UCL Halls of Residence
Most students spend their first year at University at halls. These buildings are usually owned by UCL or private providers. UCL has varying types of accommodation based on your degree, if you have a family or need accommodation over the summer.
We don't currently have details of any UCL accommodation waiting list for 2024/25.
UCL has a wide variety of accommodation, which is grouped into different prices depending on how close it is to the Bloomsbury campus and the condition of the building (basically if it's new or has been recently refurbished it's likely to cost more).
Undergraduates are generally offered a contract for 39 weeks (September to June), whilst Postgraduates are offerd a contract for 50 weeks and 4 days (September to September).
Students with families
UCL has a small number of residences for students who have a partner and/or dependents. These range from double rooms to one or two bedrooms self-contained flats. If you fit into one of these groups then take a look at the accommodation you may be eligible for, however just bear in mind that accommodation is not guaranteed for these groups.
Private Halls of Residence
A lot of postgraduate and undergraduate students will find accommodation in private halls. UCL works with several different organisations to offer private accommodation to students living in London. Some of these are halls that UCL has a number of places in to allocate to students, others are halls that UCL has agreed specific prices with. Private halls can vary but most rooms are en-suite with shared kitchen facilities. Private halls will also have common rooms, study spaces and are a good way of meeting new students. One thing to note is that overall costs of living in private halls can be higher than shared accommodation.
UCL is a member of University of London Housing Services, who offer a comprehensive service to all University of London students. They have a range of properties that they rent out themselves, including a number of registered independent halls of residence. You can find more information of the University of London Housing Services website. They also publish a very useful booklet – London Student Housing Guide - which covers all aspects of finding and living in private rented accommodation.
You can visit UCLs Alternative Accommodation for Students page to find out about many private halls of residence, including any specific prices negotiated by UCL.
Your Rights when Living in Halls
If you live in halls provided by UCL, you are known as an 'Occupier with basic protection'. This is important to know as it determines what rights you have. Students in halls enter into a licence agreement with UCL where you’re allowed to occupy the specific accommodation (usually a ‘study bedroom’ but this can also include studios and flats) and access communal areas. As a licensee you have no legal interest in the property but are required to uphold a number of obligations such as paying the fees. For 2024/25 you can read the Licence Agreement and other general regulations on UCL’s website.
If you want to terminate the licence agreement, you can do so in the following circumstances:
- Leaving during the first term: you must submit a ‘Notice to Quit’ request to UCL via the online accommodation portal. Please note that you will be liable to pay your accommodation fees to UCL until another student is found that can take over your room. If no student is found, you are liable for the first invoicing period (until 4 January 2025).
- Leaving at the end of the first term: you must submit an online ‘Notice to Quit’ form no later than 6 December 2024 - this is at least 28 days before the end of the first invoicing period (4 January 2025). If you do this, you will remain liable only until the end of the first invoicing period. If you submit this after 6 December 2024, you will remain liable for your accommodation fees until a student is found to take over your room. If no student is found, you are liable to pay your accommodation fees until the end of the third term for invoicing purposes (21 June 2025 or 10 September 2025 for a 50.57 week contract).
- Leaving during the remaining terms: You must submit an online ‘Notice to Quit’ form and are liable to pay your accommodation fees until a student is found to take over your room. If no student is found, you will be liable to keep paying your accommodation fees until the end of the contract period (21 June 2025 or 10 September 2025 for a 50.57 week contract).
Houses in Multiple Occupation
Some landlords and agents must have a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence to allow them to rent to you. The licence requires landlords and agent to ensure the property is well maintained and safe to live in.
For a property to be a HMO, both of the following must apply:
- at least three tenants live there, forming more than one household
- you share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants
If there are at least five tenants, then it is classed as a large HMO. All large HMOs need a licence from the local council. Local councils can also include other types of HMO in their area for licensing, for example all properties in a smaller area or smaller HMOs.
You can ask the landlord/agent to show proof the licence has been granted or you can contact the local council directly and check. You may be able to claim back money if the landlord has been renting to you without a licence by applying for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO). Contact us if you need any further information about Rent Repayment Orders.