An en suite student room is a bedroom with an attached private bathroom, not accessible to any other students. You may be lucky enough to have a private non-en suite bathroom in a single-occupancy flat. Otherwise, for the majority of students, you will be sharing a bathroom with other flatmates or housemates.
Many students choose an en suite room as a compromise between private and shared living. Moving into halls of residence in your first year and sharing almost all your living space with often up to fourteen other students can be overwhelming. By choosing an en suite room, you can make the most out of your private bedroom and bathroom space, while sharing the more social areas, including the kitchen and the living room.
An en suite is not the best option for everyone, so here, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of en suite accommodation and outline what types of rooms are available to help you decide which room type is right for you.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of en suite accommodation?
An en-suite room comes with many desirable benefits. However, you may still want to weigh up the pros and cons before choosing an en suite room for university.
Advantages
- Cleanliness– with your own bathroom, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up after anyone but yourself, and the bathroom won’t require cleaning as often with only one person using it.
- Convenience– you have access to the bathroom at all times, without needing to wait for roommates to finish using it. Furthermore, the en suite is attached directly to your bedroom for convenient access anytime of the day or night.
- Privacyhaving your own bathroom means you don’t have to worry about housemates walking in or using your toiletries. Having your own bathroom attached to your bedroom also means you don’t have to walk down the hallway of your shared flat in your towel or robe.
Disadvantages
- Cost– rent tends to be higher for en suite rooms because of the additional private amenities. Also, if bills are not already included in your rent payments, they might be higher than usual; you may use more water, gas and electricity than you would with shared facilities.
- Size– en suite bathrooms are smaller than shared bathrooms. Moreover, bedrooms with en suites can be smaller than shared bathrooms because the en suite may encroach into some of the bedroom space.
- Responsibility– although you will only need to clean up after yourself, sharing the burden of cleaning and buying cleaning products/toiletries can be helpful. You may only be responsible for cleaning the bathroom monthly instead of weekly. You would also only need to buy one set of cleaning products for the time whilst at the flat.
What are the en suite room options for students?
En suite rooms trump shared bathrooms in many aspects, aside from cost and size. However, if you decide you would like the benefits of an en suite room while living in shared accommodation, there are various options.
Halls of residence
A student hall is shared university accommodation, usually available for first-year students. They’re often located on campus, in a student village or with easy transport links to campus, making them convenient. They’re also a great way to meet other students when you first start university. A disadvantage is that the most desirable properties get filled quickly, and you may be left with your second or third choice. Even if you want an en suite room, you may not be able to get one. Alternatively, the rooms that are allocated may be smaller/more expensive than you anticipated.
Student Housing
Student housing offers multiple-occupancy houses (HMOs) that are let out to groups of students and its very rare to find en suite rooms in student houses. Generally, student housing is relatively affordable because it tends to be less modern and maintained than student flats or private accommodations. However, ensuite rooms will significantly bump your rent prices, especially if you were lucky enough to secure the en suite.
Private accommodation
When you rent a room or apartment from a private landlord or organisation, there are many more options. Private student accommodation can offer en suite rooms, rooms with shared bathrooms, and even single-occupancy apartments. Private accommodation also tends to be more modern and maintained to a higher standard than student housing or halls of residence. Private accommodation can offer additional complimentary amenities such as social spaces, cinema rooms and games rooms so students can make the most out of shared and solo living.
Why choose an en suite bathroom?
En suite bathrooms are the obvious choice for anyone who values privacy and wants to ensure their bathroom remains clean and tidy. For many students, shared accommodation is appealing because it offers the benefit of cheaper rent and bills, the company of other students and an excellent opportunity to make friends. However, sharing your living space with others (potentially people you have never met) can be overwhelming. An en suite bathroom in a shared property is the perfect compromise.
Postgraduate and mature students may value the additional personal space but may not be able to afford solo living. In this case, en suite rooms are ideal. Postgraduate students will have a higher workload than most undergraduates and may want the added convenience that an en suite bathroom offers.
For students on a tight budget, a room with a shared bathroom is the cheapest accommodation option but comes at the cost of convenience, potential cleanliness, and privacy. However, those with a slightly more lenient budget may appreciate the benefits of an en suite room.
How Mansion Student can help
Since 2007, Mansion Student has acquired, developed and maintained modern student accommodations throughout some of the most popular student cities in the United Kingdom. We prioritise your welfare during your stay, and will help you through every stage of the booking and tenancy period. Browse through our different student accommodation locations below:
- Student Accommodation Leeds
- Student Accommodation Newcastle
- Student Accommodation Nottingham
- Student Accommodation Durham
- Student Accommodation Dundee
- Student Accommodation Coventry
If you are interested in staying at any of our student accommodations, arrange a viewing here to ensure you are completely happy with the property before booking.
Browse through our student offers here.
Contact Mansion Student today for more information about booking accommodation, or call us at 0800 652 7844.
Renting privately with Mansion Student
Our en suite rooms are ideal for those who want the social and financial benefits of shared accommodation with the privacy of their own bathroom. Here at Mansion Student, we have a range of en suite rooms available at our properties in Dundee, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. All of our properties are well located, near the city centre and the university campus buildings.
You may be able to rent a studio apartment, and these are ideal for students who want a self-contained space to themselves with a private bathroom and kitchen area. Social spaces in Mansion Student properties give students who choose to live alone an opportunity to meet and hang out with their peers. Communal study spaces, games rooms and cinema rooms are excellent places to socialise or get a change of scenery.
We provide a safe and comfortable environment for students. You could maximise benefits such as all-inclusive bills, high-speed broadband, round-the-clock security, modern design and much more. Check out our range of properties now to find your perfect en suite student room.
Related pages
Student accommodation options: Living alone or with others
Student living: should you get all-inclusive accommodation?