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There is no shortage of accommodation in Oxford; we've got one of the UK's most buoyant private rental markets, with over 20% private rented housing (England average: 10%). That doesn't mean it's all good; finding something you like at the right price may take time, so consider staying in a guest house or holiday home for a bit while you search. If you're a student, you'll need to start sorting your accommodation at least a year in advance to catch the best deals.
Remember: landlords want to be paid regularly, to have the place treated reasonably and to have no complaints from neighbours or other tenants. Since it can be difficult to evict tenants once installed, you not only have to find a vacancy but also instil confidence in your landlord. Good references can be a big help here. To ensure there's no cheating on rent payments, agencies letting to students normally require a guarantor (standardly, your parents) and other folk will be required to pay an advance deposit of up to one and a half months' rent.
Average 3 to 5-bedroomed houses equipped for rental to students or professionals sharing cost around £950-£2000 per calendar month (pcm); 1 bedroom flats normally cost upwards of £600. (Houses specifically for families may be cheaper.) Add to this a deposit of another 1½ - 2 months' rent, chargeable in advance. before handing over any deposit, check that it will be held legally with a tenancy deposit protection scheme; landlords can no longer request a deposit from tenants if they do not opt into this. All agencies will be signed up to this but private landlords may not be. Read how the schemes work here: www.direct.gov.uk/tenancydeposit. It is probably also worth knowing which kind of the two kinds of protection scheme your deposit will be held under.
Council tax is another cost which may or may not be included in your monthly rental price. A low rent can become much higher if you're in a high band. Banding goes from A (low) to H (high): check which applies to your home (and whether you're eligible for any discounts) on the council website, here.
The student house-hunting season starts earlier every year - some letting agents release their lists of student properties in December for the following October. See Daily Information, the Oxford Times, www.rightmove.co.uk (where many Oxford agents without websites of their own list their properties) and such local agents as
Read the contract thoroughly and always get a copy on the spot of everything you sign. Take great care to check the inventory and note minor blemishes (even taking photos) on taking over and when terminating the tenancy. Remember that failure to question anything you do not agree with before it occurs may cost you substantial sums of money. Also make sure before you leave that the agent agrees in writing that the place has been left clean - otherwise, you may find another deduction from your deposit for cleaning. You may find it worth scouring our Services Offered page for a professional deep cleaner to do this dirty work for you, as that will guarantee that it is to checkout standard (ie. far beyond what seems clean to a normal human). Chances are that the £100+ charge for this will be less than what an agency would remove from your deposit.
Daily Info has a basic, free page for buying and selling property in Oxford and beyond. Otherwise, there are agencies too numerous to list (though a quick Google search will yield the relevant results). Hot tips: 1) If you're buying, it's always worth signing up to individual agencies' emailing lists rather than relying on web searches, as the best properties are often snapped up before they appear online to the general public. 2) Don't hope to pick up a dishevelled bargain and do it up; all property of this nature in Oxford will be pounced on by professional developers at rates far beyond first-time buyers, almost before they reach the market.
Most letting agencies do not wish to let for periods shorter than 6 months, as this involves a virtually unenforceable contract, under the terms of which you would be very difficult to evict should they feel the need. You can however usually find individuals offering short lets on our Short Lets and House Swaps page (where you can also list holiday properties, in the UK or abroad). Another option is to rent a serviced apartment (these will be more expensive). Find some on our Hotels, Guesthouses & B&Bs page.
The following agency offers economical short or long term B&B rooms within private Oxford households, plus some lets. All rooms are vetted by the agency.
With use of kitchen and bathroom, these can cost around £100 a week (substantially more in Jericho) plus bills. Students often look in March or April - or even earlier - for the following October. You'll probably find what you want on our Rooms to Let page; it's also worth looking at cards in newsagents' windows.
Homelessness charity Shelter offers free (council-funded), independent advice, advocacy and homelessness prevention services to clients in both social and private accommodation in Oxford. Services are available from 09:30 - 17:00 on Tuesdays at at the Council Offices at 2/3 Bank Court, Templars Square (Cowley shopping centre), OX4 3XH and on Thursdays at 109 St Aldates, OX1 1DS.
If you are letting a room, you should be aware that, bar certain exceptions, unless you or a near relative live on the premises (and the premises are small) it is illegal to advertise for a specific gender of tenant. However, if, say, a sharing household of men want a new tenant of the same gender, they are allowed to advertise specifically for a male addition. More excellent user-friendly information on this at www.equalityhumanrights.com. And while you're at it, do check out the terms and conditions of advertising on Daily Info!
