It’s the most significant school season of the year again, and probably the biggest concern for new students before they come to Melbourne is “accommodation”. Where is the best place to live in Melbourne? How to rent an apartment? How long to rent? Accommodation is an essential part of your study life: living too far away from the school will make it easy for you to find excuses for skipping classes. Not having restaurants and supermarkets in the neighbourhood will cause you to have irregular meals and work routines. Living too poorly may affect your daily life and study status; living too well may bring financial burdens.
Choosing a place to live is essential, and this guide will give you an insight into all aspects of renting an apartment from the perspective of a six-year Melbourne veteran.
Housing Type and Price Reference
Apartment
Introduction: This kind of house is a flat in a high-rise building; generally, the more prosperous the area, the more dense this kind of building is. And the higher number of floors, primarily found in the CBD Box Hill and other regions. The better-conditioned apartment buildings will also have free swimming pools, gyms and other facilities.
Types of apartments: Usually, there are one-bedroom and one-bath, two-bedroom and one-bath, two-bedroom and two-bath and so on.
Suitable for: students studying near the CBD, ideal for sharing one person’s room with others and then sharing the kitchen, living room and other areas.
Price: expensive, many flat houses will set up a hall bedroom in order to save rent. That is to say, the living room and then living with another person is generally cheaper to rent a hall bedroom, but they have less privacy.
(Reference price: CBD area two rooms and one bathroom total rent about 650 knives/week, hall bedroom about 200 knives/week)
House
Introduction: This type of house is the most common type of housing in Australia. That is to say, a whole house usually has two floors, a small yard, and a garage.
House type: There are many types of houses. Usually, the house type is more significant; three rooms, four rooms, and five rooms are widespread.
Suitable for: students studying in the suburbs (such as Monash Cau and Clay campuses), sharing a room with others. Then, we shared the kitchen, living room, and other areas.
Price: It is cheaper because it is in the suburbs, and because there are more rooms, more people can pay the rent, so the rent is cheaper. However, in popular areas close to schools, the rents of some houses have risen a lot in recent years due to the increase in the number of international students.
(Reference price: the price of a single room in a large house in famous school districts ranges from $150-250, depending on the location and condition of the house.)
Studio
Introduction: A studio is usually a tiny flat with a bathroom, shower, kitchen area, bed, desk, wardrobe and other facilities in one room. This type of house is usually found in student flats, which are small in size. One person can live in one room and enjoy all the facilities without sharing with anyone else. If it is a student flat, there will be communal laundry, study room, game room and other supporting facilities, and small social activities will be held regularly.
House type: All-in-one, everything in one house.
Suitable for: those who like to live alone and want to live very close to the school
Price: Expensive. Because these flats are usually very close to the school or even right next to the school building, they are costly, and demand usually outstrips supply. And you don’t have to share the space with anyone because you can enjoy all the facilities alone.
(Reference price: about 450 knives/week in CBD, about 300 knives/week in Monash Clayton campus)
Homestay
Introduction: Homestay is boarding in a local’s home. Sometimes, the owner is a local, usually packaged meals (but the meals are generally not good), and there is a room of their own. Then, the family shares all the other areas like this. Many students will highly recommend living in a homestay before they come here for the first time. And they will help you to find a good one. However, according to my own experience and the experience of many students and friends who have lived in a homestay around me, if you are already 18 years old, living in a homestay is not a very good choice. Most students who come to homestay usually stay for a week or two and start looking for their apartment. The reasons are as follows:
- Low freedom is equivalent to living with a stranger’s family, and your behaviour is still restricted.
- The homestay many agents find for you may be far from your school. Last semester, I met an RMIT freshman girl who had to take a tram for one and a half hours every day from homestay to school. Australia is sparsely populated; sometimes, I don’t dare go home alone in the evening class when it’s dark.
Suitable for: Homestay is ideal for students who are more cheerful and outgoing or want to practise speaking. Most of the rental period is more flexible, and there is usually no problem with moving out after a few weeks.
Price: It is expensive because the rent includes meals, but usually the meals are not good. And you may still eat out by yourself (of course, we can’t rule out a few students who are lucky enough to meet a family that doesn’t skimp on food).
(Reference price: This is impossible because various factors significantly affect it. In my senior year, I lived in a homestay with 300 knives/week meals)
Length of Lease, Subletting
Rental Period
If you are looking for a regular agent to sign a rental contract, the rental period will usually start from at least half a year (most of them still start from one year).
Suppose you are looking for a personal landlord to sign the contract. Then, the rental period should be negotiable, but generally, the landlord also hopes to rent. The longer, the better, so the landlord may increase the price if the rental period is short.
If it’s a sub-contract from someone else you’re accepting, the tenancy should be for the remaining dates on their contract.
Subletting (Transferring a Contract)
If you have already signed a tenancy agreement but want to move out before the end of the agreed term, you can choose to sublet the property as a subcontract. The new tenants must find out for themselves first, then contact the agent or the landlord. The two tenants will bring their documents with them to complete the procedure for the sub-contract. (However, there is usually a fee for subletting, usually one week’s rent + tax).
What is the Right Area to Rent an Apartment
RMIT city campus, Monash city campus, University of Melbourne Parkville campus.
