You can’t say you’re flat hunting in Edi unless you can relate to 18/20 things

The Hunger Games has nothing over the competition for flats right now


Whether you’re going into your second year, your lease is coming to an end, or you’ve realised that you actually hate your flatmates and need to get away from them, there are a lot of us out there who are on the hunt for a flat.

In fact, at the moment it seems like every single student in Edinburgh is trying to find a flat, and within 20 seconds of a flat being released on Rightmove, all the viewings have gone.

So, if you’re like me and spend your days constantly refreshing and scrolling through property sites, then you surely will have done some of the things on this list.

1. You’ve become used to being disappointed

I see the email and my hopes rise, but then I see the dreaded words, “thanks for your interest in this property” followed by the final blow, “We currently do not have any viewing times available but now that we have your details we’ll keep you posted when some viewing slots open up”.

At this point, I know all hope is lost and that no viewing times will ever become available. Despite the frequency of these rejections they still sting as much as the first time.

2. Convincing yourself you still have lots of time to find a flat for September

Based on real conversations with my flatmates where we all gaslight ourselves into thinking that we still have tons of time to get a flat, despite the fact we’ve already been looking for three months and have been unsuccessful every time so far.

Still, we’ve all got loads of time, right? And I’m sure the demand and competition will die down in a few weeks…

3. Arguing about what you’re going to compromise on with your flatmates

Ah, the destroyer of friendships. There’s always one person who wants everything whilst expecting the rent to be insanely cheap, another who only wants to live in Marchmont, someone else will refuse to take the smallest room, another insists the flat has to have a bath and god forbid if it doesn’t have a washer-dryer.

Such scenarios happen to us all, and it’s usually a lot less amicable than what they portray on Location, Location, Location.

4. Deciding that an in-person viewing isn’t that important, right?

The first time we saw our second year flat was when we moved in, and whilst we managed to see our current flat in person before we confirmed our tenancy, I have a feeling that the best look I’ll get at our fourth year flat is through a screen.

At this point, we’re all so desperate to find a flat that the agencies could probably post one without any pictures at all and we’d all still go crazy over it. And besides, it’s not like flat pictures have ever been deceiving in the slightest right…

5. Fallen in love with a flat only to be rejected

Thankfully my school and college days had already prepared me to deal with rejection quickly and frequently, but that doesn’t mean seeing the flat of your dreams go to someone else hurts any less.

It’s even worse when you’ve already mentally planned out where you’d place the communal flat fairy lights and which windowsill the empty alcohol bottle collection would take pride of place on.

6. Sent a flat to the group chat, only to discover it’s non-HMO

Oh the shame, the embarrassment. Picture the scene. You’ve seen a gorgeous flat on Rightmove, scrolled through the photos, marvelled at the floorplan, and have sent to the group chat feeling rather smug that you have been the one to discover such a prize. But then, a notification arrives. The message?

“It’s so nice, but it’s non-HMO”

The realisation hits, frantically you go back to the listing to see indeed that there, nestled in the first sentence, it clearly states non-HMO.

Embarrassed and ashamed you vow to never send another flat to the group chat again.

7. Googled what HMO even means

And then asked if any of your flatmates want to get married and legally adopt the others just so you can secure that fancy New Town flat.

8. Wondered about just getting a studio flat with utilities included for yourself

I think we’ve all been tempted at one point or another.

The idea of your own little flat, no toilet seat being left up, no blocked shower drain, and utilities included??

No stress about the fact your flatmate has been in the shower for 30 minutes, and you could actually have the heating on for more than one minute during winter.

9. HOW CAN FLATS IN MARCHMONT BE THIS EXPENSIVE IT HASN’T BEEN RENOVATED IN 10 YEARS

All these Marchmont flats are over £600 per person, only to have some awful manky blue carpet, peeling wallpaper and a kitchen design that looks like it was ripped straight out of the 1920s. Supply, demand, and capitalism are working at their best.

10. Constantly refresh Rightmove all day only to somehow miss when all the flats go up

I’ve already missed three in the space of writing this article.

But seriously, it’s like they know when to strike, my bets on all our FBI agents secretly working with them to plan when we’re not on the app.

11. Manages to email for viewing within five minutes of a flat going up, *there are no current availabilities*

I saw on a TikTok comment that someone called up within five minutes of a flat being listed and they’d already received 350 notes of interest, I’m actually going to cry there’s no hope for the rest of us.

12. Tensions already building about who will get the biggest room

The people in relationships stake a claim because they need to have room for two, the people who have lots of things need room to display them, and other people just flat out refuse the smaller rooms.

If you can already feel the tensions building just put in place that you’ll pay rent depending on what size room you have, and hopefully that should calm the waters a bit. That is of course if you even have a room to move into in September.

13. Becoming an expert at selling yourself and your flatmates in the extra information section

Keywords have never come in so handy. The amount of times I’ve used ‘quiet’, ‘clean’, ‘respectful’ and ‘responsible’ when trying to seal the deal.

14. “Okay so hypothetically if we had to stay in a Premier Inn for a bit…”

It’s an inevitable conversation, accept it.

15. Fending off parents constantly asking how the flat search is going

I’m going to pretend it’s all fine then ring them out of the blue telling them that we have one working day to give the deposit or we won’t get the flat.

But seriously one working day to get a lifetime of documents and deposit?? The letting agencies have no mercy.

16. Clicks on a three-bedroom flat only to find it’s two bed with a box room

Box rooms are a blight on society, and if you currently live in one then from students everywhere we thank you.

17. Excited to watch the video tour only to find out it’s those awful 3D click through ones

You know you’re maturing when a fun night in sounds like viewing flat video tours, but then only to be teased and given those awful 3D click through ones.

They never work properly and instead of being able to sit back and relax, you actually have to click through them? I’m sorry but it’s not the same.

18. Having a viewing cancelled even after the agents said they wouldn’t take offers until everyone has had their viewing

I’ve never felt so betrayed in my life.

19. As the months go by you become less picky about the letting agency

Not all letting agencies are made equal is all I’m going to say.

20. Cry

If you haven’t experienced this yet in your flat search then just wait, you will.

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