Accommodation and housing

Finding accommodation

• Accommodation for international students - a good general introduction to accommodation and housing from UKCOSA (.pdf)
  
  
• Accommodation for students - good accommodation site, including information on halls of residence, flats, private housing schemes, letting agents, with advanced search facility and useful message boards for people wanting to share, for accommodation wanted and accommodation available, also good selection of links to other sites.
  
  
• Accommodation links - and information from the RNIB for blind and partially sighted students.
  
  
• Accommodation zone - has a section for student lets, also a range of other accommodation including cottages, hotels, motels, camp sites and holiday parks.
  
  
• ArdenOak - student accommodation in Birmingham.
  
  
• Cuckoo Homestay - information about living with a family in the UK for students and professionals and for prospective hosts.
  
  
• Easy Roommate - flat sharing site, covering parts of the UK and worldwide.
  
  
• Flatmates - London based site for flats and houses, with fees for finding successful accommodation.
  
  
• freeflats.com - properties in London to share and let, also general tips on sharing accommodation, and links to other accommodation and flat sharing sites, including fee paying sites.
  
  
• Homeless UK - for advisors and the public with information about services that help homeless people.
  
  
• Housemate - information for young people, teachers, advisers and youth workers on housing and homelessness.
  
  
• Key Worker Living - for key workers in London, the South East and East of England to buy a home, upgrade to a family home or rent a home at an affordable price.
  
  
• Letlink - lists local letting agents and provides essential information for landlords or tenants, and advice for people relocating to the UK.
  
  
• Neighbourhood Search - information about UK neighbourhoods, houses and lifestyles.
  
  
• NUS Online - large amount of essential information for students including advice on accommodation costs, agreements and contracts, gas safety, house sharing, insurance and housing information fact sheet, also section for international students, managing your money and budgeting and other student finance issues and lots more, including health and education advice.
  
  
• A Room to Let - aimed at City of London and West End professionals.
  
  
• Student Housing Resource Guide - links to many of the university housing information sites.
  
  
• Studentpad - search for private sector student acccommodation, also useful advice section including what to look for, health and safety standards and safety for women, household costs, contracts, small but expanding number of universities.
  
  
• The Student Village - student halls from selected universities.
  
  
• Unite Group - accommodation services provider for institutions and students, site includes research on university and NHS accommodation and student issues, contact for report on the Student Living and Key Workers Unlocked reports, also link to the student site for finding university and college accommodation.

• The Albert Kennedy Trust - Helping homeless - helping homeless lesbian and gay teenagers.
  
  
• The BigChoice - student accommodation guides - useful advice on choosing accommodation, possessions insurance, renting and budget decorating.
  
  
• Centrepoint - homeless issues, advice and information links.
  
  
• Flatshare/Houseshare - guide to living in shared accommodation for tenants and landlords.
  
  
• Housing quiz and budgeting information - useful housing quiz and property and contract checklists, to help understand your rights, also suggested student budget and online budget calculator, from University of London.
  
  
• Groundswell Project - self-help initiatives with homeless, landless and socially-excluded people, site includes useful directories of organisations and agencies and newsletter, and detailed information on housing and environmental projects.
  
  
• Home Seekers UK - residential and holiday properties around the UK.
  
  
• Homeless UK
  
  
• Housingnet - large UK site of useful social housing links, including DIY information on building maintenance (Mainternet).
  
  
• housinguk.org - Housing Resource Guide - This site is no longer actively maintained but exists as an archive of links to huge range of housing organisations and sites including building and construction, central government, charities and campaigning, co-operatives, education and training, homelessness, housing and sustainability, housing associations, housing consultants, information technology, local authorities, student housing, tenant involvement, publications, recruitment and other resources. Search by type of resource or name. Includes many more resources than are listed here and well worth a visit.
  
