It’s important you’re living somewhere you feel comfortable in while you’re studying at Solent. Local students may choose to live at home during their time at the University, but all students can choose to live in either University residences or private accommodation.
If you haven’t organised your accommodation yet, take a look at the options below and get in contact with us.
Student residences
Our five halls of residence are all located in the city centre. They provide around 1,250 single study-bedrooms with a mix of en-suite and non-en-suite university accommodation.
Get social
Our residences have their own Facebook group. Joining the group is a great way to get to know the people you'll be living alongside before you even move in.
Join the residences Facebook group
Admin stuff
There are a few important 'admin' things you should sort out before you move in, like contents insurance, TV Licence and registering for Wi-Fi. Find out how.
Moving in
You've secured your accommodation, now what? Find out what's already in your room and tips on what to bring with you, plus what happens on moving in day.
Make it your own
We asked BA (Hons) Interior Design student, Lucy Taylor for her top tips for decorating your room. Here's what she says.
Private accommodation
Some students prefer a bit more independence and choose not to live in halls, but rent in the private sector either in a flat or house with friends, or lodging with a resident landlord.
Find out about living in private sector accommodation
Rubbish collections and recycling
If you’re living in private rented accommodation, you’ll need to get to know your rubbish and recycling collections. We’ve got the basics covered below:
Alternate weekly collection in Southampton
Your general waste (green-lidded bin) will be collected one week, and your glass and recycling (grey box and blue-lidded bin) will be collected the next.
To see your bin collection days, visit Southampton City Council’s website and enter your postcode.
What goes where?
Green-lidded bin: this is for household waste. Basically all the junk that can’t be recycled, including food waste and polystyrene.
Blue-lidded bin: this is for recycling. Paper, magazines, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins, cans, and empty aerosols can all go in here… but no plastic bags or bin bags.
If you’re not sure which bin to use for what, check with your landlord.
If your bin is missing, you can report it to the council.
Unwanted clothes, shoes and textiles
If you have unwanted shoes, clothes or other textiles, try donating these to local charity shops. Alternatively, there are red British Heart Foundation textile banks at our student residences, or you can deposit these in the yellow textile bank at the Central Baptist Church on Devonshire Road.
Stay safe at home
Fire safety
Candles and smoking are both banned in our student residences, and smoke alarms have already been fitted.
If you’re living in private accommodation, make sure this is equipped with working smoke alarms. If they don’t work, ask your landlord to replace them. If you have any problems, check out the Hampshire Fire and Rescue website for advice.
Top tips to avoid fire hazards:
- Keep your doors and halls clear of junk, in case you need to make a quick getaway.
- Don’t leave lit cigarettes unsupervised.
- Make the most of the waste and recycling collections to avoid rubbish piling up in your kitchen bins or in your garden.
Smell gas?
Exit the building leaving the door open behind you. Call the National Gas Emergency Services on 0800 111 999 (available 24 hours a day).
Keeping your home secure
Don’t make your home a tempting target. Open windows and unlocked doors are an open invitation to burglars. Keep everything locked and leave keys out of sight. Stash your valuables where they can’t be seen from the window. And if you’ve bought an exciting new toy, don’t advertise it by leaving the box out by the bin. You can register your valuables at www.immobilise.com, so that if anything does happen, you’re more likely to be able to find them again.
Store your things over the holidays. Don’t leave your stuff in an unoccupied house over the holidays – take it home with you, or stash it at a local secure storage provider. Many of these offer student discounts, so shop around and find the best deal for you.
Need help?
If you’re unhappy or at all worried about your new home, call our accommodation team on 023 8201 5040, or visit the accommodation office on the third floor of the Andrews building in East Park Terrace.
Everybody loves good neighbours
Remember, not all of your neighbours are students. And even if they are, they probably don’t want to listen to your favourite Bieber track on repeat all night. To stay in their good books and be part of a happy community, remember these simple points:
If you're heading into town, on your way home from a night out, or planning a house party, keep the noise down. Other people in your neighbourhood may need to be up for work at 6am, or have small children who are sleeping. They will appreciate your consideration.
Our student residences always have staff on site, and the Polygon is a designated quiet zone, so if your windows are shaking or you can’t hear your mates speak, it’s probably too loud.
And if it is too loud, you may get a visit from the council, or even the police. They have the power to hand out £80 on-the-spot fines and noise abatement notices. Excess noise could also mean you end up either: a) with all your audio equipment confiscated (including tablets, phones speakers and games consoles), or: b) in court. Not quite so rock and roll.
Southampton is an alcohol controlled area. This means that if you’re found with alcohol on the streets, Police and PCSOs will ask you to hand it over. Failure to do so is an offence, and you could be fined up to £500. Don’t risk it.
