What is the cost?

 

Living DO NOT charge property owners any fees. Our rent offer is guaranteed once suitable tenants are secured at the advertised rent with NO management charges deducted. Our average weekly guaranteed rent payable to property owners is £60 per tenant per week.

 

Standard undergraduate shared household leases are 46 or 48 weeks.

Smaller family homes/flats are generally marketed to Post Graduate students / members of staff and leases are 50 weeks. 

 

All our leases are supplemented by a week summer license, which means the property remains exempt from Council Tax during the summer vacation. This vacant period allows for inspections, cleaning, general repairs, planned maintenance and refurbishment where necessary.

 

NB. Because all Living's management costs are paid through students rent, rather than a fee paid by the landlord our property owners pay NO VAT.

 

What are the key advantages of the students' union Headlease scheme?

 

  • Once a lease is signed with Living then, provided the property owner complies with the terms and condition of the lease and related offer letter, rent payments are guaranteed for the duration of the lease 
  • Living do not make any additional charges to our property owners where legal action and related advice is required to collect rents or undertake possessions proceedings
  • Management charges made in respect of our services are deducted from student rents rather than being paid by the property owner so no VAT
  • During the lease Living act as the tenants ‘landlord’ on all property / tenancy matters
  • Living arrange all viewings and draw up all leases. Once leases have been signed by a group of suitable tenants, then the property owner will be provided with a lease and the property owner rent is guaranteed
  • Living collect and hold all monies due in respect of the lease – Living DO NOT charge fees to our property owners or a deposit to our tenants
  • Living provide free buildings and contents insurance for our managed shared household properties through McLaren Neve
  • Living provide an inclusive day to day repair service which covers the majority of repairs up to a value of £100
  • Living provide a comprehensive gas service plan through BHE Services Ltd. This cover includes all labour, a gas certificate, an annual service and a £100 contribution per repair towards any materials/parts
  • Living undertake termly inspections and provide a cleaning service for all our shared households
  • Living work with Lancaster University to ensure all our properties comply with their Lancaster University Homes standard. Living also cover all membership fees related to this scheme
  • Living support our property owners to ensure all our properties comply with Lancaster City Council’s HMO Licensing Scheme

 

Marketing & promotions

 

Living provide a full marketing service for all our properties which includes web adverts on our own website, Lancaster University Homes and Sturent. Living also undertake a range of direct marketing through our campus office, adverts in our students' union newspaper – SCAN, direct email promotions as well as various marketing campaigns throughout the academic year eg. Freshers Fair, House of the Week, Welcome Packs etc

 

What standards must be met?


The following requirements are provided as a guide and may vary depending on size and type of the property and the requirements of Lancaster University Homes Accredited Property Scheme and Lancaster City Council’s Licensing regulations, as well as the students' union’s own requirements.

 

• Properties must meet the Lancaster University Homes accreditation standard and comply with Lancaster City Council Licensing regulations where necessary.

 

• Properties must be situated in south Lancaster between the University and the city

 

• Properties must be in a good state of repair and have modern kitchens and bathrooms

 

• The houses must be appropriately furnished and provide a good quality of accommodation

 

• Properties must be self-contained and provide vacant possession

 

• Kitchen’s must include an oven, hob, microwave, fridge and freezer and a washing machine – we don’t require kettles and toasters etc

 

• A communal lounge must be large enough for the number of designated tenants and must include a television and an active telephone line – Living provide our shared households with a TV Licence, Fibre Broadband and IT support

 

• Bathrooms must be modern and should ideally provide for an electric shower

 

• Bedrooms must be of an appropriate size (over 6.5m²)

 

• Lounges, bedrooms and kitchens must have adequate natural lighting

 

• Heating must be safe and efficient, gas central heating or modern electric storage heaters – Living provide our shared households with gas and electric 

 

• Properties must have a current energy performance certificate at E or above

 

Statutory requirements?

 

ELECTRICITY AND GAS SAFETY

 

BHE service all Living boilers annually and issue a gas certificate on behalf of our property owners

 

Living property owners are responsible for providing a current Electrical Certificate – Living are able to assist with this requirement

 

Furniture supplied by a property owner must satisfy the requirements in the regulations dealing with ignitability and labelling - Living provide access to good quality furniture packs to include bedroom and sofa sets through a local provider

 

How are repairs managed?

 

Even the best houses need repairing from time to time. Our aim is to ensure that property repairs are carried out promptly and effectively and at NO or LIMITED cost to our owners

 

Under the terms of Living’s ‘Shared Household Repairs Arrangement’ Living accept responsibility for those day to day repairs which occur during the tenancy

 – up to a value of £100 + VAT per repair

 

Works completed under this arrangement are undertaken by Living authorised contractors 

 

Exclusions from this arrangement relate to repairs emanating from before the commencement of Living’s lease, any scheduled works / refurbishment for which the property owner is responsible, works relating to the Property Owners legislative requirements i.e. gas and electricity certification, HMO and Licensing requirements and any structural / external repairs (to include gardens and yard), and any repairs arising from inherent defects.

 

Property Owners accept responsibility for maintaining garden areas

 – but LUSU can undertake this work on behalf of the property owner if requested

 

What are the Living let furnishing requirements?

 

  • All furniture must be in good condition at the start of tenancies
  • Suitable Flooring must be provided throughout
  • All windows must have appropriate dressing
  • Light bulbs and lampshades must be provided throughout

 

What insurance cover do i need?

 

Living provide free buildings and contents insurance for all our shared household properties through McLaren Neve

 

Property Owners of Postgraduate and family properties managed through Living are provided with access to low cost student accommodation buildings insurance

 

How can i arrange a new property inspection?

 

If you are interested in joining our Living headlease scheme or have any questions please visit the Living office, call 01524 592170 or email lusu.living@lancaster.ac.uk 

We’re open Monday to Friday 10-4pm, 50 weeks a year (Closed Christmas and Easter weeks)