Safety and Security: What to Look for in Your Student Accommodation

When you start uni for the first time, you’re not just starting uni: you’re also starting life in a completely new city. This can be daunting as you won’t know the area that well at first. This can definitely raise some safety concerns, especially if you moved there all by yourself. However, there are some things you can do prior to moving to make sure you are living in the safest area possible. Read on to discover our top tips for selecting a safe neighbourhood for your student accommodation!

1. Do some research on the neighbourhood

Before you commit to moving somewhere new, read up on the neighbourhood to see what it’s like. Is it a safe place to walk around? What is the crime rate? Ask friends, consult Google, or even go with a mate and scope it out yourself first.

2. Is it lit?

Pun intended, but we don’t actually mean if the neighbourhood is a good place to party. We mean literally! Are the streets well-lit? Are there enough streetlights for when you’re returning home from uni at night?  These are both important safety factors. You can use the “street view” feature on Google to determine if the area is well-lit, or again, just go with a mate and check it out before you decide on your student accommodation.

3. What’s the security like in the building itself?

Making sure that your student accommodation is in a safe neighbourhood is one thing, but you also need to make sure that the property itself has security measures in place as well. Before you commit to living anywhere, find out if the property has a 24-hour security presence. This can mean a lot of different things. Is it manned security so that someone from the property management team is on site 24 hours a day? Or, is it CCTV to record what's happening around the property? Or, is it monitored CCTV? In big blocks, there should be manned security 24 hours a day. These are factors that you can likely usually find on the student accommodation’s website, or you can call them up and ask.

4. What’s the security like in your actual room?

Aside from the safety measures in the neighbourhood and building, it is also important to check what the security is like in your room. Some rooms are now keyless and work on your phone, via biometric fingerprint, and some have a good old fashioned key. It is also worth checking how much a replacement key is just in case you lose it or you get locked out. These are also questions you can likely find the answer to on the website or by calling the property.

It is also vital to notice where the room is. Is it on the first floor? If so, can you close the curtains at night? Do you feel safe being on the first floor in that neighborhood?

5. Check on the security policy of the building

Before you move into your student accommodation, it is also a good idea to check on the safety policy of the building. Is contents insurance included in the room? If it is, does it include cover away from the room, and how much cover does it include? Double check if you will you need to get your own travel insurance and contents insurance.Regardless of the neighbourhood that you end up booking your student accommodation in, remember to always exercise safety When you walk around your neighbourhood, particularly at night. Only carry what you need, do not carry large sums of money, and do not appear lost or too absorbed in your phone. Keep your things on you and your wits about you no matter where and when you are walking. 

You can use Dorms.com to browse student accommodation in cities all over the world! Simply enter your city or university in the search bar on the homepage along with the approximate dates you will be arriving and departing. You can then filter the accommodation you see by price, location, and other important factors. Thanks for choosing Dorms.com!