Student Housing Guide: Leicester 2024

Leicester city is a fantastic place for students. It has budget-friendly housing systems with lots of amenities, a comfortable lifestyle, and rich culture. Leicester is the tenth-largest city in the United Kingdom. It has several famous educational institutes. This makes the place a hotspot for students. With many students studying in this area, this place has several accommodation services and offers a lavish lifestyle. The accommodation system is so good that it is considered the third best city to live in, right after Manchester and Cambridge.

Why Is Leicester So Popular?

The biggest reason for Leicester student housing being popular is that the housing and accommodation system here is very budget-friendly. Living here is much more cost-effective than in the neighbouring city of Nottingham. But how cost-effective is this? Well, surveys have found that housing rent in Leicester is  £342. Other cities like Sheffield cost £383, Nottingham costs £436, and Birmingham costs £469. The cheap cost does not mean that living standards are low. They are almost on equal terms with the housing service, which makes this city extremely cost-efficient. Students living in Leicester are more aware of their studies. They go out and socialize less, so the area is very student-friendly. The cost of transportation and other services in Leicester are also much cheaper than in other cities. All of these combined make Leicester a very demanding place for students.

Popular Living Locations In Leicester

There are quite a few popular options for accommodation for students in Leicester. Here is a list of a few student accommodations.

1. Clarendon Park/Knighton Area

Very close to the famous University of Leicester. It also has numerous religious places of different ethnicities. Guru Amar Das Gurdwara for Sikhs, Geetha Bhawan Hindu Temple for Hindus, Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation, and Messianic Jewish Synagogue for Jews lot of Churches for Christians. There are also several places for social gatherings.

2. City Center

Being the central business district, the City Center has good transportation service. Additionally, it has a significant number of malls, stores, and restaurants. These might be great areas for kids to enjoy during their free time. The Victoria Park War Memorial, St. Nicholas' Church, the Newark Magazine Gateway, and many other historical structures are located there.

3. Highfields

The Highfields is a very diverse spot, as this area has people from different nationalities. Irish, Polish, Pakistani, Indian, and African, there are many cultures gathered in this place. This allows the students to know more about other nations and their lifestyles.

4. Aylestone

Aylestone has kept much of its former village-like stature, and it cannot be called an entirely urban area. This is a very popular place for students who want to enjoy studying, staying in a place with a rural vibe to it.

5. Evington

Evington has many open places, and Evington Park is also a great place to enjoy leisure time. This area is quite popular for Muslim students because of Masjid Umar Mosque.

6. Stoneygate

Stoneygate is an amiable place, and the region’s hospitality makes this place feel like home. There is also a railway directly linked to London, so many students want to live here. The transport system in Stoneygate is also secure.

Types of student accommodation in Leicester

For beginner perusers, it is vital to know a wide range of student accommodation in Leicester. Likewise, every one of the housing choices may accompany loads of experts and undetectable cons too as well! Let us add one more subject to our student rents Leicester to comprehend the various sorts of student halls in Leicester. 

On-campus Student Accommodation

On-campus student accommodations include University residences, hostels or dormitories that are managed by the University. These options provide suitable access to the amenities rendered by the college on its campus.

Off-campus Student Accommodation

Off-campus student accommodations include PBSAs, HMOs and other room types. They are cost-effective as compared to on-campus accommodation. Students can live on their terms except for a few property rules.

PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation)

PBSA, commonly known as the Purpose Built Student Accommodation, are those properties in Leicester that quickly become one of the UK's profoundly looked areas. These areas are shown at reasonable costs and frequently come with student-oriented assets and offices. Take our word; if you get an adjacent PBSA settlement, snatch it. We can also give you a list of Student accommodation and private corridors in Leicester.

HMOs (houses of multiple occupancies)

HMOs are highly-efficient student housing in Leicester where more than 3 students can rent out the same accommodation at the same time and share the facilities.

Room Types

1. University-managed rooms

University-managed rooms should be your highest need if your objective is a calculable day-to-day environment present at low costs. University-managed rooms are dormitory-like constructions that offer single-room plans. These rooms are popular with sophomores and second-year students since they are available inside the grounds and save time navigating to and from the college.

2. Student halls

The second position on our posting of student accommodation in Leicester incorporates studio lodging choices. These are 1-room or 2-room rental homes that offer superior rooms and have somewhat high-grade room characteristics than college dormitories. Studio rooms are an extraordinary decision to live in and are fantastic to look towards pocket-accommodating student halls outside the college.

3. En-suite

En-suite lodging alternatives are private rooms that accompany a superior security choice for students. This student accommodation conveys abundant space for students. Additionally, it incorporates separate restrooms and a kitchen with the goal that you don't need to burn through pointless time remaining in lines and at previous work all the more gainfully.

4. Shared Accommodations

Sharing accommodation is viewed as the rising star of student housing in Leicester. These lodging decisions are divided among a gathering of students and are retained by a property manager or a domain specialist. A significant advantage of sharing convenience is dividing costs among the students and gel up with different international students.

5. Private Student Houses.

The students who do not wish to live in university-provided dorms and halls or do not have a seat look for a private house and live there. Sometimes, multiple students take one room and share the rent among themselves. This reduces the cost of living, but this housing option does not come with high-quality amenities. The students need to get these amenities by themselves.

Best student accommodation options in Leicester

Here are the top student accommodations in Leicester, and each one possesses its advantages and some loopholes respectively.

Brookland Road

Where?
Brookland Rd, Leicester LE2 6BH, United Kingdom.

Brookland Road is your best choice for Leicester student accommodation if you're on a small budget. A fully fitted en-suite space is available for £99 per week. The en-suite rooms and studio rooms available have all of the most up-to-date equipment and services.

