nottingham tabloid january 2015

January 2011

www.unipol.org.uk/nottingham January 2015

2Facts andFigures

18

15

4

the Policespeak out

The Unipol CodesFind out how they can help duringhouse huntingSeepage 3

HousingWe ask studentlandlords whatthey think ofstudents

1,000sof bedspacesavailable online

16Stay happyand healthythis winter

What lifestyle areyou looking for?We answer the essentialquestionsSee page 19

Tips and AdviceRead the bits youreally need to knowSee page 5

Step into househunting Unipol is withyou all the way

JanuaryEdition 2015

Out and Aboutin January on a budget

2 NEWSJANUARY 2015

This tabloid is produced by Unipol Student Homes. It is for guidance only and is no substitute for the diverse legislation covers. Unipol Student Homes is a company limited by guarantee, registered inEngland and Wales, No. 3401440, Registered Charity number No. 1063492. VAT Registration No. 698 8456 49. Unipol Student Homes accepts no liability whatsoever in respect of the advertisements preparedby Unipol Student Homes based on the contents on Accommodation Details Forms and in no circumstances (whether caused by negligence or otherwise) will Unipol Student Homes be liable for anyconsequential or indirect damage or loss of rent or loss of profit suffered or incurred by you or any third party howsoever caused. © Copyright 2010 Unipol Student Homes

Note from the editorUnipol is THE place to start

your search for your nexthome, whether you arelooking for the first time oran old hand.

Unipol will open its websiteto 2015 house hunters onMonday 12th January but ifyou have examinations wewould recommend you waituntil after you've all finished,as there are plenty ofproperties to go around. Infact the surplus this year islikely to rise to over 5,000 bedspaces after all the students inNottingham have found theirproperty for the 2015-16academic year.

Our website adaptsperfectly to any device youwant to use so accessing thethousands of propertiesavailable is easy any time, anywhere.

Our tabloid here gatherstogether a selection of what isavailable on the website andfor your peace of mind theyare all accredited.

Take uswith youScan the QR code below and take Unipol with you whenyou go househunting.

Unipol - 0115 934 5020 [email protected]/nottingham

Contact us

If you’re a student in Nottinghamlooking for accommodation you’ll

be pleased to hear that when itcomes to house hunting you’re noton your own. Unipol is working inpartnership with Nottingham’sUniversities and Colleges ofFurther Education to help studentsfind the best possibleaccommodation. A national not-forprofit organisation, we arededicated to improving standardsin student housing. We aim toprovide students in Nottinghamwith not only the widest choice ofproperties but also a quality markthat allows students to easilyidentify the best accommodation.

Our website provides thelargest selection of studentproperties in Nottingham. On theopening day of house hunting in2014 the site listed over 5,000 bedspaces so there is always a greatchoice of properties. The site isalso designed to make househunting as pain free as possible.Standardised advert formats, astar rating system and multipleproperty images allow you toquickly select and view potentialhousing options.

“Unlike other studentaccommodation sites theUnipol website provides a full listing of propertiescovered by Nottingham'sofficial studentaccreditation scheme –the Unipol Code.”

The Code ensures thatlandlords who sign up maintaintheir properties to a set standardand that they manage theirrelations with their student tenantswithin specified guidelines. So whatever your housing

requirements, follow yourUniversity’s and College’sadvice and make Unipol your starting point for House Hunting.

A big warm welcome awaits at the Unipol Bureau

Unipol Facts and Figures

The Unipol Accommodation Office is open 9.30amto 4.45pm Monday to Friday and will be open 9amto 6pm on the 12th, 13th and 26th January 2015 tosupport the start of house hunting.

Property searches madethrough the Unipol Nottinghamwebsite in 2014: 130,000

Landlords/agents covered by the

Unipol Code 300 (and rising)

Bed spaces covered by the

Unipol Codes: over 21,000

Average rent of a Unipol Code

property: £72.13

Providers asking for a

guarantor: 55%

£

This edition will give youadvice on how to get the mostfrom the Unipol website andhopefully answer your questions.Maybe you are not sure where togo to get your contract checkedor wondering about what depositamount you will be asked topay? Do you want to know why the Unipol Code isrecommended or are you stillunsure on what group size you’llbe in? Don’t worry, if we don’tanswer your questions here thenfeel free to drop in, have a coffee and see us in theaccommodation bureau onShakespeare Street. We arehere to help and are alwayshappy to see you.House Hunting, although

enjoyable, can be tiring soremember to give yourselvestime and don’t feel you havefailed if you are stillsearching well into Februaryor March. We advertiseproperties throughout the yearand resisting the rush canmake it all a calmer affair!

Find out below about our opening times and help available

JANUARY 2015UNIPOL CODE

The Unipol Codes3

Don’t rush in! You have plenty of time to find theright property and the Codes are here to help

Find out if your landlord/agent is a member of one of Unipol’s Codes at:www.unipol.org.uk/landlords/landlord-directory

If you’re unsure, give us a call on 0115 934 5020 or email: [email protected]

Our five steps toensuring standards:1Landlords voluntarily sign a declaration stating their

properties meet the standards of the Code.

2We inspect a proportion of these properties to verify thesestandards are met

3Where we identify non-compliance, landlords are given timeto rectify these issues.

4Once confirmed, a landlord is accredited or theirmembership continued.

5Where a tenant has issues with property/tenancy and aredissatisfied with the landlord, they can use the complaints

process and we can help resolve the matter.

