Where to search for flats/apartments?

So, I just applied for the visa, and have been looking at places online.  I will wait until I have a visa decision to look more seriously.  I have some URLs I have to find again that I've used, I will post them here later.

Initially I was going to use uni accommodation (at Notts) but after having lived the past few years in cramped quarters I feel like I need some breathing room and privacy (I'm 29 so also I would probably be older than average in the dorms )


So, yes I will need to rent a flat (preferably furnished) in Nottingham, any suggestions welcome and greatly appreciated!

www.rightmove.co.uk is useful for finding flats/apartments/houses and http://nottingham.gumtree.com/nottingham/property-rentals_1479_1.html also has rentals and lots of flat share opportunities as well.

Thanks!

hi there, I'm also going to be in Nottingham this upcoming year. 

I've been looking (primarily) at gumtree, but my boyfriend also suggested this site: http://www.nestoria.co.uk/nottingham/property/rent

And I believe the Uni of Nottingham's accommodation website also has this site, for off campus housing:
http://www.unipol.org.uk/Nottingham/

Also, depending on what you're looking for, you could also look into flat shares, and check out:  sparerooms.co.uk

Hope that helps! Do you know what part of town you're looking to live in?

Thanks PickledSakura!

I'm still undecided about the area.  As a grad student I suppose the closer to campus the more convenient, but I'm also attracted to living in the city per se.  I'll probably end up closer to the city though, as I have to admit this experience is definitely more about living in the UK/Europe than my degree hehe.  With the long winters I'm trying to foresee things such as walking home at night, and I think there would be more activities that I would attend in the city and having a flat close by would be safer, although I've also read that the Notts campus is very socially active.  I visited Nottingham in 2001, and remember that the Uni actually ran double-decker buses for the students between pubs and clubs and the campus.

Nottingham does have pretty good transportation, so between the buses and trams, you should be covered no matter where you decide to live.  On this website, there is a link to discounted travel on both, and I think it is actually linked onto your student id.

I'll most likely end up in the city centre as well. My boyfriend studies at nottingham trent, so we're trying to find somewhere that's in between both campuses.  A friend of mine actually attended Uni of Notts two years ago.. She lived on campus, but I remember her saying she spent a lot of her time at friends' places in Lenton, which is close to the university, but only a short ride from the city.


As an aside--what are you going for?! I'll be doing an MRes in Chemistry. And, are you going for the international welcome week starting 13 Sept?

I did more searching today and found the area where I'd like to focus....it's called The Park...I used the 'little walking man' in google and that area is gorgeous and of course it turns out that it is the most sought after area.  I will definitely look into Lenton, I had eliminated Lenton because I had read some months ago that it was a bad area but I'll check again.  I also found out about Hicking Building, it's across the rail station (in Broadmarsh) in the corner of Queens Rd and London Rd, but in general the area doesn't look residential, there is a Hooters in the first floor too.

So The Park is mostly houses where you'd rent a first floor or second floor, I prefer a little more privacy so I'm trying to find names of apartment buildings in the area surrounding The Park (Derby Rd, Maid Marian Way, Wollaston (?) and probably Lenton as well).  Just read today there are very frequent buses picking up students along Derby Rd, but yes Nottingham has excellent transportation anyway.

I'll be doing an MSc in Electrical Tech for Renewable Energy Systems (what I am hoping equates to an MSEE when I return and get the degree evaluated).  I did sign up for the Welcome Programme, I was so impressed that they provide free accommodation and coach
 
Thanks for the link! 

Couldn't you contact you uni for housing advice and help? 

Or am I missing something? 

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/Studywithus/StudentLife/Internationalstudents.aspx

I did more searching today and found the area where I'd like to focus....it's called The Park...I used the 'little walking man' in google and that area is gorgeous and of course it turns out that it is the most sought after area.  

I think the Park is so cute! I've seen places listed on gumtree that are located there, and within hours they're taken down, as I assume they've been rented. The ones I've seen are BEAUTIFULLY decorated, and I also like what I've read about it on Wikipedia.

Good luck on your course, I'm probably going to be signing up for the welcome programme soon. I saw the free accommodation, but hopefully I'll have a place to stay by then anyway.

Thanks for the link mapleleafgirl72, I guess now that I have a specific area I will contact them.

Good luck to you too PickledSakura, everything with U of Nottingham has been so smooth so far that I expect my course to go very well.