8 things students want to improve their accommodation experience

Bethan Croft·6 June 2025·4 min read
8 things students want to improve their accommodation experience

In a recent survey hosted by Accommodation For Students, 53% of student participants admitted that their house hunting and/or living experience was negative. For a number of reasons, they said the process was stressful, expensive and often overwhelming.

In order for improvement to happen, the survey asked students what they wanted the most:

1. Affordability

Cheaper prices was the top thing said by the survey participants, along with transparent and upfront costs (including for bills.) Discounts were also noted, this could be done for tenants that decide to sign for another year or if they refer other students to a landlord. Those looking into studio flats also wished for lower prices.

2. More options and availability
Students ask for more listings across all price ranges, with a greater choice for group sizes and needs. It can often be hard for students to find decent properties for large groups or affordable places for small groups and individuals. Listings need to remain updated and accurate; landlords should remove any unavailable properties from being advertised. On top of this, more short-term options were also requested.

3. Centralised and improved search platforms
Instead of having to balance multiple platforms, students said they would prefer it if all the information was in one place and that they would prefer to use a one-stop website or app. Existing platforms could be improved by adding helpful search filters e.g. price, bills included, contract length. Easier navigation and comparison tools would also boost interaction.

4. Better communication and responsiveness
Quicker replies from landlords and agencies and clearer communication regarding availability and pricing would be helpful. Fewer unsolicited calls/pressure tactics would stop students from rushing into a contract and regretting it. Landlords would receive a much better response from students if they were responsive to these suggestions.

5. Transparency and clarity
If contracts deals were clear about the ‘fine print’ and made their terms less confusing or more apparent to students this would help avoid confusion. Especially with all of the new upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill changes – students are more confused than ever about their rights.
Honest photos and room descriptions from landlords goes a long way, as it helps students understand how much space they have and what they need to bring with them when moving in. As a result, clearer guidance on what’s included in the price of rent has been requested e.g. bills and furnishings.

6. Viewing experience
Landlords need to find an easy and reliable way for prospective tenants to book onto viewings, with many requests for more evening and weekend viewings being quite apparent. Students living further aware or that don’t have a lot of spare time tend to benefit from online viewings or virtual tours too.

7. Earlier and better guidance
Many students don’t receive a lot of information about how or when to start looking for accommodation. For many, this is their first time living away from home or paying renting so help from university or independent advisors is highly sought after. A timeline of release dates for properties could help put the best time for house-hunting into perspective.

8. Property standards
Higher-quality accommodation with clean communal areas that has better maintenance would help make students feel more comfortable. Many reports have seen students requesting the following two things and this survey was no different: safety and security.