complaints.

What Will I Be Shown on My Viewing?

All communal areas and room types requested (dependent upon availability).

Can I Book a Room Without A Viewing?

Absolutely. However, we would always recommend booking a viewing wherever possible. If this is not possible, our website provides a suite of property images for you to browse.

How Do I Cancel or Re-Arrange My Viewing?

Give us a call or drop us an email – we’d love to speak to you!

How Do I Book a Viewing?

You can book a viewing using our online viewing tool or by sending a note to us via the ‘Contact Us’ form. You can also book by calling us directly at your chosen property or by sending us an email.