Private accommodation and landlords

According to Rightmove, Sunderland is the 4th cheapest city in the UK for renters in 2025. If you're a student and you're starting to think about your accommodation options for the next academic year, find out everything you need to know about landlords and renting privately here.

Where can I find private accommodation?

You should use a reputable source to search for private accommodation, for example:

• Accommodation for Students
• Rightmove
• Zoopla.
  
  

If you're unable to find accommodation close to the University, you may need to extend your search outside of the city centre.

We’d advise you to look for accommodation in areas with links to the Metro – our public transport system which provides excellent links to the city and University. This will make it easier for you to get to and from campus.

What should I consider before signing a tenancy agreement?

We’d strongly recommend that you request to see the contract and all terms and conditions before signing it. Ensure that you've read thoroughly and understand it fully. For example, you should clearly understand:

• When you can move in
• When you're required to move out
• How much the rent is
• If the rent includes Wi-Fi, gas, electricity, and water
• When you need to make rent payments by
• Who owns the property and what their registered address and contact details are
• Who's managing the tenancy (if not the property owner, then a letting agent, for example) and what their contact details are
• How you report repairs, including how to report an emergency outside of normal office hours
• What works are agreed to take place before you move in.
• If this is this a joint tenancy with other parties. If this is the case, you need to be aware that you're jointly liable for the costs of the whole property and not just your portion. If a co-tenant fails to make payments, you (and your guarantor if you have one) can legally be pursued for these costs.
• Where you have exclusive possession of the property and what areas are shared
• A list of furniture that's provided.
  
  

Private accommodation terms and conditions

If you choose to live in off-campus accommodation, your tenancy agreement will outline your terms and conditions.

Legally, your private landlord or letting agent must adhere to legal requirements to rent you a property including:

• A written tenancy agreement that clearly explains your terms and conditions
• An EPC Certificate which explains how economical the property is to heat and light, with the best rating being A. No property should be less than E. If you're paying for your own energy bills, this rating is very important. The better the grade, the less you’ll pay to heat your home.
• A gas safety certificate provided by a gas-safe registered engineer. These are valid for one year, so ensure that your landlord has this renewed before it expires.
• An electrical safety certificate
• DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government) booklet called ‘How to Rent’. If you pay a deposit, you must receive Deposit Prescribed Information and DPS Terms and Conditions.

Ensure that you're given all of the above before signing a tenancy agreement.

On the day you move in, we'd advise you to complete a written inventory – clearly record the condition of each room, all appliances, and the garden/outdoor space (if there is one). Take date-stamped photographs where possible.

As a tenant, you have legal obligations to your landlord. These include paying rent to the set requirements, keeping the property clean and tidy, and reporting repairs and damages. You must also not cause a nuisance to co-tenants or others living around you.

What is a rent guarantor?

If you're living off campus in accommodation provided by a private landlord or a letting agent, you may also be asked to provide a guarantor. Providing a guarantor is common practice in the UK and provides security and knowledge that the rent will be paid in full and on time.

A guarantor is someone who agrees to pay your rent for you, or reimburse the landlord for damages caused by you, if you fail to do so. Guarantor agreements are legally binding.  Ensure that if you're required to complete one, you've read and understood it.

If you can't provide a qualified UK guarantor, Housing Hand offers a guarantor service at a cost.

Housing Hand requires that you provide the following to be eligible for the guarantor service:

• A copy of your passport and university acceptance email or campus card
• A co-signer who’ll sign the agreement with Housing Hand – this is often a parent or supporter. The co-signer will need to provide a copy of their passport and proof of address
  
  

Your private landlord or letting agent may also require a reference from you if you've had your own home before. Usually, this will be a letter from your previous landlord about their experience with you as a tenant.

Landlords and letting agents have a legal duty to ensure their tenants have a legal right to live in the UK for the entire period of their tenancy agreement. To verify this, you may be asked to show your original passport and any relevant visa or immigration documentation before you can be offered accommodation. 

You may be asked for a ‘share code’ from the Gov.uk website. See further information on your right to rent.