Relax

RestAssured

and let us do the worrying…

Properties will beadvertised accurately

and withoutmisrepresentation…

Rent & bills will beclearly outlined to youbefore you sign (and

there should be no‘surprise’ costs)…

Deposits have to bemanaged fairly andprotected in a depositprotection scheme…

Your landlord willact professionally& courteously at

all times…

If anything goes wrong,Unipol can help and advise!

There is also the formalcomplaints process for

serious matters

A Code property shouldmeet certain safety &

security measures to ensureyou, your possessions &property remain safe…

The property should be ready and anyrefurbishment or building work finished (unless

agreed with you) before the tenancy starts

If asked for, your landlordshould give you at least 24

hours to check over yourcontract before signing –

and won’t let to anyone elseduring this time…

Relax

Find out more about the Codes in our new leaflet

PROPERTY SEARCH4 JANUARY 2015

We asked two of our landlords to give theirimpressions of renting to students and whatsets them apart as student landlords.

John and JoanSpenceJohn and Joan Spence,independent landlords pridethemselves on offering a homeaway from home.

Q: What do you enjoy aboutrenting to students?What we most enjoy aboutbeing student landlords is beingable to make a home fromhome for them, with interestingfurniture and accessories,hopefully the opposite from auniform minimal bare-essentialstype of place. Just as important,being ex-teachers, we love thebuzz that we get from thestudents, its brilliant to keep thatcontact and exchange ideas.

Q: What do you provide fornew tenants?When the tenants move in, theyget a warm welcome from us

both and a set of keys! We showthem around, go through theinventory and make sure thatthey understand how everythingworks. We give them a list oftelephone numbers for workmenand City Council information,eg, Police, Wheelie bin times,etc. Generally our aim is tomake them feel secure andcomfortable. We definitelymake contact with the studentsbefore they move in.

Q: Anything else you wouldlike to share?Apart from showing them thehouse, we would invite them upto our house for tea and cakesto go through the contract withthem, giving anecdotalexamples of what the clausesmean. We show them how therent book and receipts are dealtwith, and would take thedeposits. We would thenconclude with a groupphotograph.

Property AdvertsOnce you’ve decided on your

search criteria, your resultswill be displayed. These resultswill be shown as mini adverts tothe left of the screen and as pinson the main map (if you are usinga mobile device your default viewwill be mini adverts only)

To get further details about aparticular property simply clickon the appropriate mini advert orpin and a full sized advert willappear. These provide a range ofdetails:

n Location - Street and postcodeonly. You will get the exactlocation when you contact thelandlord

nRent - How much it is going tocost, shown per person per weekand per person per month

nCollection period - How oftenthe rent is collected

nDeposit - Make sure you knowwhat this is for, and who it isprotected with

nAgreement - Used by propertyowners to let the property

n Property type, size andavailability - If it's shown as awhole property then the ownerwants a group of students totake the property

n Book a viewing - How to get intouch with the owner, lettingagent or the current tenant

n Features and facilities - Lookout for details such as the type ofheating or whether there is aliving room

nAdvert Number - Note this anduse it in the quick search toretrieve

ASK the Landlord

Blue ones with the thumbsup logo are ownedprivately and accreditedthrough Unipol.

Green thumbs up with a Uare Unipol owned ormanged and accreditedthrough Unipol.

Unaccredited propertiesare shown as grey mappins with no extra designon the mini adverts.

Purpose Built advertsfollow the same patternbut their pins are largerwith an orange circle.

At the start of house huntingthere will be 1000s of

properties available on ourwebsite, here are some tips on how to get the most out of the search.

Get the basics rightTo start select the amount ofbedrooms you are looking for andthe maximum and minimum priceyou want to pay. If you alreadyknow the kind of property you arelooking for (house, flat or purposebuilt development) this should beselected as well; using this optionwill filter down the available priceand bedspaces options so you cansee what is currently available.

If you are not looking as part of

a group then you can chose tolook for 'Rooms in a sharedproperty / Large Development'under the 'Whole PropertyRequired?' option. This will showyou where rooms are being letindividually in properties.You can also select the area youwant to live in, how far you want tolive from your place of study andthe star rating of the property. If your search is going to returnover 250 results we'll let you knowso you can add more filters (if youwant).

Getting advancedIf you are looking for somethingreally specific then use theadvanced search, this allows you

to look for amenities such as en-suite rooms, bike stores andinclusive internet services. Thereare also options to look for shortterm lets, rooms with summer rentconcession and if any utilities areincluded in the rent.

Found what you're looking forClick on the 'Book a Viewing'button at the top of an advert andyou'll see different ways to get intouch with the landlord includingthe ability to send them amessage.

Want to take your timeSign up for an account beforestarting your searches by clickingon 'My Unipol Login' in the top rightcorner of the website and you canmark individual adverts asfavourite and they will be saved tolook at later.

Having an account will let youpost on the student to studentmessage board which is a greatway to make contact with otherstudents to find extra housematesor help form a group.

Getting the most out of the Unipol Property search

When did you start househunting?Late January

How many properties didyou look at?7

When did you sign for aproperty? Early February

What do you like aboutyour property? Nicely furnished and bigrooms

5. What, if anything,would you do differentlyabout house hunting?Nothing.

Julia French, 2nd Year

APRIL 2011 5

Contract checking and thevital questions answered Hollie, Our Bureau Administrator gives her advice

Before you decide to sign on thedotted line, remember, it is

always a good idea to have yourcontract checked. Both TheUniversity of Nottingham andNottingham Trent offer contractchecking services through theirStudent Advice Centres. They canpoint out any ‘shaky’ clauses andexplain the tricky bits so you knowexactly what you are committingyourself to when signing.

