Taking the stress out of your house hunt...

Once you have applied for postgraduate study and received an offer, finding somewhere to live will be high on your list of priorities. This doesn't need to be a daunting task - if you're unfamiliar with the city, don't live locally, or simply don't have a group of fellow housemates with whom to share, our House Hunting event will take away the stress of finding somewhere to live in a new city. 

House Hunting is an annual two-day event dedicated to helping postgraduate applicants find both housemates and shared private accommodation in Swansea.

House Hunting is the ideal event for you if:

• you have received an offer of a place to study at Swansea
• you are looking for shared private sector housing
• you would like to meet other new postgraduates with whom to share

This event provides you with the opportunity to meet and get to know other students embarking on postgraduate programmes in September. Overnight bed and breakfast accommodation is provided in University halls, so that you and your new housemates - guided and advised by our experts in Residential Services - can research available private sector accommodation, book property viewings and visit potential lets.

Costing just £25, House Hunting includes:

• Housemate hunting activities, including lunch, games and quizzes
• Property searches and viewings
• Advice on tenancy agreements and contracts
• Overnight bed and breakfast accommodation

Who can benefit from House Hunting?

As House Hunting participants in the main utilise the University's own letting agency (which represents multiple occupancy student housing), this event is intended for those looking for shared accommodation. Those looking for single occupancy accommodation would be better served by contacting independent letting agencies in Swansea rather than attending the event.

The University subsidises the cost of this event, and so only Swansea University offer-holders or continuing students are able to attend.

About the event

House Hunting 2012 will take place in August - further details of the 2012 event will be posted here in January.

Event outline: Starting mid-morning on the Thursday, participants attend a 'housemate-hunting' event on campus which begins with a brief introductory talk, including lunch. This is followed by informal ice-breaker activities, providing the chance to mingle and socialise with other participants, and concludes with a pub-style quiz. By the end of the day you will start to have formed groups with other house-hunters. The day culminates in an informal meal at a local pub or restaurant.

The following day is dedicated to finding suitable accommodation and property viewings. Computer facilities are made available to you to help you search for suitable accommodation in your newly formed house-hunting groups. Swansea Accommodation Services are on hand to provide lists of available private sector houses, and advice on the house hunting process. The house hunting aspect of the event is undertaken independently by participants - you will need to book viewings and make your own way to property viewings. You may wish to utilise other letting agencies within Swansea.

The majority of residential areas students favour are within walking distance of the University. Details of bus routes and contact details for taxi firms will also be provided.

Cost

House Hunting costs just £25 per person. This includes two nights' overnight bed and breakfast accommodation in University Halls of Residence on campus, plus lunch on the first day and a packed lunch on the second.

Useful Resources:

House Hunting 2011 Information for Participants [PDF]

Postgraduate House Hunting event: FAQs [PDF]

Private Sector Accommodation: FAQs [PDF]

Househunting in Swansea: Dos and Don'ts [PDF]

House Hunting 2011 Event Itinerary [PDF]