St James accommodation guide
When you accept your official offer of study, you may decide that you would like to live in student accommodation. For students attending our St James campus, student accommodation is available privately from a variety of providers covering a number of different options and price ranges. This means you are not limited to any single building, area, or style of living and have full choice to select an option that suits you best.
Our Accommodation Team is based at the Ormskirk campus. Although you are away from the main campus you can still access our services either online, on the phone or over email.
If you are ever at the Ormskirk campus you can speak to a member of staff via the Catalyst Helpdesk. You can get in touch via the contact details below, or stay connected with us on social media.
How do I begin?
The most important thing to think about first is your budget. Most private accommodation ask for an initial deposit and then will take payments throughout the year. Have a think about all your costs throughout the year including groceries, public transport etc and come up with a figure of how much money you will have coming in and out. This is your budget and will determine which options are available to you.
What am I looking for?
Next, it’s time to do your research and identify what your options are. Common considerations include:
- Distance to campus
- Length of tenancy (9 months vs 12 months)
- Bills included vs bills paid separately
- Private landlord vs letting agency
- House vs apartment
- Ensuite bathroom vs shared bathroom
- Washing machine vs launderette
- Shared accommodation vs studio living
Where can I look?
There are a large number of providers available across the city, with many advertising their vacancies via online platforms. As a University and not a private provider, we cannot offer any formal recommendations for providers, however we have included a few websites below where you may wish to utilise during your search*:
- Amber Student
- CRM Students
- Dwell Student Living
- Hello Student
- IQ Students
- Manchester Student Homes
- RightMove for Students
- SpareRoom for Students
- True Student
- UniHomes
- Unite Students
- VITA Student
- X1 Lettings
*Please note we do not have any affiliation to the websites or companies above and their inclusion in this list is not a recommendation.
When should I book?
Once you have applied for university, it can be tempting to book straight away. Remember, never book your accommodation until your place on your course is confirmed. Signing for accommodation is a legally binding contract and you will be held to it, even if plans change.
Once your place on your course is confirmed, bookings for the following academic year often open 12 months in advance, so you can begin your search as soon as you are ready. Availability will go down as things get booked up, so remember not to leave it to the last minute!
How do I know if it’s a good deal/ if my tenancy agreement is legitimate?
As an Edge Hill University student, you have exclusive access to the free Advice service provided at Edge Hill Students’ Union. When deciding on your accommodation, we would recommend booking an advice appointment where you can get independent, professional advice and contract checking free of charge.
What do other students think?
When asked about accommodation, students from our St James campus recommended looking at Facebook groups and group chats where you can connect with other students also seeking accommodation and consider “buddying up” to book accommodation together.
Edge Hill Students’ Union can also provide advice and guidance on house hunting.