6 Questions to Ask Before Signing a Student Tenancy in Exeter

The viewing went well, everyone likes the house, and someone in the group chat has already asked when you’re signing. Then another housemate mentions the smaller bedroom, somebody’s parents want to read the guarantor agreement, and nobody can remember whether the advertised rent included electricity.

Finding somewhere to live for your second or third year in Exeter involves more than agreeing on a house near Streatham Campus or St Luke’s. Before committing to a tenancy, you need to know what you’re paying, what you’re responsible for and what happens if your plans change. These six questions are worth asking while you still have time to get clear answers.

1. What Will Each Person Pay Before Moving In?

Start with the advertised weekly rent and work out what the house will cost everyone. Four people paying £175 each per week are committing to £700 a week between them, before adding any bills that aren’t covered.

Ask whether gas, electricity, water and broadband are included. If they are, check whether there are usage allowances or charges for exceeding them. If bills are separate, find out who will set up the accounts and how your group plans to divide the payments. A household made up entirely of full-time students is normally exempt from council tax, but check the position if someone in your group isn’t studying full-time.

Upfront costs deserve the same attention. For most private tenancies in England, a holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent for the whole tenancy. Where annual rent is below £50,000, a refundable tenancy deposit is usually capped at five weeks’ rent. The limit rises to six weeks for qualifying tenancies with higher annual rents. If a tenancy deposit is charged, ask which government-approved scheme will protect it and when you’ll receive the details.

If you’re looking for student accommodation in Exeter, check which upfront costs apply to each property. Student Cribs advertises its Exeter homes without a tenancy deposit, although its FAQs state that each tenant pays a £200 holding retainer, deducted from their first month’s rent.

A clear answer should leave everyone knowing their weekly rent, what the price covers and exactly which payments are due before collecting their keys.

2. Are We Signing One Agreement or Separate Tenancies?

This is the question to settle before the argument over the biggest bedroom turns into an argument about rent.

If everyone signs one joint tenancy, the group will generally be responsible for the rent together. That can matter if someone stops paying their share or moves out while the others remain.

Separate tenancy agreements work differently, with each person renting under their own contract. You need to establish which arrangement is being offered rather than assuming you’re responsible only for your bedroom.

It’s also worth agreeing how the rent will be divided. If one bedroom is much larger or has its own bathroom, will that person pay more? A written agreement between housemates can prevent confusion later, although it won’t change the responsibilities set out in a joint tenancy with the landlord.

Before signing, ask for the full agreement and check whose names appear on it, how rent is collected and who the landlord can pursue if payments are missed.

3. How Can the Tenancy End if Our Plans Change?

Student renting rules in England changed in May 2026. Most ordinary private tenancies are now assured periodic tenancies, which continue on a rolling basis. Some student accommodation covered by an approved code can still use fixed-term common law agreements, so check which type of contract you’re being offered.

For assured periodic tenancies, tenants can generally end the agreement by giving two months’ notice, or a shorter period agreed in writing with the landlord. Fixed-term common law agreements have different conditions for leaving early, so check those before signing.

There is another point to understand if you’re renting with friends. With a joint periodic tenancy, one tenant can usually give notice that ends the tenancy for the entire group. Anyone hoping to remain may need a new agreement with the landlord.

Private landlords can also regain possession of certain qualifying shared student properties for the next academic year, but they must follow the legal notice requirements.

Ask how much notice you would need to give, what happens if one housemate wants to leave and whether the landlord intends to use the student housing possession rules. A useful answer will explain the process in writing rather than relying on a promise that everything can be sorted out later.

4. What Will Our Guarantors Be Responsible For?

If you haven’t rented privately before, the guarantor paperwork may be the first part of the process that involves your parents.

A guarantor agrees to take on certain financial responsibilities if a tenant fails to meet them. The guarantee agreement might cover unpaid rent, damage or other obligations, depending on its wording.

For a joint tenancy, the risk can be greater than expected. A guarantor may be responsible for unpaid rent owed by the wider group rather than only the amount allocated to their own student.

Ask whether each housemate needs a guarantor, whether that person must live in the UK and precisely what the guarantee covers. Also check when their responsibility ends.

Students without a UK-based guarantor should ask what alternatives are accepted. For ordinary assured periodic tenancies, landlords cannot get around the current rent-in-advance limits by demanding many months of payment before the tenancy begins.