Those who study in these schools usually live in Melbourne’s busiest CBD area, which is very close to the school. Or you can select some areas around the CBD, such as Southbank, etc., that are directly connected to the city by tram or train in a few minutes.
The University of Melbourne Parkville Campus
If you think the rent is too expensive, you can live north of the CBD, such as in North Melbourne, Parkville, Brunswick, etc. Usually, it is very close to the campus, and there will be a tram directly to the campus. If you live in the Brunswick area, it takes about 20-30 minutes to get to Melbourne by tram.
Monash Caulfield Campus
Monash Caulfield campus students, in addition to the Caulfield area, the surrounding area can be rented from the Caulfield one-stop distance area in Carnegie, Malvern. In addition, you can also live in the busier South Yarra area, which is located between the CBD and CAU. A daily 15-minute direct train from South Yarra station to Cau station makes it more convenient to come to class.
Monash Clayton Campus
Monash Clayton campus students, in addition to the Clayton area, can rent a room from the Clayton closer to Notting Hill, Mount Waverley, Huntingdale, etc. These areas generally have a bus that goes directly to the Clayton campus. (However, the railway station in Clayton is, in fact, very far away from the Clayton campus. And you have to take a 10-minute bus ride after getting off the train. However, the area around the railway station in Clayton is a relatively prosperous Chinese business district, with many large Hong Kong superstores and various Chinese restaurants).
Monash Peninsula Campus
This campus is relatively remote, where the area is called Frankston. Around these areas, try to rent a close to the school (with a car, then casual)
Deakin University Burwood Campus
About 10 minutes drive from Deakin University Burwood Campus. Box Hill is Melbourne’s famous Chinese area; countless Chinese food and Chinese goods are available here, so many Deakin students also choose to live in Box Hill and the Burwood area within the other big prevalent Deakin Chinese students live there.
Reliable Rental Channels
Uhomes
Website: https://en.uhomes.com/
Site Description:
Uhomes is a global long-term rental flat booking platform. The properties are located in 900 major cities worldwide, near 2700 colleges and universities, with 3 million properties available for rent or sale. We provide a one-stop service for branded flats, boutique B&Bs, overseas new homes, etc. Uhomes has helped nearly 50,000 international students find the right place to live worldwide. 99.9% of consultants with experience studying abroad recommend quality property information for you. Booking and renting of flats for international students, matching of needs and renting of overseas B&Bs, matching of homestay needs.
Rental Procedures
Five Steps Involved in Signing a Rental Contract:
- Make an appointment to see the property on-site or by video. Pay a deposit: this is usually a personal landlord or sublet to contract. The other party fears you will regret not renting and will charge you part of the deposit. If you sign the contract on time, this part of the deposit is the first month’s rent deduction or direct refund.
- After viewing the property, you are sure you want to rent it. If the landlord agrees to rent it, you must pay a bond, also known as a security deposit, usually one month’s rent. The deposit is paid to the government and will be returned after the lease has expired if there is no damage to the property or anything else.
- Bring your documents, sign the contract, and carefully check all entries.
- Take the key and move in.
- Open the account for the bills such as electricity, gas, water and internet.
Things to Note
Before deciding to rent an apartment, see it in person!
Or ask someone to help you to see the house! Otherwise, it is easy to overlook some of the house’s defects, and in the end, even if you find the defects and do not want to rent, the deposit can not be recovered!
Be wary of “second landlords”!
What is a second landlord? It is to rent you this house, charge you rent, and sign a rental contract with the individual who is not the house owner (not the agent). He rented you the house, which is also rented from someone else. Such a “landlord” is called a “second landlord”, which is, in fact, illegal in Australia, and many rental disputes and cases start from such a situation. So before you rent an apartment, ask about the property!
What about the house when you return on holiday for three months?
The summer holiday in Australia is from mid-November to the end of February every year, which is over three months! What if my house is vacant in Melbourne after I return home?
Below are some standard solutions:
- Rent it out to someone else
- Pack up and use it for Airbnb, or give it to Airbnb to host.
- Use it to help others store their holiday luggage.
But in most cases, if the house is still rented after the holiday back home, then more or less, you will still lose a little money; it is difficult to say 100% can earn back, so do not worry too much.
FAQ
Rental experience sharing refers to students in Melbourne sharing their experiences and insights regarding rental accommodations, including tips, advice, and recommendations for fellow students.
Rental experience sharing is crucial for students as it provides them with valuable information about different neighborhoods, rental prices, landlord reviews, and overall living conditions. It helps them make informed decisions when searching for suitable accommodation.
Various online platforms and communities are dedicated to sharing rental experience among students in Melbourne. These include student forums, social media groups, and specialized websites on student accommodation.
By tapping into the collective experiences of other students, rental experience sharing can provide valuable insights into common scams, untrustworthy landlords, or problematic rental situations. This knowledge helps students avoid potential pitfalls and make more secure choices.
Yes, common tips and recommendations shared through rental experience sharing include budgeting for accommodation, understanding lease agreements, conducting thorough inspections, dealing with maintenance issues, and navigating the rental market in Melbourne.
