Students aspire to lap of luxury

9:11am Friday 28th November 2008

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Students are demanding high-quality rented accommodation and landlords are reponding by offering stylish properties with all the latest must-have accessories for an easy lifestyle.

Debbie Swailes of Oxfordlet.com, which has one of the largest portfolios of student accommodation in the city, said: “Today’s students are more discerning and have a clearer idea of their requirements.

“Gone are the days when students lived in overcrowded properties, huddling around a one bar electric fire. Offering a shared room without bathroom facilities is also no longer an option for landlords.”

She added: “Students demand a higher standard of living. Location is importan as are the facilities. However, our properties meet all budgets., The top end is just ‘unbelievable.”

Mrs Swailes said: “We accommodated Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of the Secretary of State in the new Obama US administration.

“She wanted to live in a traditional Jericho property so we had to find a landlord that was willing to accept steel plated armour and a special communication platform as an addition to the property.”

One of Oxfordlet.com’s exclusive properties is a three-bedroomed penthouse at Park View, St Clements, Oxford, pictured above right, It has a large balcony running half way around the property. This home also boasts wooden floors, granite worksurfaces, fully-glazed sliding doors which provide balcony access for two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Park View is the home of students Natalia Delclaux and Maria Do Carmo Guedes,both 20, pictured above left. With another student they rent a three-bedroomed apartment.

Ms Delclaux said: ”Park View is an ideal location for us. It is a short distance from Oxford Brookes University where we are studying and only a ten-minute walk to the city centre.

“The accommodation is ideal as there is plenty of space and we have two bathrooms.”

Tomorrow, Oxfordlet.com is releasing more than 200 student properties in the city. Properties in Jericho have a separate release on January 21.

Mrs Swailes said: “Jericho is a popular student letting location, It has a wonderful cafe and restaurant culture and its own community.

“Last year students slept outside our offices overnight so they could get the best accommodation.”

She added: “Landlords should consider letting their properties to students. All our student property is let every year and there are no void periods.

“Each student has a great room at a good price and the landlord utilises the space more effectively and increases his return on investment.

Fkstudentletting letting launches its portfolio of more thanr 200 student properties on Monday.

The student letting team at the agency’s Internet café at St Clements,,Oxford,are expecting a surge of interest in the rental properties.

Co-ordinator Melody Drinkwater said, “Early indications are that some 25 per cent of our tenants want to renew their tenancies with many others looking move to another fkstudentletting property. “We are also the preferred letting agent fof several colleges.”

Property manager Julia Carraher added: “It has been a busy autumn. All our managed properties have been inspected and ‘house-doctored’ so we are able to maintain our high standards.

“Energy Performance Certificates are in place and our HMO properties are fully compliant.” Fkstudentletting says that investor activity continues despite the credit crunch.

Associate director Simon Tyrrell said: “Many potential and existing investors had approached Fkstudentletting at this critical time of year in the student letting calendar, All in all, it is a healthy outlook for 2009.”

The east Oxford-based office of ScottFraser lettings released its student accommodation list this week. It has more than 15 rental properties suitable for students.

For more details of student properties call Oxfordlet.com on 01865 311745, Fkstudentletting on 01865 260111,or ScottFraser Lettings on 01865 244666.