This section provides advice about privately renting. It covers:
- Private Renting
- Shared Accommodation
- Hostels
- Rent in Advance and Deposit Loan
- Tenancies
- Tenancy Agreements
- Housing Benefit
- How to find accommodation
Privately renting
Private rented accommodation is owned or leased by private landlords. The rent is more expensive that Council or Housing Association accommodation. Properties range from single rooms in shared properties to houses and vary in quality and cost. Rents also depend on the size and location of the property. In general, privately rented accommodation in Wokingham is not cheap and you will usually be asked to pay a deposit and/or rent in advance before you move in.
Shared Accommodation
In shared accommodation you usually have your own bedroom and share the rest of the property with other tenants and/or the landlord/lady. Shared accommodation is generally the cheapest and easiest to find. An advantage to shared accommodation is that the bills are usually included in the rent and the deposit and rent in advance are also cheaper.
You may consider this as an option in order to save up money towards a deposit and rent in advance to enable you to secure self contained accommodation at a future time.
Shared Accommodation may also be advertised as rooms, house/flat shares or bedsits.
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Room – This may be a room in the landlord’s house or a room where other people share facilities such as a bathroom, kitchen, garden and living area. This is often the cheapest accommodation available
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House/Flat Share – Again you will have your own room and share the rest of the property; the main difference is that you will probably have more contact with the other tenants and there may be fewer of them. You may find the facilities are better than when renting a room although this may be reflected in the cost.
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Bedsit – You will have your own room with cooking and washing facilities but will often share a bathroom and toilet.
Hostels
If you are a single person you may be able to find accommodation in a hostel. Please call the Housing Team, for a hostel list, on: 0118 974 6752 / 974 6754.
