10 Questions to ask before booking student accommodation

Booking your first (or final) year of student accommodation is a big deal. Loving the photos is a good start. Here's how to make sure the rest stacks up.

You can spend hours scrolling through photos and reading reviews, and still be left wondering: what’s it actually like to live here? It's the little things that make the biggest difference. Somewhere quiet to study. Getting a parcel sorted without a fuss. A broken tap fixed fast. These are the 10 questions worth asking before you book, to make sure your new home actually works for you.

The 10 questions, at a glance

1. Is the rent genuinely all-inclusive, or are utilities and wifi charged separately?

2. Is the weekly price fixed for the full year, even if energy costs rise?

3. How far is the building from your university, and is that commute realistic day to day?

4. Is there a reception on site 24 hours a day, to help with anything you need?

5. What communal spaces are available, and do residents actually use them?

6. Is there a student app for support, parcels and maintenance?

7. How quickly are maintenance issues resolved?

8. What do verified residents say in recent Google reviews?

9. Is a guarantor required to book?

10. What are the cancellation terms and flexible booking policies?

01. Is the rent genuinely all-inclusive, or are utilities and wifi charged separately?

"All-inclusive" gets thrown around a lot in student housing, and it doesn't always mean the same thing. Check exactly what's bundled into the price before you compare providers. A cheap-looking room has a habit of creeping up in cost once everything's added back on.

Ask about:

1. Whether water, electricity, heating and wifi are all included in the rent

2. Whether there's a fair-use limit on utilities, or a hard cap that could result in an extra bill

3. Whether contents insurance is included or you need to arrange this yourself

4. Whether there are any admin or move-in fees on top of the rent and deposit

At Scape, water, electricity, heating and wifi are all included in your rent, with no utility cap. The advertised rent is the price you pay. There are a few additional costs to plan for, like contents insurance, but Scape keeps your main living costs simple, with no admin or move-in fees beyond your initial payment and damage deposit.

02. Is the weekly price fixed for the full year, even if energy costs rise?

A fixed weekly rate should mean exactly that: fixed. Find out whether your rent is locked in for the whole year, or if it's something a provider could raise halfway through your tenancy.

Ask about:

1. Whether the weekly rate is fixed for the whole contract, not just at the start

2. Whether the price can change if energy or utility costs go up

At Scape, your weekly rent is fixed for the full length of your tenancy. Agreed when you book, it never increases, even if energy or utility costs rise. For most academic-year bookings, you can spread the cost across three instalments, due before arrival and later in the year, or pay the full residence fee upfront if you’d rather. See payment options.

03. How far is the building from your university, and is that commute realistic day to day?

"Close to campus" means different things to different providers, so don't take their word for it. Ask for the actual travel times, not just the distance in miles, and check it on a map yourself.

Ask about:

1. Nearest tube, overground, or bus stop, and which lines run from it

2. Whether that's a direct route to campus or a couple of changes away

3. Travel time to the main campus buildings

4. Whether there's secure bike storage, for those who'd rather cycle in

At Scape, buildings are positioned centrally, close to the main universities they serve in London, Guildford and Leeds. Exact distances, travel times and bike storage vary by building, so check the relevant location page to confirm your own commute.

04. Is there a reception on site 24 hours a day, to help with anything you need?

A staffed reception is a different thing entirely from a security guard on a rota. Ask exactly who's on site, when, and what they can actually help you with.

Ask about:

1. Whether reception is staffed 24 hours a day, not just during office hours

2. Key fob or access card entry, plus CCTV across communal areas, entrances, and external spaces

3. How visitors are signed in and managed, especially late at night

4. How to reach someone out of hours if something comes up

At Scape, reception is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – not just office hours. Entry is controlled by key fob or access card, with CCTV across communal areas, entrances and external spaces among Scape’s security measures. Guests are signed in and out at reception with valid ID, and you’re responsible for their behaviour while they’re on site, including late at night. For anything that comes up out of hours, see out-of-hours support.

05. What communal spaces are available, and do residents actually use them?

Communal spaces vary a lot between buildings. A "gym" might mean a fully-equipped room, or a couple of dumbbells in a corner. Ask exactly what's on offer, and whether there are video tours or photos to back it up.

Ask about:

1. Study spaces, and whether they're quiet enough to get work done

2. A gym, and whether it's on site or something students would need to arrange nearby

3. Shared kitchens and common areas, and what they're like day to day

4. Resident events, and how often they actually happen

At Scape, every building has shared study spaces for coursework, revision and group work, and you usually don’t need to book a slot to use them. A gym is available 24/7 for all Scape residents, included in your rent. You’ll also find a communal kitchen, lounges, a cinema room and a games room for day-to-day use. Events run every month, from welcome parties and house parties to Humble Crumble pop-ups and grab-and-go matcha mornings.