  
• It's Your Move - aim is to provide homeless people in London and agencies with access to a range of resources and training to help improve chances of success when moving into a tenancy. Offers pre-tenancy training, resources, network for staff.
  
  
• Letlink - lists local letting agents and provides essential information for landlords or tenants, and advice for people relocating to the UK.
  
  
• linkRE - links to real estate and property information across all sectors.
  
  
• National Approved Letting Scheme - advice on what to expect from agents (lettings and management firms), list of approved agents, accreditation scheme setting standards for landlords.
  
  
• nusonline - housing advice - safety, tenancy, disputes, house hunting, energy and contracts are just a few of the key issues online with advice offered by the National Union of Students.
  
  
• Relocation to the UK - summary of issues and some links to help when making decisions, also more information from the site Information Point with factsheets for landlords, tenants, safety issues etc.
  
  
• UK Home Repossession Page - regularly updated site includes homebuying, arrears, repossession, legal rights, help and advice links.
  
  
• UK-Housing .co.uk - an information site keeping issues related to the social and affordable housing sectors in focus. It is home to two widely read journals, Housing Monthly Diary and Legal Update, as well as free information services including research archives.
  
  
• UK real estate directory - another directory of links to property and information, including sheltered housing links.
  
  
• UpMyStreet - maps and local information, including lifestyle trends for your area, your local council, policing, education, MP, nearest restaurant, builder and post office as well as classified ads.
  
  
• Your life, your future - booklet on being in care and leaving care for young people on what you should expect and what the government is doing for. Sections on being in care, leaving care, equal care for all, children and the law, safety, working with agencies. Includes a list of organisations and contacts for young people.

• Communities Scotland - housing and regeneration, including promoting standards and good practice, also consultation papers, online guidance, newsletter and research, FAQ about the change of name and function and useful links.
  
  
• Community Training and Enabling Grants - designed to support housing association residents in England to develop new training and community development projects, includes advice on planning a project and applying for a grant.
  
  
• Housing and housing policy - links to tenant organisations and resources from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
  
  
• Housingnet - large UK site of useful social housing links, including DIY information on building maintenance (Mainternet).
  
  
• housinguk.org - Housing Resource Guide - links to huge range of housing organisations and sites including building and construction, central government, charities and campaigning, co-operatives, education and training, homelessness, housing and sustainability, housing associations, housing consultants, information technology, local authorities, student housing, tenant involvement, publications, recruitment and other resources. Search by type of resource or name. Includes many more resources than are listed here and well worth a visit.
  
  
• Letlink - lists local letting agents and provides essential information for landlords or tenants, and advice for people relocating to the UK.
  
  
• Kirklees Tenants Federation - an excellent site, with information about their work, promoting good practice in tenant participation, service standards, involving young people, ethnic minority involvement, Home Truths newsletter, other publications including Know Your Rights, Youth Action on Estates and other publications and Tenant Link, a resource for tenants, housing workers and other community advisers.
  
  
• National Approved Letting Scheme - advice on what to expect from agents (lettings and management firms), list of approved agents, accreditation scheme setting standards for landlords.
  
  
• Tenant Links - a useful resource for tenants, housing workers and other community advisers, from Kirklees Tenants Association. Includes good links to tenant participation agencies, tenant organisations, history and resources, housing magazines, groups, associations, co-operatives, private sector and self-build housing, community associations, benefits, welfare rights, Credit Unions and LETS, regeneration, young people, legal advice and fundraising.
  
  
• UpMyStreet - maps and local information, including lifestyle trends for your area, your local council, policing, education, MP, nearest restaurant, builder and post office as well as classified ads.

• Communities Scotland - main purpose is to help provide good housing and contribute to the regeneration of local communities, working in partnership with organisations and communities. Includes news and updates, consultation papers online, regional information, publications and research discussion forum.
  
  
• Centre for Housing Policy - research, information and good links.
  
  
• Emmaus UK - international secular organisation helping homeless people help themselves. Information about UK communities and volunteering.
  