Nobody should sign a guarantee without receiving the tenancy agreement and having enough time to read both documents.

5. Has the House Been Checked for Safety and Maintenance Problems?

A viewing in November might give you a good impression of the bedrooms, but it won’t tell you how the heating performs in January.

When viewing student houses in Exeter, pay attention to more than the furniture. Look around window frames for damp, ask whether the radiators work properly and check the condition of the bathrooms and kitchen. It’s also sensible to ask how many people share each bathroom, especially in larger houses.

Landlords in England must meet safety requirements. These include annual gas safety checks where applicable, electrical safety checks at least every five years and the required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. An Energy Performance Certificate should also be available.

Ask to see the relevant documents and check whether any repairs have been identified before your move-in date. For larger shared houses, ask whether the property requires a house in multiple occupation licence and, if so, whether it has one.

A good response should be backed by current paperwork and clear arrangements for anything that needs fixing. Promises made during a viewing are easier to rely on when they’re confirmed in writing.

6. Who Do We Contact When Something Breaks?

Imagine the boiler stops working on a Friday evening in January. Your housemates are out, the kitchen is freezing and you’re trying to work out whether to call the letting agent, the landlord or an emergency repair number.

Before signing, ask how to report repairs and what happens outside normal working hours. A broken cupboard handle and a complete loss of heating need different responses, so find out how urgent repairs are handled.

It also helps to know whether you can track a reported problem. Student Cribs tenants can use a property portal to submit maintenance requests, follow their progress and communicate with their property manager.

For any property, the landlord should be able to explain the repair process, who manages the house and how tenants will be updated. Avoid assuming that a quick response during the viewing means repairs will always be dealt with quickly.

Ask about the inventory too. You’ll want an accurate record of the property’s condition when you move in, particularly if there are marks on walls, damaged furniture or appliances that aren’t working properly.

Once your group has answers to all six questions, go back through the agreement together. Check the figures, read the guarantor terms and make sure any promises about bills or repairs appear in writing. A house might be popular with everyone after a ten-minute viewing, but knowing what you’re signing is what helps you settle in without unpleasant surprises.

The viewing went well, everyone likes the house, and someone in the group chat has already asked when you’re signing. Then another housemate mentions the smaller bedroom, somebody’s parents want to read the guarantor agreement, and nobody can remember whether the advertised rent included electricity.

Finding somewhere to live for your second or third year in Exeter involves more than agreeing on a house near Streatham Campus or St Luke’s. Before committing to a tenancy, you need to know what you’re paying, what you’re responsible for and what happens if your plans change. These six questions are worth asking while you still have time to get clear answers.

1. What Will Each Person Pay Before Moving In?

Start with the advertised weekly rent and work out what the house will cost everyone. Four people paying £175 each per week are committing to £700 a week between them, before adding any bills that aren’t covered.

Ask whether gas, electricity, water and broadband are included. If they are, check whether there are usage allowances or charges for exceeding them. If bills are separate, find out who will set up the accounts and how your group plans to divide the payments. A household made up entirely of full-time students is normally exempt from council tax, but check the position if someone in your group isn’t studying full-time.

Upfront costs deserve the same attention. For most private tenancies in England, a holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent for the whole tenancy. Where annual rent is below £50,000, a refundable tenancy deposit is usually capped at five weeks’ rent. The limit rises to six weeks for qualifying tenancies with higher annual rents. If a tenancy deposit is charged, ask which government-approved scheme will protect it and when you’ll receive the details.

If you’re looking for student accommodation in Exeter, check which upfront costs apply to each property. Student Cribs advertises its Exeter homes without a tenancy deposit, although its FAQs state that each tenant pays a £200 holding retainer, deducted from their first month’s rent.

A clear answer should leave everyone knowing their weekly rent, what the price covers and exactly which payments are due before collecting their keys.

2. Are We Signing One Agreement or Separate Tenancies?

This is the question to settle before the argument over the biggest bedroom turns into an argument about rent.

If everyone signs one joint tenancy, the group will generally be responsible for the rent together. That can matter if someone stops paying their share or moves out while the others remain.

Separate tenancy agreements work differently, with each person renting under their own contract. You need to establish which arrangement is being offered rather than assuming you’re responsible only for your bedroom.