Students often find it helpful justto clarity a few points, for example:

n What’s the difference betweenan Individual Tenancy and a JointTenancy?

n What does my deposit cover andhow is it protected?

n What is an admin fee for? n What is a Guarantor? n What’s a HMO Licence fee? n Will I be dealing with theLandlord or with a ManagingAgent?

n Is there anything I should bewary of?

Don’t sign a contract if you are nothappy with the terms or there areany aspects of the agreement youdo not understand.

A Unipol Code Landlord should

always give you at least 24 hoursto take a copy of the contract awayand look over it, so takeadvantage of this. Many UnipolCode landlords are now using theUnipol Model Tenancy Agreement.This contract offers clearlyunderstandable terms and isrecommended by the Students’Unions.

TIPS & ADVICE JANUARY 2015

Money MattersSarah Says: It is important thatyou have a good understanding ofdeposits, deposit protection,guarantors and utility bills beforesigning for a property.

A deposit is a returnable sum payable to thelandlord/ agent, everything thatthe deposit covers should be inthe tenancy agreement and thisusually includes damage to theproperty and arrears.

An average deposit is around£250 per tenant. Some landlordsdo not ask for a deposit butcharge a non-refundable adminfee instead and other landlordsmay charge both a deposit and anadmin fee. You should pay yourdeposit by bank card so that youhave proof of payment and only

pay once the tenancy agreementhas been signed. Make sure thatyou attach a copy of the receipt tothe contract and make a fewphotocopies of this; this isparticularly important if you areon a joint contract as you will onlyreceive one contract betweeneveryone in the house. If yourcontract is an Assured ShortholdTenancy (which most studenttenancies are) your deposit mustbe protected under a TenancyDeposit Scheme.

Tenancy deposit protectionschemes ensure that you receive yourdeposit back in a timely mannerafter your contract ends if youhave met all the conditions of thetenancy agreement. There arethree government approvedschemes. If you have let the

Some advice from our student welfare officer: moneymatters - deposits, how much you may expect to pay;check the small print on additional charges

property on an assured shortholdtenancy then the landlord mustprotect your deposit in a schemewithin 30 days of receiving it andyour landlord should give youinformation about which schemeyou are protected under.

Guarantors (55% of landlordsask for one)Many landlords will want you tohave a guarantor; this is usuallyyour parent or guardian but it canbe anyone over 18 years old.Guarantors are required to payfor the rent or property damage ifyou fail to do so, therefore, yourguarantor needs to carefully readthe contract to check they are justresponsible for you.

All inclusive? Anything Ishould ask?Some landlords will have ‘allinclusive’ rent meaning that all orsome of the utility bills areincluded in the rent. If your rent isinclusive of other bills checkwhether you are limited to howmuch you can use and what costsyou incur if you go over the limit. Itis important to consider this assome properties may be moreexpensive than they first seemonce energy costs are added.

Joint or individual contract?(39% of landlords offeredindividual contracts in 2014)Check whether your contractgives you joint or individualliability. Joint contracts arecommon, but they also mean if a

Contact Checking - It’s FREE! The first thing to do is not to

panic, as this can be verycommon when it comes to studentaccommodation, due to a wholehost of reasons. Below are sometips and advice on what stepsshould be taken should you findyourself in this position.

n Notify your landlord or agent inwriting as soon as possible tomake them aware of thesituation, as you may be

required to find a replacement ifyou have signed a joint andseveral tenancy agreement.

n Speak to friends on your courseand see if they requireaccommodation, or know ofanyone that may be interested.

n Advertise any available rooms onthe Student to StudentNoticeboard on the Unipolwebsite.

n Do not ignore it as the sooneryou act, the more likely that areplacement(s) can be found.

What happens if your group fallthrough after signing a contract?

The Noticeboard on theUnipol website is a great wayto find other students that arein a similar position toyourself, or are looking for aroom in a shared property.

Accommodation Available -This is where studentsadvertise spare rooms.They’re either looking for thatone extra person to make upthe right number, or someonehas dropped out

and they need areplacement. Browse themessages to find somethingthat fits your criteria and getin touch!

Accommodation Wanted -let other students know thatyou’re looking for a room. Postmessage giving as muchdetail about what you’relooking for so other studentscan contact you.

Forming a group to look forhousing - if you’d prefer househunt with a group, rather thanmoving in to an alreadyestablished household or witha group of individuals, this isthe board to use.

Find it on the homepage

Got your House Hunting Guide?Unipol’s Essential House HuntingGuide provides step-bystepinformation on the process offinding student accommodationand it’s great for friends andparents. It covers:

n Basic steps of house huntingn Information on the Unipol Coden Property types n Assessing your needs n Deposits and running costs n Searching for properties n Viewing properties and signingcontracts

Pick up a copy from yourAccommodation Office or Student Services

housemate fails to pay theirshare of the rent or damagethat was their fault you canbecome responsible for it andyour deposit may be used tocontribute towards this.Sarah Kelly is Unipol’s TenancySupport Officer

Sarah’s tips So remember: Onceyou have signed thecontract it is legallybinding on allparties so you can’tchange your mind.

Student

to Student

Noticeboard

7

ROOMS FROM

£63.00Per Person Per Week (Sharing)Reserve a room for £200

816002-DS UnipolAd_v3 17/12/2014 18:28 Page 1

9VH_Nottingham_FP.pdf 1 10/11/14 4:24 pm

VH_Nottingham_FP.indd 1 10/11/14 4:26 pm

10 11

More About Us• We are a unique non-profit making charitable company.

• Established in 1975, we help students find the best housing they can.

