If you get house-hunting right, then you could end up in a luxury apartment with your best friends. If you get it wrong though, then 2009 could turn into a year you’d rather forget! Lifestyle has decided to help you and come up with some tips to make sure you’re ‘safe as houses’...

Think carefully when choosing your housemates. Do they have the same lifestyle and interests as you? If you’ve spent a year living in halls together it should be possible to tell whether you can put up with them for another twelve months! Also, don’t forget that when boyfriends and girlfriends live together it it can cause tension, especially if they break up half way through the year. Finally, remember that just because someone’s fun on a night out doesn’t mean they’re fun to live with!

It’s a student myth that you need to begin house-hunting before Christmas or only the cramped, dingy, rat-infested places will be left over. It’s fine to leave it until February, and there are more houses than students in Southampton, so there’s no need to panic!

Portswood is the main student area in Southampton, but nice houses can be found in Highfield and near the Avenue too. It’s important to pay attention to the neighbourhood when you house-hunt: it might look safe during the day, but would you feel safe walking there at night? Other things to consider include whether there’s a bustop nearby, or if there’s any shops in the area.

Also, if your neighbours are families with young children rather than students they’ll be more likely to phone the police if you have a party, rather than join in with the fun!

Southampton University Advice and Information Centre (SUAIC) can help solve any housing issues. For example, they’ll let you know if the landlord or letting agency you’re hunting with has been blacklisted before. They will even check your contract through for you. Visit www.suaic.susu.org for more helpful housing hints.

Remember, don’t let anyone rush you into a decision, or you could end up moving into a house which is full of workmen and ends up costing twice as much as your student loan!

THE ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST FOR HOUSE HUNTING STUDENTS:

1) Make sure that any requests for repairs you want get put down in writing.

2) Inspect the property thoroughly: look at kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms to see if everything is in working order.

3) Are there enough facilities in the house for the number of people who’ll be living there? No matter how nice the bathroom looks, is one shower really going to be enough between seven people?

4) Is the house actually safe to live in? Check that the landlord has a gas safety certificate, and see if there are fire alarms installed. Also, make sure the house is secure, and all the locks on doors and windows work.

5) Finally, is the rent reasonable for what you‘re getting? The house might be huge, but do the facilities provided really justify a £70 a week price tag?

Happy House-hunting!