10 Questions to ask before booking student accommodation

Booking your first (or final) year of student accommodation is a big deal. Loving the photos is a good start. Here's how to make sure the rest stacks up.

You can spend hours scrolling through photos and reading reviews, and still be left wondering: what’s it actually like to live here? It's the little things that make the biggest difference. Somewhere quiet to study. Getting a parcel sorted without a fuss. A broken tap fixed fast. These are the 10 questions worth asking before you book, to make sure your new home actually works for you.

The 10 questions, at a glance

1. Is the rent genuinely all-inclusive, or are utilities and wifi charged separately?

2. Is the weekly price fixed for the full year, even if energy costs rise?

3. How far is the building from your university, and is that commute realistic day to day?

4. Is there a reception on site 24 hours a day, to help with anything you need?

5. What communal spaces are available, and do residents actually use them?

6. Is there a student app for support, parcels and maintenance?

7. How quickly are maintenance issues resolved?

8. What do verified residents say in recent Google reviews?

9. Is a guarantor required to book?

10. What are the cancellation terms and flexible booking policies?

01. Is the rent genuinely all-inclusive, or are utilities and wifi charged separately?

"All-inclusive" gets thrown around a lot in student housing, and it doesn't always mean the same thing. Check exactly what's bundled into the price before you compare providers. A cheap-looking room has a habit of creeping up in cost once everything's added back on.

Ask about:

1. Whether water, electricity, heating and wifi are all included in the rent

2. Whether there's a fair-use limit on utilities, or a hard cap that could result in an extra bill

3. Whether contents insurance is included or you need to arrange this yourself

4. Whether there are any admin or move-in fees on top of the rent and deposit

02. Is the weekly price fixed for the full year, even if energy costs rise?

A fixed weekly rate should mean exactly that: fixed. Find out whether your rent is locked in for the whole year, or if it's something a provider could raise halfway through your tenancy.

Ask about:

1. Whether the weekly rate is fixed for the whole contract, not just at the start

2. Whether the price can change if energy or utility costs go up

03. How far is the building from your university, and is that commute realistic day to day?

"Close to campus" means different things to different providers, so don't take their word for it. Ask for the actual travel times, not just the distance in miles, and check it on a map yourself.

Ask about:

1. Nearest tube, overground, or bus stop, and which lines run from it

2. Whether that's a direct route to campus or a couple of changes away

3. Travel time to the main campus buildings

4. Whether there's secure bike storage, for those who'd rather cycle in

04. Is there a reception on site 24 hours a day, to help with anything you need?

A staffed reception is a different thing entirely from a security guard on a rota. Ask exactly who's on site, when, and what they can actually help you with.

Ask about:

1. Whether reception is staffed 24 hours a day, not just during office hours

2. Key fob or access card entry, plus CCTV across communal areas, entrances, and external spaces

3. How visitors are signed in and managed, especially late at night

4. How to reach someone out of hours if something comes up

05. What communal spaces are available, and do residents actually use them?

Communal spaces vary a lot between buildings. A "gym" might mean a fully-equipped room, or a couple of dumbbells in a corner. Ask exactly what's on offer, and whether there are video tours or photos to back it up.

Ask about:

1. Study spaces, and whether they're quiet enough to get work done

2. A gym, and whether it's on site or something students would need to arrange nearby

3. Shared kitchens and common areas, and what they're like day to day

4. Resident events, and how often they actually happen

06. Is there a student app for support, parcels and maintenance?

Nobody wants to miss a parcel or call reception every time something goes wrong. Some student apps cover everything from maintenance to events. Others barely stretch past a booking confirmation. Ask what's actually included before you assume.

Ask about:

1. Whether you can log and track maintenance requests without chasing anyone for an update

2. Whether there's live chat built in for quick answers

3. Whether you get an instant alert when a parcel or delivery arrives

4. Whether you can see what's on in the building and book a spot at events

07. How quickly are maintenance issues resolved?

Maintenance is only as good as what happens after you submit the request. "Someone will look into it" isn't a response time. Push for a specific answer, especially for anything urgent like heating or hot water.

Ask about:

1. The average response time for urgent issues versus routine ones

2. Whether requests are handled in-house or passed to an outside contractor

3. Whether you can track the status of a request, rather than chasing it up

4. What happens if something breaks out of hours

08. What do verified residents say in recent Google reviews?

You're about to commit to a year of your life to this place. Before you do, find out what people who actually live there think of it, not just what the listing promises.

Look into:

1. Recent Google reviews, not just testimonials on the provider's own website

2. How many reviews sit behind that star rating, since a 5-star average from 10 reviews means less than 4.5 from 1,000

3. Whether the provider replies when a review flags a problem

4. How the reviews compare across more than one platform

09. Is a guarantor required to book?

Many providers ask for a UK-based guarantor. If your family isn't in the UK, that could be a problem. Find out early, before you get attached to somewhere you can't actually book.

Ask about:

1. Whether guarantor-free booking is standard, not a paid add-on

2. What the alternative is if a guarantor's required, like paying upfront

10. What are the cancellation terms and flexible booking policies?

Plans change. You might not get the grades you need, your visa could be refused, or you might have to withdraw from your course altogether. Look into flexible policies before you sign, not after something's already gone wrong.

Ask about:

1. Whether the policy actually covers you in each of those situations, not just some of them

2. What evidence you'd need, like a university letter or proof of a visa refusal

3. The cooling-off period, and how long you have to cancel for a full refund before moving in

4. The notice period, and what's owed if you leave after moving in

How Scape ticks these boxes

Scape has been named Student Accommodation Operator of the Year at the RESI Awards four times, most recently in 2025, and Property Manager of the Year in 2026.

Heating, water, electricity, and wifi come as standard. Rent is one fixed weekly rate, agreed when you book, and it doesn't change later. Every building sits centrally, close to the main universities in London, Guildford and Leeds. Reception is staffed 24/7, with secure key fob access and CCTV across communal areas. Amenities include a 24/7 gym, cinema, games room, communal kitchen and bar, social lounges, rooftop terraces, and study spaces.

Residents can log maintenance requests, track parcels, or book events, all through the Scape app. Onsite teams handle maintenance and housekeeping in-house, so there's no waiting around for an outside contractor. Genuine resident reviews are there to check for every building. A guarantor is not required to book, and the Change of Study Circumstances policy covers students who don't get the grades they need, have their visa refused, or have to withdraw from their course.

Still weighing up your options?

See how university halls compare to private student accommodation, or check out Scape's award record, the kind of recognition worth looking for when you compare providers.