• We house students in Nottingham and Leeds every year, in properties that we either own or manage on behalf of smaller landlords.

• All Unipol properties are designed especially for student tenants.

• Personal Housing Management Officers responsible for ensuring you are happy in your home.

• Safety, security and location being the high priorities.

• We operate an up-to-date repair reporting system, which ensures your repairs are dealt with swiftly.

• An out-of-hours emergency call centre with Unipol staff and contractors on hand to deal with emergencies 24 hours a day throughout the year.

• We treat all our tenants as valued customers, and carry out annual Tenant Satisfaction Surveys to ensure we are meeting the expectations and demands of students in Nottingham and Leeds.

Visit us:28 Shakespeare Street, NG1 4FQ

Book a Viewing:Tom [email protected] 934 5020

Unipol Housing Staff

Graystacks, Lenton12 Beds £109 - £116ppw




88 Rothesay Avenue, Lenton6 Beds £72pppw

2 Warwick Street, Dunkirk5 Beds £60ppw

9 Alderman Close , Lenton4 Beds from £75ppw


10 Mettham Street - Lenton5 Beds £65ppw

103 Rothesay Avenue, Lenton 4 Beds £65ppw



1 Blake Road, West Bridgford 6 Beds £65ppw



2 Warwick Street, Dunkirk 5 Beds £60ppw

Not

for P

rof t T

rusted Student Focussed

So

meth

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U

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www.unipol.org.uk

UnipolProperties

2015

13JANUARY 2015 13Exeter Road NG7 - 6 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n The entire property was fully modernised to the higheststandards in Aug 10 thus everything is brand new

n Close to Trent Uni n Forest Fields arean 6 large bedrooms with new double bedsn Separate large lounge and kitchen/dinern 2 bathroomsn RENT INCLUDES ALL BILLS

Rent £67 pppw Deposit £250 pp

CLASSIFIED

Arundel Street NG7 - 6 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n Very large and spacious 3 storey housen Refurbished to a very high spec in Aug 10n Easy access to both Uni’s and cityn 6 large bedrooms with new double bedsn Huge lounge and new comfy leather sofasn Brand new modern kitchen/dinern 2 bathroomsn Large enclosed rear garden


Maples Street NG7 - 4 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n Immaculate Victorian 3 storey housen 4 very large bedrooms with new double bedsn Separate lounge and separate kitchenn Luxury and homely interior throughoutn Double glazed and fully insulated for maximum

comfortn

n Prime location close to Trent Uni/city


Bentinck Road NG7 - 10 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n 2 x identical big 5 bed houses next to each othern Ideal for groups of 5 or 10n All large bedrooms with double bedsn View early to appreciate size and quality of these

newly renovated Victorian housesn Separate big lounge and spacious kitchen/dinern High spec throughoutn Close to Trent Uni


JANUARY 2012

Claypole Road NG7 - 5 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n5 large double bedroomsnRefurbished Aug 11nEverything brand newnSpacious loungenModern new kitchennDouble glazing and alarm

nWall and loft insulationnPopular student areanVery close to Trent Unin1st to see will rentnEarly viewing crucialnRENT INCLUDES BILLS


Bentinck Road NG7 - 5 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

n Refurbished Aug 11n Very high specn Everything brand newn 5 huge double bedroomsn 2 bathroomsn Modern kitchen/diner

n Spacious loungen Fab popular locationn Very close to Trent Unin 1st to see will rentn Early viewing crucialn RENT INCLUDES BILLS


Maples Street NG7 - 4 bed

Mr Surti 07860 254180

nLarge Victorian housenSpacious double

bedrooms plus spare 5throom for guests/art room

nHomely propertynSeparate big loungenLarge designed kitchen

nWell maintainednDouble glazing and alarmnWall and loft insulationnPopular student areanVery close to Trent Uni

Rent £86 pppw

Claypole Road NG7 - 5 bed

Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180

■ Large and Spacious 3-storey house ■ Very close to Trent Uni ■ 5 large bedrooms with new double beds ■ 2 bathrooms both with bath & shower ■ Separate large lounge and Kitchen/Diner ■ Double glazed + wall & loft insulation ■ RENT INCL ALL BILLS

Wellington Villas NG7 - 8 bed

Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180

■ 1st group to view will take the house

■ The best & most spacious 8-bed around

■ V.high spec throughout & quiet location

■ Easy access to both Uni’s and City

■ 8 large bedrooms with new double beds

■ 2 bathrooms, large enclosed rear garden

■ Double glazed + wall & loft insulation

■ Can do bills included for small extra sum

■ .RENT INCLUDES ALL BILLS ■ .RENT INCLUDES ALL BILLS



■ .

■ Immaculate Victorian 3 storey house ■ 4 very large bedrooms and separate kitchen ■ Luxury and homely interior throughout ■ Double glazed and fully insulated for maximum

comfort ■ Prime location close to Trent Uni/city ■ Can do bills included for small extra sum


Rent £74 pppw Deposit £250 pp Rent £82 pppw Deposit £250 pp

Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180

Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180 Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180

Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180Mr Surti Tel 07860 254 180

■ 2 x identical big 5 bed houses next to each other ■ Ideal for groups of 5 or 10 ■ All large bedrooms with double beds ■ View early to appreciate size and quality of these

newly renovated Victorian houses ■ Separate big lounge and spacious kitchen/diner ■ High spec throughout, close to Trent Uni ■ Can do bills included for small extra sum


