Most students spend first year in halls. By the end of the autumn term, though, the question of where to live next has usually come up in at least one group chat.
There are two main routes for second year: stay in halls, or rent a shared house with friends. This article compares the two on cost, space, social life, location, maintenance and contracts. It is for first-years planning their next move and for the parents or guarantors helping them decide.
What Halls and Shared Houses Each Offer in Second Year
Second-year halls come in two forms. Some are run by your university, and others are private purpose-built blocks. Either way, you will usually get your own bedroom (often en-suite) and share a kitchen with a flat of other students. Bills tend to be included, and there is normally a reception or on-site team.
A shared house is different. You and a group of friends rent a whole house together, with your own bedrooms and a shared kitchen, living room and bathroom. If a house sounds like the right fit, Student Cribs has second and third-year houses across 24 UK cities, and you can browse them on student-cribs.com. Look at both options side by side before your group commits to either.
How Rent and Bills Compare Between Halls and Houses
Halls often cost more per week, but the price covers more. Monzo found that university halls across the UK average £192.02 a week, which works out at around £7,681 over a standard 40-week contract. Shared houses usually cost less per week. One national listings site puts a room in a shared house at around £139 a week, compared with roughly £199 for university halls.
So which works out cheaper overall? Compare the full-year totals rather than the weekly rents:
- Halls: weekly rent multiplied by the contract length, with bills usually included.
- House: weekly rent multiplied by the weeks you will pay, plus your share of energy, water and Wi-Fi if they are not included.
Also, if everyone in your house is a full-time student, you can apply to your local council for a council tax exemption.
Space, Privacy and Who You Live With
Halls give you a private room, and often your own bathroom. You may share a kitchen with people you did not choose, though. That suits some students fine. Others find it hard going by the second term.
Houses tend to offer more shared space, with a living room for film nights and sometimes a garden. Plus, you pick your housemates. Most student houses in the UK have bedrooms of different sizes, so agree early how you will decide who gets which room. Some groups pay slightly different rents for different rooms, which can settle the argument before it starts.
Location and Getting to Campus
Halls are often close to campus or the city centre, which helps with early lectures and late library sessions. Shared houses tend to sit in student neighbourhoods a little further out. That can mean a longer walk or a bus fare each day.
Before you sign for any house, do the journey to your department at the time you would normally leave. Check how long the walk actually takes, whether there is a bus, and how the route feels on the way home at night. A short commute might be worth paying a little more for.
Maintenance, Repairs and Support
Repairs in halls are usually handled by an on-site team, and there is often someone to talk to at reception. In a house, your landlord or letting agent handles repairs, so how they manage them makes a big difference to your year. Save the Student’s 2026 survey found that 65% of students had at least one issue with their home, with damp the most common, at 30%.
Ask these questions at every house viewing:
- How do we report a repair?
- How quickly do you usually respond?
- Who do we contact if the boiler breaks in January?
Some landlords, Student Cribs among them, use an online tenant portal where you can report jobs and track repairs. That makes it easier to see what is happening without chasing anyone.
Contracts, Deposits and Guarantors
Contracts work differently for each option. Halls usually come with individual contracts, and deposits vary. For houses, the tenancy deposit is usually around a month’s rent and is capped at five weeks (unless the yearly rent is over £50,000), and it must be protected in a government-approved scheme. Many house landlords also ask for a UK-based guarantor.
Renting rules in England changed on 1 May 2026. For private rentals, landlords can now ask for no more than one month’s rent upfront. Purpose-built student accommodation is outside the scope of the Renters’ Rights Act, so halls contracts can look quite different from house contracts. Rules also differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check Shelter;s guidance for wherever you are studying.
When Halls or a House May Not Suit You
Halls may not be the right fit if:
- your friendship group wants to live together
- you are working to a tight weekly budget
- you would like more shared living space
A house may not suit you if you want fixed bills with no admin, or if your group is not sure about living together yet. Signing for UK student houses with people you have only known for a few weeks is a big commitment. A Unipol survey also found an average gap of £36 a week between what students expected to pay and actual rents, so set your budget on current listings, not guesses.
Which Option Suits Your Second Year?
The right choice depends on your situation:
- A settled group of friends: a shared house gives you space together and usually a lower weekly rent.
- Students who prefer their own space: halls offer privacy and a ready-made support team.
- Anyone who wants one fixed payment: halls with bills included keep budgeting simple.
- International students without a UK guarantor: check which landlords offer alternatives to a guarantor, and remember the new cap on rent in advance in England.
Finding Your Second-Year Home
Halls and shared houses both have clear pros and cons, and neither is right for everyone. Sit down with your potential housemates, agree what matters most, and set a budget that includes bills. Then book viewings, ask plenty of questions, and take your time comparing your options before you sign.