06. Is there a student app for support, parcels and maintenance?

Nobody wants to miss a parcel or call reception every time something goes wrong. Some student apps cover everything from maintenance to events. Others barely stretch past a booking confirmation. Ask what's actually included before you assume.

Ask about:

1. Whether you can log and track maintenance requests without chasing anyone for an update

2. Whether there's live chat built in for quick answers

3. Whether you get an instant alert when a parcel or delivery arrives

4. Whether you can see what's on in the building and book a spot at events

At Scape, you can log and track maintenance requests through the Scape Student app without having to chase anyone for an update, get notified the moment a parcel or delivery arrives, and see what’s on in your building to book a spot at events. The app also gives you discounts through local partnerships and quick access to your student handbook.

07. How quickly are maintenance issues resolved?

Maintenance is only as good as what happens after you submit the request. "Someone will look into it" isn't a response time. Push for a specific answer, especially for anything urgent like heating or hot water.

Ask about:

1. The average response time for urgent issues versus routine ones

2. Whether requests are handled in-house or passed to an outside contractor

3. Whether you can track the status of a request, rather than chasing it up

4. What happens if something breaks out of hours

At Scape, maintenance and housekeeping are handled by an in-house team, so you're not waiting around for an outside contractor. Response times are usually 4 hours for emergency issues, 2 working days for essential repairs, and 5 working days for general maintenance. You can track the status of a request through the app at any time, rather than chasing it up, and if something breaks out of hours, contact building reception, staffed 24/7. Scape won Property Manager of the Year at the RESI Awards 2026 for operational excellence across its UK portfolio, including day-to-day maintenance, response times, security and consistency across every site.

08. What do verified residents say in recent Google reviews?

You're about to commit to a year of your life to this place. Before you do, find out what people who actually live there think of it, not just what the listing promises.

Look into:

1. Recent Google reviews, not just testimonials on the provider's own website

2. How many reviews sit behind that star rating, since a 5-star average from 10 reviews means less than 4.5 from 1,000

3. Whether the provider replies when a review flags a problem

4. How the reviews compare across more than one platform

At Scape, Google ratings run high across the board. London buildings score between 4.3 and 4.7 out of 5, rated by anywhere from 30 to nearly 1,000 residents per building, while Scape Leeds holds 4.9 out of 5 from more than 100 students. On Trustpilot, Scape holds 4.3 out of 5 from 80 reviews, rated “Excellent.” Scape has also been named Student Accommodation Operator of the Year at the RESI Awards in 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2025.

09. Is a guarantor required to book?

Many providers ask for a UK-based guarantor. If your family isn't in the UK, that could be a problem. Find out early, before you get attached to somewhere you can't actually book.

Ask about:

1. Whether guarantor-free booking is standard, not a paid add-on

2. What the alternative is if a guarantor's required, like paying upfront

At Scape, you don’t need a guarantor to book a room, whether you’re a UK or international student. There’s no guarantor form to fill in, no UK-based parent, guardian or other third party required, and no paid alternative to arrange instead. You don’t even need confirmed visa proof to book. See guarantor requirements here.

10. What are the cancellation terms and flexible booking policies?

Plans change. You might not get the grades you need, your visa could be refused, or you might have to withdraw from your course altogether. Look into flexible policies before you sign, not after something's already gone wrong.

Ask about:

1. Whether the policy actually covers you in each of those situations, not just some of them

2. What evidence you'd need, like a university letter or proof of a visa refusal

3. The cooling-off period, and how long you have to cancel for a full refund before moving in

4. The notice period, and what's owed if you leave after moving in

At Scape, flexible policies cover you if you don’t get the grades you need, your visa is refused, or you need to withdraw from your course, each with its own evidence requirement, such as a university letter or proof of visa refusal. A cooling-off period gives a full refund without giving a reason: 7 days if you book between November and June, or 48 hours between July and October. If you leave after moving in, you’ll normally need to find a replacement student and give 10 weeks’ notice, or 4 weeks for an accepted study-change or compassionate release, with refunds paid within 28 days.

Still weighing up your options?

Still weighing up your options? See how university halls compare to private student accommodation, check out Scape’s award record, or read genuine resident reviews for every building:

• Scape Bloomsbury

• Scape Canada Water

• Scape Guildford

• Scape Hammersmith

• Scape Kings Cross

• Scape Leeds

• Scape Mile End

• Scape Shoreditch

• Scape Wembley