■ Very large and spacious 3 storey house ■ Refurbished to a very high spec in Aug 14 ■ Easy access to both Uni’s and city ■ 6 large bedrooms with new double beds ■ Huge lounge and new comfy leather seats ■ Brand new modern kitchen/diner, 2 bathrooms ■ Large enclosed rear garden ■ RENT INCL ALL BILLS


■ The entire property was fully modernised to the highest standards in Aug 12 thus everything is brand new

■ Close to Trent Uni ■ Forest Fields area ■ 6 large bedrooms with new double beds ■ Separate large lounge and kitchen/diner ■ 2 bathrooms ■ RENT INCLUDES ALL BILLS


■ Refurbished Aug 13 ■ Very high spec ■ Everything brand new ■ 5 huge double

bedrooms ■ 2 bathrooms ■ Modern kitchen/diner

■ Spacious lounge ■ Fab popular location ■ Very close to Trent Uni ■ 1st to see will rent ■ Early viewing crucial ■ Double glazing & Alarm ■ Wall and loft insulation

■ RENT INCL ALL BILLS


■ 5 large double bedrooms ■ Refurbished Aug 13 ■ Everything brand new ■ Spacious lounge ■ Modern new kitchen ■ 2 bathrooms ■ Double glazing and alarm

■ Wall and loft insulation ■ Popular student area ■ Very close to Trent Uni ■ 1st to see will rent ■ Early viewing crucial ■ RENT INCLUDES BILLS

■ Large Victorian house ■ Spacious double

bedrooms plus spare 5th room for guests/art room

■ Homely property ■ Separate big lounge ■ Large designed kitchen

■ Well maintained ■ Double glazing and alarm ■ Wall and loft insulation ■ Popular student area ■ Very close to Trent Uni ■ Can do bills included for

small extra sum

14

Live with your friends in ultra modern fully inclusive accommodation

Limited Availability BOOK A VIEWING ON-LINE www.kexgill.com

View on-line @ www.kexgill.com or call 0115 9582258

Outstanding prices-Outstanding value

Kexgill... STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

The following adverts are from individual landlords >>

Radcliffe Road NG2 - 5 bed

Contact: Jill Green 07825 373 947

■ Off street parking ■ Great house for 5 friends ■ Spacious bedrooms with double beds ■ Comfortable living room ■ Big kitchen, lots of storage fridges, freezers, washer

dryer, internet ■ Bills included packages available

Rent: £65 pppw Deposit £281 pp

■ Bills Included ■ Double beds ■ Comfortable sofas ■ Kitchen has dishwasher ■ Fridges and Freezers ■ Microwave and cooker ■ Garden ■ Offstreet parking ■ Well placed for city ■ Lots of buses for Clifton ■ Maintenance manager

Rent £79 pppwContact: Jill Green 07825 373 947

Radcliffe Road NG2 - 5 Bed

■ Great House for 6 ■ Double beds ■ Living room ■ Kitchen has lots of

cupboards, fridges freezers, microwave and cooker

■ 2 bathrooms ■ Garden ■ Close to Clifton and city,

good bus service ■ Bills included

Rent £79 pppwContact: Jill Green 07825 373 947

Rosebery Avenue NG2 - 6 Bed

■ All inclusive ■ Cable TV ■ WIFI Virgin ■ Flatscreen TV ■ Double beds ■ Three bathrooms ■ Good condition ■ 1/4 Mile from NTU ■ Private Landlord

Rent £85 pppw

Contact: 07768 668 663 07711 59 665

Burns Street NG7 - 10 Bed ■ All inclusive ■ Cable TV ■ WIFI Virgin ■ Flatscreen TV ■ Double beds ■ Two bathrooms ■ Good condition ■ 1/4 Mile from NTU ■ Private Landlord

Rent £80 pppwContact: 07768 668 663 07711 59 665

Larkdale Street NG7 - 7 Bed

THE UNIPOL CODE IS FOR YOU

Excited about choosing your first house away from home?We’ve got your back. The Unipol Code has been designed specifically to help you be sure that you’ll be living in a property that’s safe, secure and well managed. And if you have any difficulties with the property Unipol can help you out.

The Code has the full support of these institutions, who all contributed to the Code with you in mind:

You can find more information and pictures of these properties online at www.unipol.org.uk/nottingham

15

Get out and about in January If Christmas orthe January sales haveleft your wallet emptythen here are a fewthings to do in Nottinghamfor under a tenner…

Feeling thirsty?Enjoy a pint in Ye Olde Trip toJerusalem, one of England's oldestpubs, serving ales since 1240AD.As well as being one of the oldestpubs there are also caves in thecellars and the place is full ofcharacter having once been saidto have been haunted.

JANUARY 2015LIFESTYLE

Welcome to Nottingham

www.nottmstudents.comDoes Nottingham

really have seven women to

every man?Who’s Leo and why should

he be a part of your nights out?

What really goes on in the secret caves

under the city?

Get to know Nottingham like a local:

.nwwww.nottmstudents.comGet to k

nottmstu know Nottingham like a local:

udents.c ham like a local:

com cal:

W

elcome to Not W Welcome to Nottingham

ttingham

Go deer spotting at Wollaton Hall. The stunning parkland is home to herds of free roaming deer. The 16th century building houses thecity's Natural History Museum. And the Courtyard Stables are home to an Industrial Museum, SteamEngine House, Visitor Centre and the Yard Gallery, which hosts natural history and scienceexhibitions. Free entry to the park, Hall & museums. Car parking charge of £2 for 3 hours or £4 perday applies. Please note that additional charges may apply for some tours, events and activities.

