Leaving university to get started in a career can be an exciting and challenging time. There will be much to consider when transitioning into the professional sphere after your studies or after living with family.
If you have a job offer you will need to consider which type of accommodation you will need or, if you are looking for a fresh start before beginning your job search, you will need to decide where you will live. What kind of city will suit your expectations as a non-student?
This article will cover the accommodation options for professionals and apprentices, and it will explore some different accommodation options that non-students may want to choose when living away from home or university accommodation for the first time. We will finally cover the additional considerations for moving out as a non-student.
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Young professionals
Renting a property as a young professional can be daunting if you don’t know your options or what to expect. You may not be aware but many landlords in the United Kingdom choose to offer properties to only professionals and the options are vast, including:
Flat or house shares
Studio flats
One-bed apartments
Your starting salary will dictate whether you will be able to afford to live alone, in luxury or weather shared accommodation is the best option to start with. Many professionals choose to live in shared accommodation when they first leave university for the familiar, social aspect.
When choosing professional accommodation, as opposed to student housing, you will need to consider the following:
Where are you going to be located (can you get to work easily/ are there good transport links)?
Do you have enough space at home should you need to work from home?
Is there reliable Wi-Fi?
Do you need parking?
Are you located near amenities such as shops, bars and restaurants?
What kind of social life do you want, is this available to you?
Professional considerations for shared accommodation
Do you have enough peace and quiet to work?
How are you splitting bills (look for a solo tenancy with bills included)?
Make sure your housemates are not students
Meet your housemates before you move in
Read about your accommodation options as a young professional
Apprentices
Starting as an apprentice can be an apprehensive but exciting time. Many of your peers might be going to university – being an undergraduate student makes finding accommodation simpler. As an apprentice your accommodation options are still abundant, but it can make knowing your options a little more difficult, especially if you are a degree apprentice.
If you are a degree apprentice, you might be able to take advantage of university halls of residence, but you will need to check as not all universities allow this.
If you are a non-student apprentice you will not be permitted to live in student halls, but this doesn’t stop you living with peers in private student accommodation, if you are looking for the social aspect of young adulthood.
Your priorities as an apprentice may also be slightly different to those of a full-time student. You will have many more contact hours since you will be working a full-time job or the equivalent. Your calendar may not follow the academic year and you may not wish for impromptu mid-week parties that come with the student life. You might also want to choose a more central location, away from the university campus for better access to work and amenities.
You might want to opt for a share flat with young professionals or likeminded apprentices or even postgraduate students. Alternatively, you might be able to afford to live alone, in which case, opt for a studio or a one-bedroom apartment.
Read about your accommodation options as an apprentice here
Flat shares
A popular option for non-students are flat shares, these allow you to take advantage of both the social aspect and reduced living cost that comes with shared living. You may be used to having a shared bathroom, kitchen and living room as a student and you may also already have friends you want to move in with.
You will need to consider how you are sharing bills, weather you are on a solo or joint tenancy and whether you have a similar lifestyle to your housemates. For example, it may not be beneficial to live with a night club worker if you have a 9-5 office job.
Read more about flat shares here
Studio flats
Another popular option for non-students are studio flats. These small, single occupancy apartments with a single open plan room and a separate bathroom are ideal for young professionals or non-students with a limited budget who want to live privately and on their own.
The smaller living space means that rent and utilities are lower and for working individuals who spend much of their time outside of the flat, the limited room may not be a problem. Living alone has its benefits, including, peace and quiet, no compromise and tidier living. However, some may be put off by the lack of companionship.
Studio flats usually attract young, single people and a lot of the time studio flats are located in city centre buildings with room for socialising such as cinema rooms, games rooms and common rooms.
Luxury apartments
Another benefit that may come with being a non-student is a higher salary or wage than what you were used to living off during university. This means that you may be able to afford luxury accommodation. If living in comfort and style is a priority for you, you may want to allocate a larger portion of your salary to accommodation with better features and amenities.
The benefits of luxury accommodation include but are not limited to:
Enhanced security and privacy
Enhanced functionality
Social spaces including cinemas and games rooms
Outdoor space (terrace or balcony)
Gymnasium
Secure parking and storage
Modern interior design and features
Reliable maintenance and hospitality teams
City centre living
Read more about luxury accommodation for non-students here.
Accommodation considerations
Once you have decided to move out after university, you will have to take a few things into consideration, including where you will live. Have you chosen a city, have you chosen a region or borough within that city, and have you decided what kind of accommodation you are looking for? What can you afford? Your rent should be around one third to half of your monthly income but the amount you spend will depend on the lifestyle you want.
You must also consider what you will need to allocate budget on; now you are a non-student you will need to pay council tax.
It’s a good idea to ask current tenants what they think of the accommodation when you go for a viewing; it’s even more important if you are going to be sharing with these people. If you are going to share your accommodation you will need to lay out your expectations of your housemates to make shared living a positive experience.
Read more about accommodation considerations for non-students