Brighton Accommodation Guide

How excited are you at the thought of moving to Brighton? This city is electric, creative and just waiting for you to call it home. So, we thought we’d make things easier when it comes to finding those perfect student digs with our Student Accommodation Guide.

Here, you’ll have all you need: from dealing with estate agents and landlords, viewing properties, public transport and where our colleges are based.

Plus, our friendly Student Support Team are here should you need any further accommodation advice, so don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

We can’t wait for you to start this next exciting chapter. See you in Brighton!

brighton blue house

We have a close relationship with the following private student housing agent:

 

Independent accommodation advice

Jackie Phillips is an independent accommodation adviser who is affiliated with BIMM Institute Brighton; she charges a small fee for advice and help finding suitable accommodation for
BIMM students.

You can reach Jackie on 01273 493409 or email:
[email protected]

Jackie is able to provide information on flat or house shares, bedsits and host family accommodation in the area, plus link people together who are looking for shared accommodation. Please be aware that Jackie deals with a lot of enquiries and applications at the beginning of the academic year.

brighton church street

Alternatively, there are many letting agencies and private landlords based in Brighton. If you are going through a letting agent, you will be expected to pay a holding fee, agency fees, a deposit and usually one month’s rent up front,
plus provide a guarantor.

Ensure that the letting agent you use is following the code of practice of the National Association of Estate Agents.

Please be aware that the agents listed have not been visited or vetted in any way by BIMM Institute Brighton and you should therefore use them at your own risk. Ask what charges you will have to pay before you enter into an agreement with them. If you do have any concerns about the agency, contact the National Association of Estate Agents.

You could also find a number of existing house shares in Brighton where you could join an established group of people. These can be found on the following websites:

Temporary Housing

If you are looking for temporary accommodation during the week whilst studying, there are many hostels offering cheap rooms in the Brighton/Hove area.

Please check out the following websites for further information:

Finding Housemates

Facebook is a good way to link up with people who are already at BIMM or who are starting at the same time as you. Some students set up groups prior to starting BIMM in order to find housemates. Using this facility is a great way to post in formation about yourself, the type of housing you are looking for and any rooms that you or others may know of, which are available for rent.

It’s the perfect place for students to acquaint themselves with their fellow course friends and find appropriate housemates. Look for group names such as “BIMM Freshers”.

Brighton Pride backstage

Thoughtful Student Living Throughout The UK

Joint Living offer award-winning houses, fully furnished, with all bills included.

They are a little different to most landlords, as they only let to students and each house is designed with students in mind. All houses are interior designed with large communal areas for socialising, bedrooms are all spacious fully furnished doubles.

They also have a tenant tab, offering advice on well-being, meal plans, budgeting, and lots more. Each tenant receives a free subscription to Sound Asleep Club – An app which allows instant access to Yoga classes, meditation, sound baths and offers advice on sleep rituals.

They have an in-house maintenance team, who respond in 24 hours and all maintenance issues can be reported through our tenant app.

View Brighton Properties

Below are some guidelines for the average price of accommodation in Brighton.

Bed & Breakfast

£1200+
PCM

Studio

£400+
PCM

Flat/House Share

£450+
PCM

Part Board with Host Family

£480+
PCM
  • We recommend viewing a property at least twice. You’ll be more likely to notice problems the second time around
  • Take someone with you or let someone else know exactly where you are when you visit a property, just to err on the side of caution
  • It’s also a good idea to visit the area at night. If you do this, please ensure you stick to the point above and take someone with you
  • Make sure you and all your other housemates view the property. Don’t take someone else’s word that the property is right for you
  • Compare a range of different landlords and properties
  • Take your time and don’t let landlords pressure you – there is a surplus of good properties in the area and you will find somewhere you like
  • When you go to view, take notes and photos and use our checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything.
  • Get informed – knowing your rights will help you view properties more critically and put you in a stronger negotiating position

Our Viewing Checklist

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions – it’s a big decision.

  1. Does the place look well maintained?
  2. Will you be warm enough in winter?
  3. Will it be safe and secure?
  4. Does it have the space and facilities you
    need (i.e. washing machine, heating,
    fridge/freezer)?
  5. Are the current tenants happy with the landlord
  6. Is the property affordable and good value?
  7. Is the area suitable for your needs?

Student Advice

Why not hear from the students who have lived and breathed the process? Discover our Accommodation Top Tips Checklist by Ells Sivakumaran.


"Be realistic and reasonable about how much space you need, especially if you’re a musician coming to BIMM with lots of equipment. You may need to be prepared to negotiate with housemates to agree on storage."
Ells Sivakumaran, Event Management Graduate

Tobias Velke, Songwriting student from Brighton

"Brighton is a smaller town with a big city vibe. It’s very open minded, tolerant and the music scene is huge! It has a special character, that you can’t really put into words but it’s the great people living here that really make the difference!"
Tobias Velke, Songwriting

BIMM Institute Brighton’s main site is located at 64 Brunswick Street West, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 lEL.

You will have the majority of your lessons in this area, although depending on your course, some classes are held at BIMM East or off-site across the city.