Check out Nottingham’s underground. Nottingham Castle, a 17th century ducal mansion, is most famous forits position high up on the Castle Rock. But you can also explore themediaeval caves underneath, including Mortimer’s Hole. A joint ticketfor entry to the Castle’s museum and art gallery, along with TheMuseum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard, osts £4 for students.If you think a tour of the medieval caves is more your thing go alongon Wednesday - Sunday: 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm at £4 per person.

Get wrapped up to brave the cold. Take to the Olympic Rink at the National Ice Centre in Hockley. Admission is only £5.00 with an NUScard (apart from theme parties) - you also benefit from free skate hire. The university shop may also bestocking NIC discount booklets – check these out for even cheaper entry!

Take a guided tour of Nottingham. Dare to take the Nottingham Ghost Walk?Meet at At The Salutation Inn, MaidMarian Way, Nottingham NG1 6AJ 7pmevery Saturday.There are lots of different tours

available through the Galleries of Justicemuseum. choose from Robin Hood on Trialto the Crime and Punishment tour or theFacts and Felons Audio tour (all run onselected days). A daily available tour isthe Lace Market Heritage Audio Trail at only £2.95 per person. for moredetails see: www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk/ tours/

Courtesy of http://blog.parkinn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/01/RPI-NQTPD-Nottingham-Caves-Jan-EN.jpg

Courtesy of http://blog.fancydress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/nottinghamshire.jpg

Pop along to nottmstudents.com to get the latest news and info about what's going on in our fair city in the new year

16

Hannah, a UniversityStudent and part of theUnipol team gives youher tips for staying fitover the festive period

Winter can be a magical time ofthe year, with crisp sunny

mornings, blue skies, woollyjumpers and open fires. However itcan also be a time of never endingcolds, wet feet and the feeling thatyou might die if you get out of yourwarm bed and step out into thedark once again. At times like theseyour body can really suffer, as allyou want to do is curl up on the sofawith a blanket and some beans ontoast. Here are a few tips on how tostay healthy and happy over thewinter period…

Boost your immune systemDiet is extremely important when itcomes to avoiding illnesses.Nourishing your body from theinside means your immune systemwill stand the best possible chanceof successfully fighting off anyviruses that come your way. One ofmany vitamins you should be tryingto take on board is vitamin C, whichis especially good at helpingprotect your cells and keep themhealthy in general. Commonsources include citrus fruits,peppers, potatoes, broccoli,blackcurrants, strawberries andbrussel sprouts.

Combat tirednessFeeling constantly tired anddrained can be a sign that you are

lacking in iron. Men need 8mg ofiron a day, whereas women need amassive 18mg. Common sourcesfor iron include oats, spinach andother dark leafy greens, chickpeas,beef and beans. Iron fromvegetables is harder for our bodiesto absorb, and getting enoughVitamin C actually really helps thisprocess. It can be hard to getenough iron when you think that100g of spinach only provides2.7mg, so taking an ironsupplement may be a good idea,especially if you are a vegetarian.

Buy seasonalI know many students avoid buyingmany vegetables because theybelieve they’re too expensive. Thereality is that they can be,especially on a student budget, andthe way to get around this is to besmart and chose vegetables whichare in season as these will be farcheaper than other types whichhave to be imported at certain timesof the year, not to mention fresher!Cabbage, leeks, carrots, potatoes,

JANUARY 2015 HEALTH

Stay Happy and Healthy this Winter

House Hunting tipsfrom the students' union

exercising regularly will help youget warm, feel great and sleepbetter, not to mention it’s actually areally nice way to socialise, whetheryou’re playing a team sport orjogging with a friend.

Have fun!Having a healthy mind is just asimportant as having a healthy body;don’t let darkness and stress getyou down! Make sure you alwaysmake time to see friends and dowhat interests you; keeping a goodwork/life balance is crucial.

The pursuit of happiness hasbecome serious business forstudents at Harvard University witha course on that very subjectbecoming the most popular evertaught at the University.

Maintaining balance in your lifeis crucial. As Professor Tal Ben-Shahar says “Attaining lastinghappiness requires that we enjoythe journey on our way toward adestination we deem valuable.Happiness, therefore, is not aboutmaking it to the peak of themountain, nor is it about climbingaimlessly around the mountain:happiness is the experience ofclimbing toward the peak”

cauliflower and the magicalsuperfood kale are all in seasonright now, and all have their ownincredible health benefits as well asbeing well within budget. Buyingsome items frozen, such as mixedberries for smoothies, also saves alot of money and reduces waste.

Get out Exercise may seem like the lastthing you want to do when thetemperatures plummet, but

Good sourcesof vitamin CVitamin C is found in a widevariety of fruit andvegetables. Good sourcesinclude:

n oranges and orange juicen red and green peppersn strawberriesn blackcurrantsn broccolin brussels sproutsn potatoes

Good sourcesof ironGood sources of iron include:

n livern meatn beansn nutsn dried fruit, such as dried

apricotsn wholegrains, such as

brown ricen fortified breakfast cerealsn soybean flourn most dark-green leafy

vegetables, such aswatercress and curly kale

Hey guys! I’m Michael AbiodunOlatokun, the Students’ Union

Community Officer, your politicalrepresentative in accommodation,and I represent you on all issuesrelating to where and how you live.I campaign to improve studentliving conditions and aim to giveinformation that will hopefully allaysome of the househunting concernsthat you might have.

There are a lot of myths and redherrings in the area of studentaccommodation. In light of onethem, that “the best houses go atthe start of the year,” many

students have already startedlooking for their accommodationfor next year. Whereas theStudents’ Union recommends thatyou wait until after the exam periodin January, to give you a bit of timeto look around several propertiesand to firmly decide upon thepeople you’d like to live with, weare available to give househuntingadvice throughout the year,whenever you begin to look.

