Shared apartment or student housing in London: how to choose?

Residence hall, shared apartment or studio: the price of a room in London in 2026, neighborhoods to target and the new English tenancy rules since May 1, 2026.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

9 July 2023

Updated on

6 October 2026

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As a student in London, you have three main options: a room in a university residence (halls), a room in a shared apartment (flatshare) or a studio of your own. Sharing is the most common solution once the first year is over: according to the SpareRoom platform, a room rented for an average of £979 per month in London in the second quarter of 2026, while the average rent for a whole home reached £2,332 in August 2026 according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The right choice depends on your budget, how long you are staying and where your university is. Since May 1, 2026, a far-reaching tenancy reform also applies in England: length, notice, advance rent and security deposit are governed by new rules that are worth knowing before you sign.

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Residence hall, shared apartment or studio: comparing the options

The university residence

London universities have residences, run by the universities themselves or by private operators. If you are arriving from abroad, this is the simplest solution: no viewings to organize and no roommates to find. Places are limited: ask your institution's housing office as soon as you are admitted, and check what the rent includes. University residences follow different rules from private rentals.

The shared apartment

A room in a shared apartment or house is still the cheapest way to live in the city. SpareRoom recorded an average of £979 per month for a room in London in the second quarter of 2026, the most expensive city in the UK for sharing, well ahead of Edinburgh (£834) and Oxford (£814). Across Greater London as a whole, the average was £915, down slightly by 0.2% over a year. Supply is tightening: the number of rooms offered fell by 3.2% over a year nationwide, a first in three years.

Check what the advertised price includes. A room may be offered with bills included or not: electricity, gas, water, internet and local tax (Council Tax) are then added to the rent and shared between roommates.

The studio or one-bedroom apartment

More privacy, but a much higher budget. Based on the ranges recorded for a one-bedroom apartment, expect £1,800 to £2,200 per month in Shoreditch or Hackney, and £1,400 to £1,700 in Stratford or Walthamstow. The average rent across all types of home reaches £3,690 in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the most expensive in the country according to the ONS. With two or three people, a shared apartment in a larger flat almost always costs less per person.

Add transport

A monthly Oyster pass for zones 1 and 2 costs about £164. Lower rent in zone 3 or 4 can be partly offset by a pricier pass and longer journeys: work out the numbers to your campus.

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Neighborhoods to consider for a student shared apartment

London has 32 boroughs with very different profiles. The right neighborhood is first of all one that is well connected to your university: look at the commute time before the rent.

Shoreditch and Hackney (east, zone 2)

Creative, lively neighborhoods with a dense nightlife and cultural scene. Rents there have risen but remain below those of the center, and sharing is very common.

Islington (north, zone 2)

Well served by the Tube (Victoria Line and Northern Line), appreciated for its neighborhood feel and restaurants. For a one-bedroom apartment, expect £1,900 to £2,300 per month: in a shared apartment, it is more affordable.

Brixton and Clapham (south, zones 2 and 3)

Multicultural, lively neighborhoods, connected by the Tube and the Overground, popular with young professionals and students. A one-bedroom apartment there rents for £1,700 to £2,100 per month.

Stratford and Walthamstow (east, zones 3 and 4)

Among the most affordable options, with the Elizabeth Line and the Overground to reach the center. Rents for a one-bedroom apartment there range from £1,400 to £1,700 per month.

Greenwich and Croydon (south)

Greenwich, family-friendly and green, offers more affordable rents than zone 2. Croydon, in zones 4 and 5, is among the cheapest areas, with an average rent of around £1,471 per month, but journeys to the center are longer.

Application, lease and new rules since May 2026

Documents to prepare

Passport or ID card, and proof of your right to rent (Right to Rent): the landlord must check this right for every adult tenant before the tenancy starts.
A certificate of enrollment or an admission letter from your university.
Proof of funds: bank statements, scholarship or funding certificate.
Often, a guarantor. Without a UK-resident guarantor, prepare a fallback and ask your university whether it offers a scheme.

What the Renters' Rights Act changes

Since May 1, 2026, every new tenancy signed with a private landlord in England is an "assured periodic" tenancy: it renews from month to month (or week to week), with no end date. Most former one-year leases (assured shorthold tenancy) have become leases of this type. In practice:

You can leave by giving two months' written notice.
No rent before signing: the landlord can neither ask for nor accept a rent payment before the lease is signed, and then at most one month in advance.
No bidding: the rent must be stated in the listing and the landlord cannot accept a higher offer.
Capped rent increases: once a year at most, never in the first twelve months, with two months' notice.
No-fault eviction abolished, but a student shared-housing landlord (HMO) can take the property back at the end of the academic year.

Note: these rules do not apply in the same way if you live in a university residence or with a host (lodger).

Security deposit and fees

The security deposit is capped at five weeks' rent when the annual rent is below £50,000. If one is requested, the landlord must place it in a government-approved protection scheme.
A holding deposit is possible, up to one week's rent.
Never pay before you have viewed the place, in person or through someone you trust, and be wary of a very low rent in a central neighborhood.
Have your contract checked: the University of London's housing service, for example, offers contract-checking appointments to students of its member institutions.

Searching from France

The London market is tight and the supply of rooms is shrinking. From abroad, it is hard to visit in time, check the property and understand a lease written under rules that have just changed.

A Remoters home finder based in London can search for you based on your university and budget, visit rooms or studios, prepare your application and review the lease before you sign. The first conversation and the quote are free.