Brighton is a relatively small city and there is an abundance of student accommodation within a fairly short distance of the Institute. We expect students to live within a reasonable distance: please take into consideration the cost of travelling and the time it takes to get to the Institute from where you choose to live.

 

The following areas in particular are a good place to look for shared student accommodation:

  • Lewes Road area
  • Elm Grove
  • Hanover
  • Viaduct Road
  • London Road
  • Kemp Town
  • East Hove

Brighton is well connected through public transport services, such as frequent buses that run all through the night and cycle lanes. All these make it easy to get around.

Most landlords/agents will ask you to sign a tenancy agreement.

This is a legally binding document setting out each party’s rights and responsibilities. By signing it, both you and the landlord have certain rights protected in law, which can’t be overwritten by the contract. Before you sign, make sure you understand all the clauses, so there can be no nasty surprises after you’ve signed.

If asked to sign an agreement, it is likely to be an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement and will normally last for at least six months, after which the tenancy will run on a monthly basis. However, many tenancies run for a fixed term, i.e. July 1st 2020 to June 30th 2021. In this case, make sure that you are happy with the length of the contract as it is very unlikely that you will be able to end the tenancy early.

The terms of the agreement must be in plain, intelligible language and not be unfair. For example, the tenant should not be restricted from breaking a fixed term agreement if the landlord is not in the same way, nor should they be subject to unreasonable rent increases or held to unreasonable penalty clauses (for example, extortionate charges for late payment of rent).

Get a tenancy agreement checked first by an informed person, such as an advisor from the Citizens Advice Bureau. If the landlord/agent won’t let you take the contract away to get it checked first, think twice about signing it. Spend a little extra time in getting your contract checked out to save time, money and stress later in the year.

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  • Heating and hot water installation
  • Baths, sinks, basins and other sanitary installations
  • The structure of the exterior of the property
  • Repairs and safety of gas and electrical appliances
  • Ensuring that any furniture that he or she
    supplies meet fire resistant requirements

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  • Water and sewage charges
  • Utility bills – gas, electricity, telephone and internet connection (if any)
  • To take care of the property
  • Use the property in a responsible way
  • Pay the rent as agreed
  • Keep to the terms and conditions of the agreement

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The landlord or his agents have the right to access the property at reasonable times during the day to carry out repairs for which they are responsible for and inspect the condition of the property. 24 hours’ written notice to inspect the property must be given.

Arrangement for access to the property must be written into the contract. Tenants have the right to possess and enjoy the property during the tenancy without any interruption from the landlord. This clause does not limit any of the rights made under this agreement that the tenant has allowed the landlord/landlady to exercise. Neither does it prevent the landlord from taking lawful steps to enforce these rights if the tenant should break any of the terms of the agreement.

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Depending on your own personal consumption, you can expect to pay £1O – £15 per week for utility bills. Remember that if solely full-time students occupy a property then they are exempt from Council Tax

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The deposit is generally the equivalent of one month’s rent. Your landlord or agent must, under the 2004 Housing Act, protect your deposit within 14 days of receiving it as part of the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme and provide you with certain information relating to this.

This scheme ensures that deposits paid to the landlords are kept safe and that tenants gets their deposits back at the end of the tenancy, so long as there hasn’t been a breach of the tenancy agreement, such as unpaid rent. Remember that the money held as a deposit remains yours at all times and not the landlords, and only by mutual agreement should any money be deducted.

Your deposit, or part of it, will be withheld if you:

  • Fail to return ALL keys at the end of the tenancy
  • Are responsible for any damage to the property, either willful or negligent
  • Have not cleaned the property adequately
  • Have left rubbish which needs removing from the property

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No, because to do so would be a breach of your contract. It is important that rent and deposits are separate.

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A guarantor is someone who signs an agreement to pay for any rent or damages if the tenant fails to pay up. The guarantor will most likely be a parent or guardian.

Some landlords ask for a guarantor but not all do. So, there are still plenty of properties to choose from if you don’t have someone who will be a guarantor for you – you’ll just need to look around.

A guarantor is taking on quite a large responsibility, particularly if you are signing a joint contract. For example, if your housemate hasn’t paid their rent, your guarantor could be made to pay.

Do not sign a contract that requires a guarantor form until you and your guarantors have read the form and agreed to sign. If you have already signed a contract, but a guarantor refuses to sign, you might not get the keys to the property. A good landlord will give you copies of the forms and time to check them through.

Ask the landlord to accept a limited guarantee from your guarantor e.g. just covering your rent/damages. Tell your guarantor not to give too much personal information on the form e.g. Nl number, bank details or passport details should not
be necessary.

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It may be possible for you to come to an arrangement for the early return of the deposit, but the landlord/agent will obviously want to inspect the house and check all rent is paid.

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No, not if the bills are in the name of the tenants – the utility companies will chase the named persons and not the landlord/agent. Your deposit will be protected as part of the Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme and therefore cannot be used by the landlord or agent.

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Any Questions?

For any questions regarding student accommodation or if you’d like more information on how to apply to BIMM Institute Brighton, please contact our Admissions Team on 0344 2 646 666 or email [email protected].

 

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