  
• Foyer Federation - accommodation for young people with training and support, throughout the UK.
  
  
• Homeless pages - wide range of resources a guide to information about single homelessness in London and elsewhere. Subject areas include resources on particular groups including ex-offenders, asylum seekers and refugees, young people and care leavers and other areas related to housing issues. Resources range from directories to training courses, from websites to research reports.
  
  
• Homeless Link - another large site with news, briefings, good links, events, training, large sections on all issues relating to homeless people, practice and policies, provided by range of key organisations.
  
  
• Homeless UK
  
  
• Homing In - newsletter from the Scottish Youth Housing Network, including benefits update.
  
  
• Housing Corporation - news and information on and for housing associations with wide range of resources and guidance.
  
  
• Housemate - information for young people, teachers, advisers and youth workers on housing and homelessness.
  
  
• Housingnet - large UK site of useful social housing links, including DIY information on building maintenance (Mainternet).
  
  
• Housing for refugees - from RefugeeNet, information on housing in the UK, FAQs and international projects.
  
  
• housinguk.org - Housing Resource Guide - links to huge range of housing organisations and sites including building and construction, central government, charities and campaigning, co-operatives, education and training, homelessness, housing and sustainability, housing associations, housing consultants, information technology, local authorities, student housing, tenant involvement, publications, recruitment and other resources. Search by type of resource or name. Includes many more resources than are listed here and well worth a visit.
  
  
• Inside Housing - including news, resources, jobs, events and more for people working in social housing.
  
  
• It's Your Move - aim is to provide homeless people in London and agencies with access to a range of resources and training to help improve chances of success when moving into a tenancy. Offers pre-tenancy training, resources, network for staff.
  
  
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation - housing, social care, social policy, local and national government research and projects.
  
  
• Letlink - lists local letting agents and provides essential information for landlords or tenants, and advice for people relocating to the UK.
  
  
• Mental Health Foundation - includes briefings, booklets, news and strategies on housing.
  
  
• People for Action - national network of housing and regeneration organisations, website includes publications, events, projects and links, also working on financial inclusion projects.
  
  
• Reslife.net - interesting US site for staff and students in residential accommodation in the US, with resources for staff to use and message boards.
  
  
• Shelter - news, publications, campaigns, training, volunteering etc.
  
  
• SITRA - policy, training and consultancy for providers of supported housing - however, disabled people may have other views.
  
  
• Social Action for Health - projects based in East London, some of which relate to regeneration and housing.
  
  
• UK Home Repossession Page - regularly updated site includes homebuying, arrears, blacklisting, repossession, legal rights, help and advice links, interview advice and email service for updates to website.
  
  
• The Who Cares Trust - works to improve children's and young people's day-to-day experience of care and to improve their prospects after care, working with young people and professionals. Site includes details of helpline, projects (including needs of disabled young people, health, lifeskills, education, preparation for employment) and publications including online booklet for young people.

Disclaimer: these sites are not recommended but are a selection of useful resources. You should do your own research and check out legal and confidentiality issues for yourself. It is also advisable to check if the organisations also keep to recognised national standards.

• Council House Exchange - new site for exchanges and with legal advice and support.
  
  
• Home Exchange.com - international home exchange and home swap site, including US information, also information in various languages.
  
  
• Home Exchange Network - for holidays and short-term stays around the world.
  
  
• HomeLink - home exchange sites around the world.
  
  
• The Home Service - house sitting service within the UK.
  
  
• HouseCarers.com - membership site with useful guides on house-sitting.
  
  
• HouseWeb Home Exchange Directory and Holidays - site also has guides on buying, selling, moving, exchanging, a budget planner, house price information and many other issues for people moving or improving houses.
  
  
• Check my file - Neighbourhood Search - information about UK neighbourhoods, houses and lifestyles.
  
  
• Relocation to the UK - summary of issues and some links to help when making decisions.