Price Range: £99 – £160/week

iQ Grosvenor House

Where?
21-33 Newarke St, Leicester LE1 5SP, United Kingdom.

If the Queen will survive in luxury in London, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do so in Leicester. iQ Grosvenor House is the only place in Leicester to live like royalty.

Another fantastic feature of iQ Grosvenor House is that De Montfort University in Leicester is just a minute away! Residents will unwind by playing pool or just relaxing in the common area. A garden, package receipt facility, contents insurance, social activities, and bike storage are among the other facilities.

Price Range: £141 – £250/week

The Summit

Where?
The Summit, Eastern Blvd, Leicester LE2 7JD, UK.

The Summit provides comfortable student housing at a reasonable cost. You'll find fully furnished studio rooms and one-bedroom apartments here. Furthermore, Leicester's De Montfort University is just 4-minute drive north.

Price Range: £149 – £250/week.

Cost of living in Leicester City

Leicester's cost of living is equivalent to the average, attracting a large proportion of people from around the globe. Leicester's mystique is enhanced by the inclusion of world-class universities such as the University of Leicester and De Montfort University.

Here's a provisional approximation of Leicester's monthly costs:

Note: To live comfortably in Leicester, we suggest a monthly budget of about £1,000 (excluding tuition).

Cost of living as a student in Leicester

Leicester could turn into a befuddling spot regarding housing that comes from different rental choices. Such places will contrast in prices or sizes as you move away from the City Center. That is why students are encouraged to pick the best appropriate student accommodation that accommodates their spending plan and is convincing with everyday exercises.

Bills and mandatory expenses of the students

Leicester is highly appreciated for its exclusive low-cost environment that is a dream come true for all students. Whilst some of these expenses may or may not fall under your blanket, it’s essential to know what different types of bills you could expect in the upcoming months.

Electric/gas/water bill

All utility services, electricity, gas and water, are covered in preliminary expenses for each student. For the ones who are interested in living in studios or private halls, these bills are to be excluded and will be present according to your monthly usage status.

Stationary

Students' lives always revolve around their instruments. Pen, pencil, required books, etc., are essential items that are needed during your semester. As their use is never-ending, students are advised to buy bulk deals of stationary to get additional discounts and offers.

Mobile phones and SIM cards

After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile phones have become necessary to telltale your well-being to your loved ones. Moreover, it would be an intelligent decision to buy a budget mobile with essential functions such as internet, voice-calling, above-average camera quality, and ample storage to share crucial files and documents.

TV license

In the UK, in general, the process of buying a TV connection starts right after buying your TV license. The UK government has made it mandatory to buy a separate TV cable subscription for every system installed. On the other hand, you can try purchasing a combined monthly/ yearly subscription of OTT subscription plans to enjoy all the latest shows and movies.

Commute in Leicester

Bus

There are connecting bus services between Leicester city centre and most other parts of the city including the University campus. Several different companies operate buses - the two largest companies are Arriva and First Leicester.

The Students' Union sells annual Arriva City Student Tickets, which can offer considerable savings to research students who regularly use Arriva bus services.

Cycling

Cycling is fun, cheap, good for you, and good for the environment. Many research students choose to cycle to and from the University. In the UK, you cycle on the left side of the road, and cyclists cannot use footpaths unless there is a marked cycle lane.

On the University campus, we have a 300-space secure cycle park and shower facilities and tools to help you keep your bike safe. There are cycle racks at various points in the city centre and other specific attributes such as Leicester train station.

If you prefer to travel by foot, Leicester has well-maintained and safe routes for pedestrians. Leicester's New Walk was the first pedestrian-only route in the UK and still provides an attractive tree-lined walk between the University and Leicester city centre.

Taxis

Leicester City Council issues licences for taxi operators and carries out inspections to ensure that standards are maintained. Taxis must display their licence details - you can usually see these next to the registration plate at the rear of the vehicle and usually inside the car above the front passenger seat.

If you are interested in watching a video rather than reading, we have you covered! Check out this video covering student housing in Leicester.

Things To Consider Before Moving To Leicester

Wherever you move to Leicester, you must keep the following factors in mind-

• There are multiple transportation services; ensure that there is at least one bus stop or rail station near the place you are moving in.
• There will be no cultural barriers. People of different ethnicities and cultures can mix freely.
• Check the cost of amenities.
• Ensure that the house or hall you are living in has proper safety and security.‍

Leasing Terms In Leicester

Security Fee

A security fee is deposited to the property owner, and it is refundable at the end of the stay. This security fee is about £150-250.

Admin Fee

landowners levy on the renters this charge. This is non-refundable, and the cost is £50-100.

Leasing Duration

The leasing duration that is mostly recommended is 1 year. However, some students can also have a leasing duration of 6 months. Some landowners can also permit a 3-month short-term lease.

Cancellation Policy

Should a student cancel his leasing term, he must do so within 3-14 days of booking the house. After 14 days, the student must pay a weekly fee until the room is rented.

Pet Policies

Almost in all cases, pets are not allowed. They are only allowed if they are registered as assistance dogs.

Number of Tenants

How many tenants can stay in one apartment is listed in the apartment guidelines. Generally, the policy is one room per student.

Required Documents

The required documents include a photocopy of your university admit card. Other than that, nothing else is required.

Apps

In this era of digitalisation, every facility is present in your palm. Thus, it would be wise to use your phone positively. Students visiting Leicester are advised to download popular local apps such as the LoyalFree app for bagging a bargain and exploring the area, the SafeZone app for getting help at any time in the university and the MyUoL app that allows you all-in-one access.

That is all for this student housing guide. Most students have a tight budget and need to find a budget-friendly place that provides comfort and a good lifestyle. Leicester allows the students to live in a friendly and hospitable environment. It has all the necessities. So Leicester should be a primary choice for students if they are looking for a place to move in.