TAB TOP TIPS: Organising next year's house…from AFAR

The finding-a-house situation can seem stressful at the best of times, not to mention nigh on impossible when you’re organising it for your return to Soton while on a year […]


The finding-a-house situation can seem stressful at the best of times, not to mention nigh on impossible when you’re organising it for your return to Soton while on a year or semester abroad. If this is you, then check out our Tab Top Tips!

1) Remember that Southampton won’t run out of houses! Don’t rush. One student told us about her experience:

We signed for our house quite late and it’s really nice. I got mine in June when i was back from my year abroad and we looked at quite a few.. it’s fine to leave it til you’re back!

2) Try to find a group of people in a similar situation to you, who will need to find a house at the same time as you.

3) If this isn’t possible, ask around Facebook groups for spare rooms – there are more available than you think.


4) Do your research. Look at houses online, such as those on the Uni SASSH list; if you’ve found a group to live with, you can send links to each other and discuss which ones you like and don’t like (based on location/size etc.). The process will seem less daunting once you’ve got a few potential houses in mind.

5) Talk to current students/old housemates/friends of friends – anyone! If you know someone living in a potential Soton house, you’ll have it on good authority whether the house is nice/the landlord is decent. Or, even better, talk to people on your course who have taken a year/semester abroad in previous years – their landlords will be familiar with your situation. Megan, a fourth year who took a year abroad last year, advises:

Ask around to people whose opinion you trust if they wouldn’t mind looking at a couple of houses if you’re really interested in them.

6) If you can, have at least one person go and look around the houses, or find a day during one of the holidays when you’re all in the country so you can all look. Beth, a fourth year languages student, told the Soton Tab:

We found a day during one of the holidays when we were all in the country, did our research and lined up lots of viewings, then all met up for one day. This worked out really well for us and as we all liked, and got a great house!

Have we missed anything? If you’ve been in this situation and have any extra tips, let us know in comments!