The Student Advice Centresupports students onaccommodation, welfare, financeand educational matters, and is

located on the B Floor of thePortland building, University ParkCampus, and is the first place youshould go when beginning yourhousehunting journey. Adviceexperts have produced a usefulhousehunting checklist, whichmakes students savvier about theirlegal rights, and also providescontract checking; a vital servicethat allows you to get the most outof your year in privateaccommodation. You should alsohave a look at our Love Your Homevideo series, which provides adviceon a wide range of issues that willallow you to ask the right questionswhen looking around potentialproperties.

Once students have checked

over a contract, they might well findthat they like the arrangements andthe accommodation that thelandlord will provide. Despite this,students in Nottingham exist in asurplus market where there are farmore bed spaces than studentsthat need them, and you will alwaysbe able to find another option if youturn away from a deal. Don’t settle;get the optimal situation for yourprospective housemates. Studentsare surprised when we tell themthat there is often scope tonegotiate decreases of the rent, orfor bartering with a landlord toprovide additional amenities at nocost. Be assertive; do not allowyourself to be signed up to a houseon the spot, and use the Student

Advice Centre’s resources to find ahome you truly love.

The Love Your Home Campaigncan be found here:http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/advice/housing-advice/love-your-home/

University of NottinghamStudents: Union Student AdviceCentre: Tel 0115 8468730 Email:[email protected]

Sources:Figures about spinach..ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3202?qlookup=11457&max=25&man=&lfacet=&new=1Seasonal vegetables.. www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/british-food/fruit-and-vegetables/what-fruits-%26-vegetables-are-in-season-when%C2%85/Vitamin C rich foods.. www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-C.aspxIron rich foods... www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Iron.aspx

17JANUARY 2015HOUSE HUNTING

We're going house huntingWho do I want tolive with? Think about who youwant to live with. You may be asked tosign a joint contractin your 2nd & 3rdyear, so can you canrely on your friendsto pay the rent andthe bills?

How large is my group?Decide how many friends to live with as thiswill inform what type of property he can live in. It is best to know how many people before

you start house hunting, so as not to wastevaluable time.

Get the right infoThe first port of call is theUnipol Office on ShakespeareStreet to get started. Unipol has terminals to

search for properties, freephones to arrange viewingsand staff on hand to giveimpartial advice. Unipol provide students with

FREE advice during the HouseHunting season so the girlspick up a copy of the Tabloidand a House Hunting Guide

What area should welive in?

Consider: n where you study n where you workn how much publictransport costs

n what amenities anarea has

n going out on a night

Booking a viewingPick up the phone and books aviewing through the agent or ownern Viewings for the green pins (Unipolproperties) can be booked directlywith staff at Unipol or phone 01159345024

n Blue (Code) and black pins givedetails of the owners contactnumber, so ring them directly toarrange a viewing

Viewing the propertyTake the checklist frominside the Unipol HouseHunting Guide when yougo around a property. It prompted the group

to look at things theydidn’t think of, including;did the property havedouble glazing, centralheating, security,washing machine. etc

Signing the TenancyAgreementRead through the tenancyagreement and makesure you understand whatyou are signing for.Check the start date andfinish date, how much youare paying and when. Find out how you

would get out the contractduring the year if youneed to.

Paying a depositMost landlords require a deposit at the timeof signing a contract. This is refundable atthe end of the tenancy. The group makesure they get a leaflet from the landlordgiving them information about whichscheme the money will be protected in. If you are not paying a deposit, make

sure the signing fees, booking fees and rentlevel are not increased or used inreplacement of it. What might be appealing,may not add up financially.

SortedThere is nothing morefor this lot to think aboutuntil they move in totheir new home.

..…they seem prettyhappy!

there are four of us!

Note to Self:mustremember toget contractchecked....

feeling happy :-)landlord said

deposit is in TDS

18 JANUARY 2015 COMMUNITY

To speak to us call 101 or in an emergency dial 999

www.nottinghamshire.police.uk nottspolice nottspolice V1 04/2013

While students are away burglars play

• Make sure that windows and doors are locked - even when at home• Ensure all items of value are out of sight of windows• Always ensure keys are kept out of sight and never anywhere near doors• Make your home look occupied when you are out• Mark your property so that it is identifiable. You can order property marking systems and other security products from our website below, just search ‘crime prevention’

For more information contact our Crime Prevention Unit on 101

Don’t lose your stuff, register it on a property database for free - Love it, log it! www.immobilise.com

Crime in student areas ofNottingham continues to

decrease thanks to a dedicatedpolicing operation known as OpGraduate which saw crime reduceby as much as 40% in 2013compared to 2012 figures. Officersand staff have been working withthe Universities and the CityCouncil to focus on student areas,raising awareness, and to helpstudents to secure their homes toprevent crimes from taking place.So far 86 fewer burglaries werecommitted during the 2013-14academic year in student areas

compared to the same period theyear before.

On one occasion more than 11properties on one street werevisited where either doors wereunlocked or windows left open.

In a second case, a single callto police on a Sunday afternoonresulted in three people beingarrested and stolen property fromtwo separate burglaries beingrecovered.

OP graduate seesexcellent results

Op Graduate focuses on: n Reiterating the importance of remembering to lock doors andwindows

n Informing students of the number of burglaries caused byinsecurities

n Raising awareness of the vulnerability of mobile phones

Inspector Rob Wilson said:

“The level of insecurities we have identified and dealt

with is very impressive, but many new students have

moved into the city and we will continue to work with

the universities to ensure students are aware of the

consequences of not locking their doors and windows.”

