Student accommodation in Leeds

Student accommodation in Leeds can cost anywhere between £70 per person per week for shared houses to £300 per person per week for luxury purpose-built studio apartments. Factors such as decor, facilities, how many other students you’re sharing with and location can all influence your monthly rental cost.

This completely depends on your personal preferences and which university in Leeds you choose to study at. Some people prefer to stay in student-friendly flats or studios, while others prefer to opt for a house share. The location of your campus and your monthly accommodation budget can also influence where you can find the best student homes in Leeds.

Many areas in Leeds offer student accommodation, but some of the most popular are Leeds Burley, Leeds City Centre, Headingley, Hyde Park, and Woodhouse.

The University of Leeds has halls of residence both on and off-campus, but many students choose to opt for private student lets in Leeds instead.

Leeds is more expensive compared to some other northern cities, but you can easily get by living in Leeds on a budget. The average student rental price for shared houses in Leeds is £99 per person per week, just below the national average. Purpose-built student accommodation is comparatively expensive, costing £168 per person per week on average compared to £132 nationally. With so many universities and students in the city, there are lots of student-friendly eateries, deals, and social events that cater to students.

Leeds University ranks at no.92 in the QS World University Rankings. The Times Higher Education also ranked Leeds in the top 35 most international universities in the world in 2020.

Many student properties in Leeds are now advertised with bills included in the price. Where this is the case, your rental price could include electricity, gas, internet, TV licence and water bills and this is clearly stated on the listing. Properties without bills included are also available, giving you the flexibility to choose your own energy and water suppliers and internet service provider.

It is normal for property managers to require you to pay a security deposit at the time of booking or before you move in. Where a deposit is required and you are signing a tenancy agreement, your property manager must protect your deposit in a legally recognised tenancy deposit scheme. As long as you look after the property and have no deductions for damage or unpaid rent, your deposit will be returned to you after your tenancy agreement ends. Tenancy deposits are legally capped at five weeks’ rent per person, so if your own portion of the rent is £100 per week, the maximum deposit would be £500. It is more common however for student deposits to be in the £100-250 range.

The majority of student housing in Leeds can be rented for fixed contract lengths. For purpose built student accommodation, 43 and 51 week fixed term contracts are the most common. For shared houses, 52 week contracts are the most common and generally start in July to September.

Short-term student rentals in Leeds are becoming more popular every year. As a result, property managers are increasingly offering shorter tenancy lengths, whether for the summer period or for individual semesters and terms. This is more common in the purpose built student accommodation sector than in shared student rental houses in Leeds.