Accommodation in London
Kensington and Chelsea College, like many other further education colleges in London, does not have its own student accommodation. Since everyone will have different needs, these guidelines are intended to give you some basic information and help you avoid common problems.
Different types – different prices
There are many types of accommodation in London, hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, host families and flat shares. For new visitors here are a few facts to make your decisions easier. Make sure you have booked somewhere to stay for the first couple of weeks when you arrive in London. If you have a friend or relative you can stay with, who can meet you, show you around and help you to find somewhere more permanent, this is ideal. Generally it is cheaper to live a bit outside central London, but you will pay more on fares and the travelling time will be longer.
General
Accommodation in the UK is often booked by the person, not the room. So if you are on your own you could pay a penalty for occupying a room that could sleep two. Or you may land up with a very small room. Check the description carefully.
Security
Be careful with your possessions in London, especially if you have not lived in a big city before. Make sure your room is locked when you leave, or lock your belongings in a locker. You do not have to carry your documents with you all the time in London, so keep them somewhere safe until you need them. Rooms should have clear instructions about what to do in case of a fire. Look for fire exits and escapes and if in doubt ask.
Currency
Some web sites also quote prices in Euros (€) or dollars ($) as well as pounds sterling (£), so make sure you do your calculations accurately.
VAT
Value Added Tax (VAT) is payable on most purchases in the UK. It is currently 17.5%. Usually it is included in accommodation prices, but you should check so you don’t get any surprises.
Breakfast
A morning meal is usually included in the cost of your stay. For long-term or very cheap rooms, you might have to pay extra. An English breakfast is traditionally fried food including all or some of the following: egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, mushrooms. You can expect to be offered a choice of tea or coffee, some fruit or fruit juice, breakfast cereal, toast and marmalade (orange jam). A continental breakfast will usually be fruit juice, tea or coffee, cereal, toast and marmalade.
Hotels
Range from modest to luxurious. They can be very expensive. They are booked by the night and you can expect a room with a bath or shower and toilet, a telephone a television, tea and coffee making facilities and sometimes a mini-bar. The tea, coffee and regular TV channels are usually included, but beware the costs of drinks or snack from the mini bar, telephone calls and entertainment options on the television. Sometimes you can negotiate a lower price for a longer stay. Breakfast is usually included and there will be a restaurant – probably expensive! Your room will be cleaned daily and all towels and linen will be provided and laundered.
Cost from around £80.00 per person per night to very expensive!
Bed and Breakfast
This is a British custom. Some Bed and Breakfasts are run by people in their spare time and are in family type houses. Rooms are booked by the night but sometimes are offered longer term. Often these establishments are very small, just one or two rooms. You may have to share a bathroom and apart from breakfast will have to eat out unless dinner is offered. Your room will be cleaned and towels and linen will be provided and laundered. There may be a place where you can wash or iron your clothes. Some drift into the ‘small hotel’ category and are larger with more facilities. There will probably be some shared space and you will meet other people at breakfast.
Cost from around £25.00 per person per night, reductions sometimes available for longer stays.
Host Families
Some people have spare rooms in their houses, which they offer for longer term lets. These vary greatly and you should visit them yourself before you accept a room. Usually you would share a bathroom, although some charge more for en-suite facilities. You may have some use of the kitchen, or can negotiate taking meals with the family; remember the food may be very different from what you usually eat! You can expect bed linen to be provided but may need to provide towels. You will probably be expected to clean your own room and make and change your own bed, but have use of a washing machine and iron. You may have access to a television and telephone but will be unpopular if you have long calls at unsociable hours. You will certainly be asked to pay for calls you make. Also you will probably have to buy your own food and organise your own breakfast. You may not have access to shared space, so you might not meet or mix with other people much.
Cost from around £100.00 each week per person.
Hostels
Again these can vary greatly, but are usually geared for travellers; some cater for longer term visitors, others have restrictions like women only. They can be cheap and good value, but you may not get much privacy. You can book a bed, sometimes a bunk in a room shared with 5 or 6 others. There are often curtains round the bed and a locker for your belongings, bathrooms are shared and there is usually cheap and cheerful food you can buy. Some will have self-catering facilities to prepare your own food and there will be a shared communal space with a television where you can meet fellow residents and payphones and laundry facilities. Single and even en-suite rooms are sometimes available at extra cost. You will probably have to make up your own bed and may have to clean your area.
Cost from around £10.00 per person per night depending on how many share a room and how long you stay. You are likely to have to pay for all food and the use of everything including linen if you don’t have your own. Towels are probably not provided.
Private rented accommodation
There are flats or houses that are rented for fixed periods of time, usually six months or a year. These may be furnished or unfurnished and are usually available through letting agents who will charge the landlord (the person who owns the property) for finding tenants. If you rent a house or flat, you will have to sign an agreement, which you should ask someone who has done it before to check carefully. Also you will probably have to pay a deposit against damages and the first month’s rent in advance. You should check whether the rent is for a calendar month (12 times a year) or a 4 week month (13 times a year) and what is included. As well as the rent you may have to pay heating and lighting bills and telephone. Also council tax, although with student status you may get a discount. This type of accommodation may be good for you if you are fairly independent and know people to share with. You get a lot of freedom, entertain friends and have them to stay, cook what and when you want and you only have to negotiate with your fellow sharers!
Typical cost £1200 each month plus bills, for flat suitable for 4 sharing. These properties vary widely in price. Expect to pay more for nice areas especially if the transport is good.
These details were correct January 2006. You should always verify information for yourself. Kensington and Chelsea College cannot take any responsibility for errors, omissions or changes to information given about ourselves or third parties.