“We also continue to stress the importance of staying

safe on a night out, this includes looking after your

phone, being sensible about drinking and planning

your travel home- not walking home alone.”

For more student advice visit: www.nottinghamshire.police.uk or www.nottmstudents.com

The community forms a vital partof the experience that students

have at Nottingham TrentUniversity, and so our relationshipwith the community is reallyimportant. As part of this, weorganised a number of events andactivities in the run-up to thefestive period, which have helpedto highlight the partnerships thatthe university has with partnerorganisations in the community,and also raise some money for anumber of deserving charities.

Foodbank collectionStudents have donated unwantedand unused canned and driedfood to local Foodbanks, beforethey departed for the Christmasbreak. Almost 1000 items werecollected across all sites, and thiswill be divided between the StAnns Foodbank, EmmanuelHouse, and Hope Church (Clifton).Based on the success of thiscampaign, the university plans torepeat this activity at the end ofeach term.

Christmas comes to NTU

NTU Christmas Jumper DayFriday 12th December was officially designated as ‘NTU ChristmasJumper Day’, with 40 members of staff paying for the privilege ofwearing a Christmas jumper to work. Those with the best (or worst!)jumpers won prizes of bottles of wine, kindly donated by WeaversWines – the university’s preferred wine supplier. All participantspaid a minimum of £1 to take part, raising over £50, which has beendonated to Save The Children.

NTU Community Christmas eventOn 2 December, we held the annual NTUCommunity Christmas event, at the university’sNewton building. Guests were entertained bysingers from Radford Primary School, and amedley of classic songs and seasonal favouritesby a singer/flugelhornist from a local brass band.The event hosted stands and stalls from anumber of local charities including Foodshare (asustainable food production initiative), Flower Pod(a charity based at our Brackenhurst campus,working with individuals with learningdisabilities), PlayWorks, and a number of ethicaltrading craft initiatives.

On sale were wide selections of homemadecakes and plants which raised £180 that will bedonated to the Children’s Cancer and Helipadappeals at the QMC. Overall, the event raisedover £360 for the charities who took part.

Find out more at: www.ntu.ac.uk/RAs

Ever thought about being a Residence Assistant?

• Get training and support• Develop your CV• Save money on your rent• Enhance your university experience

19

I want to live close to Uni.With a surplus of student accommodation it hasbecome increasingly easy for students to findaccommodation close to where they study; fromshared houses and flats to rooms in developmentsand university halls. Go out with your friends anddecide on the streets you most want to live in andthen use these as your starting point when usingthe Unipol website. It’s easy. You can also useour map search tool that is fun to use and allowsyou to look at nearby streets too.

I want to live in the City Centre.Living in the City Centre often means living in apurpose-built development. Shared houses arenot as plentiful but do exist. To look for these pickyour property type as 'Shared House' and 'CityCentre' as the area you want to live. Not living ina shared house doesn’t necessarily meancompromising on moving away from thatinstitutional feel. Developments vary in size andprice and you can choose to live with a group offriends or on your own in a studio flat. Theconvenience of living in the city centre appeals tomany students with the array of local amenitiesjust outside your front door and none of thosepricey taxis home after a night out.

“The convenience of living in the citycentre appeals to many students with thearray of local amenities just outside yourfront door and none of those pricey taxishome after a night out.”

JANUARY 2015LOCATION

I just want to live somewhere nice

With the Unipol Code it has become a lot easierto find good quality accommodation that is safeand secure. Finding something nice depends onpersonal preference. Nice could be living in ashared house in a vibrant student area such asLenton, with its wide variety of small independentshops and cafes or it could be living in your ownspace, where the area is not so important.

Unipol offers you the widest choice of studentproperties and our staff are always on hand tohelp you identify what is right for you.

I want to live somewhere where everything isincluded in the price.If you choose to live in a larger development, inmost cases bills included will be the standard.This is a great choice if you don’t want the hassleof arranging bills and like the idea of living withlots of other students. Increasingly thesedevelopments include lots of additional extrassuch as internet access (often wireless), an on-site gym and an on-site or nearby conveniencestore. However, if you prefer the idea of living outin the community in a shared house more andmore landlords will now offer all-inclusive dealsso don’t be afraid to ask.

Our website allows you to search for all inclusivedeals so if this is what you want choose theadvanced filter option on our search and choose‘bills inclusive’ - yes.

I Want it AllThis means different things to different people butour advanced search option allows you to to includeoptions such as distance to your university; ensuitebedrooms; all inclusive living; offstreet parking;outdoor space; the level of internet provision andmany more. You can also filter by price in the mainsearch, although paying more does not guaranteeyour dream property as that is as much about thepeople you share with as what you pay.

Things to consider - what lifestyle do I want?

“The trick to finding your perfectproperty on the doorstep is to do your research.”

When choosing a place to live, the decision is not just about a roof over your head it is as much about deciding onthe type of lifestyle you want. You are lucky to be studying and living in Nottingham as there is so much choice inthe type of accommodation available so whatever you are looking for, Nottingham should be able to deliver.Once you’ve decided on your budget and who you want to live with try thinking about what else is important toyou, everyone is different but some of the most important things to consider are:

n the Location n the local amenities on offer n the social environment you want

t: 0115 934 5020 e: [email protected] w: www.unipol.org.uk

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nottingham tabloid january 2015

Documents

househunting unipol

unipol student homesnote

standardsin student

best accommodation

house hunting youre

website andfor

accommodation youllbe

students innottingham