Photo taken by Maria Løcke Mortensen
I got into the accommodation hunting quite late, by mid-august. Sitting in Copenhagen, still
working, and not knowing Leicester at all, I decided to look at student reviews, go on
Facebook groups and overwhelm myself with having too many accommodation tabs open.
I was considering and looking up on google maps: university location, city centre, public
transportation (buses and train station) and amenities like grocery stores and coffee shops.
My next step was looking at reviews and prices. I also contacted some places and never
heard back from them and even got in touch with what seemed like a student realtor.
With that narrowed down, I saw which ones checked most of my boxes. I chose a flat in
Leicester's centre, on York Street, in a private student accommodation building (Homes for
Students). It had great amenities (oven, microwave, washing machine, tv), was nicely
furnished (small double bed, spacious desk, dining area and small sofa), and big enough for
my morning yoga. As the building is new, the bathroom and kitchen are lovely, and I had all
bills included with fast and reliable internet. The flat is 167 pounds a week.
Now for the positives, the negatives, and what I would have done differently now that I
know better.
The positives. It is a spacious and charming flat. Everything is new and has enough space
to have people over. It nicely fit six girls before lockdown for a movie night! It is very
convenient living in the centre and, had there not been travelling restrictions; it is a 4-minute
walk from the train station. I have easy access to buses, and all the grocery stores are close
by. I also loved not having to think about bills, as it was all included, and any issue I
encountered, it was easy to send an email to the accommodation managers. Very
convenient.
The negatives. I had to pay the whole amount up front, and because I was not aware of
when we would be doing placements and how it would roll out, I paid for a full 51 weeks to
get a lower weekly rate. As it is challenging to get out of the contract, this weighed on my
placement decision. Another expected, though still inconvenient, issue was a building full of
energetic and excited undergrads, who from time to time became too noisy. And although
living in the centre is convenient, the area around York Street can be harsh, as you see
many homeless and people with drug-related problems. I never felt unsafe, but it could be
uncomfortable. Also, I got an apartment on the ground floor, which I affectionately call "the
Batcave" for the lack of sunlight. I also wish that my building had a front office, which was
advertised as if they had, but it is on another site—misleading if you ask me.
What would I do differently? I spend most of my free time going for walks and having
(way too many) coffees at Clarendon, more specifically, Queens Road. It has a great
atmosphere, many local shops and everyone is friendly. It has a real sense of community.
Back in August, I was led to believe I had to choose quickly or I wouldn't have a room
available, which proved to be untrue. Looking back, I should have booked a hotel or Airbnb
for a couple of days and looked at the different neighbourhoods and accommodation
possibilities.
If I were to stay for another year, I would look for a room in Clarendon. The area is adorable.
Renting a room in private housing is less expensive, and you might end up with lovely
housemates. This said, I am still happy about my Batcave, which was my home for this
year.
Written by Maria Løcke Mortensen
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