Types of Housing

There are a variety of different types of accommodation available for letting to students in Sheffield.

Shared Houses and Flats

The most popular form of private accommodation is for a number of students to share a house or flat and live together as a group having joint responsibility for the rent and utility bills. Each student has their own bedroom sharing the living room, kitchen and bathroom.

The most common properties are for groups of four students, although there is also a good supply for groups of three and five students. Properties for groups of two and six or more are in short supply and there is usually a high demand for this accommodation.

Flatshares

Flatshares are available for those students who have not formed a group. Bedrooms in the property are separately let to individual students with shared use of the living room, kitchen and bathroom. Therefore, each student is responsible for their own rent with joint responsibility for the utility bills. Please note, flatshares are available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. (This type of accommodation is listed as "room in a shared house" on the Housing Finder website)

Self-Contained Flats/Studios

This is another extremely popular form of housing for both single and student families/couples; however it can be costly and in short supply. A self-contained flat may have one or two bedrooms with a separate living room, bathroom and kitchen whereas a studio flat is smaller with the bedroom and living room being one large room with a separate bathroom and kitchen.

Bedsits

Again, this type of accommodation is popular with single students who prefer greater independence and privacy. Each unit usually consists of a bedroom with a kitchen area and a shared bathroom. Bedsits differ from houses shared by groups because each unit is let separately and the tenancies bear no relation to each other, usually starting and ending on different dates.

Accommodation with a Resident Owner

Many people in private houses let part of their home to students. The usual arrangement is for the owner to let a bedroom in their property, with shared use of the kitchen, bathroom and possibly the living room. This accommodation is usually preferred by older students who are looking for a quiet place to live as it provides good accommodation at a reasonable price. In the majority of cases this type of accommodation is let on a monthly basis providing greater flexibility and suitable accommodation for those students on short-term courses.

Family/Couple Accommodation

This type of accommodation ranges from self-contained flats with one or two bedrooms to whole houses with two or three bedrooms. Overall, the supply of this type of accommodation is limited and can be quite costly.