It’s also worth agreeing how the rent will be divided. If one bedroom is much larger or has its own bathroom, will that person pay more? A written agreement between housemates can prevent confusion later, although it won’t change the responsibilities set out in a joint tenancy with the landlord.

Before signing, ask for the full agreement and check whose names appear on it, how rent is collected and who the landlord can pursue if payments are missed.

3. How Can the Tenancy End if Our Plans Change?

Student renting rules in England changed in May 2026. Most ordinary private tenancies are now assured periodic tenancies, which continue on a rolling basis. Some student accommodation covered by an approved code can still use fixed-term common law agreements, so check which type of contract you’re being offered.

For assured periodic tenancies, tenants can generally end the agreement by giving two months’ notice, or a shorter period agreed in writing with the landlord. Fixed-term common law agreements have different conditions for leaving early, so check those before signing.

There is another point to understand if you’re renting with friends. With a joint periodic tenancy, one tenant can usually give notice that ends the tenancy for the entire group. Anyone hoping to remain may need a new agreement with the landlord.

Private landlords can also regain possession of certain qualifying shared student properties for the next academic year, but they must follow the legal notice requirements.

Ask how much notice you would need to give, what happens if one housemate wants to leave and whether the landlord intends to use the student housing possession rules. A useful answer will explain the process in writing rather than relying on a promise that everything can be sorted out later.

4. What Will Our Guarantors Be Responsible For?

If you haven’t rented privately before, the guarantor paperwork may be the first part of the process that involves your parents.

A guarantor agrees to take on certain financial responsibilities if a tenant fails to meet them. The guarantee agreement might cover unpaid rent, damage or other obligations, depending on its wording.

For a joint tenancy, the risk can be greater than expected. A guarantor may be responsible for unpaid rent owed by the wider group rather than only the amount allocated to their own student.

Ask whether each housemate needs a guarantor, whether that person must live in the UK and precisely what the guarantee covers. Also check when their responsibility ends.

Students without a UK-based guarantor should ask what alternatives are accepted. For ordinary assured periodic tenancies, landlords cannot get around the current rent-in-advance limits by demanding many months of payment before the tenancy begins.

Nobody should sign a guarantee without receiving the tenancy agreement and having enough time to read both documents.

5. Has the House Been Checked for Safety and Maintenance Problems?

A viewing in November might give you a good impression of the bedrooms, but it won’t tell you how the heating performs in January.

When viewing student houses in Exeter, pay attention to more than the furniture. Look around window frames for damp, ask whether the radiators work properly and check the condition of the bathrooms and kitchen. It’s also sensible to ask how many people share each bathroom, especially in larger houses.

Landlords in England must meet safety requirements. These include annual gas safety checks where applicable, electrical safety checks at least every five years and the required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. An Energy Performance Certificate should also be available.

Ask to see the relevant documents and check whether any repairs have been identified before your move-in date. For larger shared houses, ask whether the property requires a house in multiple occupation licence and, if so, whether it has one.

A good response should be backed by current paperwork and clear arrangements for anything that needs fixing. Promises made during a viewing are easier to rely on when they’re confirmed in writing.

6. Who Do We Contact When Something Breaks?

Imagine the boiler stops working on a Friday evening in January. Your housemates are out, the kitchen is freezing and you’re trying to work out whether to call the letting agent, the landlord or an emergency repair number.

Before signing, ask how to report repairs and what happens outside normal working hours. A broken cupboard handle and a complete loss of heating need different responses, so find out how urgent repairs are handled.

It also helps to know whether you can track a reported problem. Student Cribs tenants can use a property portal to submit maintenance requests, follow their progress and communicate with their property manager.

For any property, the landlord should be able to explain the repair process, who manages the house and how tenants will be updated. Avoid assuming that a quick response during the viewing means repairs will always be dealt with quickly.

Ask about the inventory too. You’ll want an accurate record of the property’s condition when you move in, particularly if there are marks on walls, damaged furniture or appliances that aren’t working properly.

Once your group has answers to all six questions, go back through the agreement together. Check the figures, read the guarantor terms and make sure any promises about bills or repairs appear in writing. A house might be popular with everyone after a ten-minute viewing, but knowing what you’re signing is what helps you settle in without unpleasant surprises.