Essential Student Living – Your Complete Move-In Guide
Everything You Need to Know Before Moving into Essential Student Living Accommodation
Moving into student accommodation is one of the biggest parts of starting university, and knowing what your new room already includes can save you from bringing far too much or forgetting something important.
Essential Student Living provides purpose-built student accommodation across a range of UK university cities, offering furnished student rooms and studios with bills and Wi-Fi included.
Properties and room specifications vary depending on where you're studying, so the most important rule is simple: check your individual Essential Student Living property and room type before you start buying.
This independent Loomz guide explains what you can generally expect, what you should check before move-in day and the practical things you may still need to bring.
Essential Student Living at a Glance
🏠 Provider: Essential Student Living
🏢 Operator: Essential Student Living is a trading name of Homes for Students Ltd
📍 Locations: Student accommodation across multiple UK university cities
🎓 Universities: Properties serve students attending a wide range of UK universities and colleges
🏢 Accommodation: Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA)
🛏 Bedrooms: Furnished student rooms and studios, with room types varying by property
🚿 Bathrooms: En-suite and private bathroom options are available at various properties; check your particular room
🍳 Kitchen: Shared kitchens with many room types; studios can provide private kitchen facilities
💷 Utility bills: Included
📶 Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi included
📺 Communal facilities: Vary by property and can include lounges, TVs, study and social spaces
🧺 Laundry: On-site laundry available as standard
🚲 Bike storage: Available at many properties
🧹 Room cleaning: Available at some properties for an additional charge unless specifically included
🔐 Security: Secure door-entry systems, on-site teams and 24-hour CCTV
📅 Contracts: Academic-year contracts plus short-term and summer stays at selected properties
Why Students Choose Essential Student Living
Essential Student Living focuses on making student accommodation relatively straightforward.
One of the main advantages is the all-inclusive approach to household bills.
Instead of moving into a private house and having to arrange electricity, heating, water and internet with your housemates, the principal utilities are included within your accommodation cost.
Wi-Fi is also provided.
Essential Student Living properties can also offer facilities such as:
- Furnished bedrooms
- En-suite accommodation
- Studios
- Shared kitchens
- Private kitchens in studios
- Communal lounges
- Study and social areas
- On-site laundry
- Bike storage
- Outdoor areas
- On-site teams
- Secure access
- CCTV
Exactly what's available depends on the building, so don't assume facilities at one Essential Student Living property will necessarily be available at another.
Essential Student Living Locations
Essential Student Living operates student accommodation across a number of university cities.
Its current accommodation network includes locations such as:
- Brighton
- Coventry
- Glasgow
- High Wycombe
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Lincoln
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Reading
Availability and individual properties can change between academic years, so check Essential Student Living directly for the current accommodation available in your university city.
Room and Accommodation Types
Essential Student Living properties don't all have the same room types.
Depending on the building, accommodation can include rooms within shared student flats, en-suite rooms and private studios.
Shared Student Accommodation
With this type of accommodation, you'll have your own bedroom while sharing facilities such as the kitchen and communal living areas with other students.
Some rooms provide private en-suite bathrooms.
This is the more traditional student accommodation experience and can be a good way to meet people when you first arrive at university.
Studios
Studios provide more independence.
Typically, you'll have your own:
- Bedroom/living space
- Bathroom
- Kitchen facilities
- Study area
- Storage
Studio specifications vary considerably, so check exactly what's included with yours.
What’s Usually Included?
Essential Student Living accommodation is furnished, so you shouldn't need to bring furniture with you.
Depending on the room and property, you can typically expect major bedroom furniture such as:
- Bed
- Desk
- Chair
- Wardrobe
- Storage
Kitchen arrangements depend on whether you've booked a room within a shared flat or a studio.
Studios can include their own equipped kitchen, while residents in shared accommodation use communal kitchen facilities.
Don't assume that furnished accommodation means every household item is supplied.
Before moving in, check whether you need to provide things such as:
- Duvet
- Pillows
- Sheets
- Mattress protector
- Towels
- Crockery
- Cutlery
- Pots and pans
- Cooking utensils
- Cleaning products
- Laundry supplies
Your exact property and room inventory should always take priority over a general packing list.
All-Inclusive Bills
Essential Student Living includes utility bills within the rent.
This is particularly useful if you're moving away from home for the first time because you don't have to organise and divide the main household bills between your flatmates.
Wi-Fi is also included.
That makes budgeting simpler because your major accommodation costs are combined into your rent rather than arriving separately each month.
Always check your individual tenancy agreement for the precise inclusions and terms applying to your booking.
Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is provided across Essential Student Living accommodation.
That's important for:
- University work
- Online lectures
- Research
- Video calls
- Streaming
- Gaming
- Staying in contact with friends and family
You'll still need to bring your own laptop, tablet, phone and relevant charging equipment.
If you're an international student, make sure any electrical equipment you bring is suitable for use with UK electrical systems.
Security
Essential Student Living places an emphasis on resident security.
Its accommodation uses measures including:
- Secure door-entry systems
- Swipe-card controlled access
- Intercom systems
- On-site teams
- 24-hour CCTV
Individual arrangements vary by property.
You should still follow normal precautions such as keeping your room locked, looking after your keys or access card and not allowing unknown people into secure residential areas.
Preparing for Move-In Day
Getting organised before you arrive can make your first few days considerably easier.
1. Check your exact room
Don't rely only on photographs of the overall property.
Check the specification for the exact room type you've booked.
2. Confirm your bed size
This is particularly important.
Before buying fitted sheets or a mattress protector, find out the mattress dimensions in your particular room.
Student accommodation doesn't always use the same bed size as you have at home.
3. Check your kitchen inventory
Find out what's already provided.
Your property may supply major appliances but that doesn't necessarily mean all the cookware, crockery and utensils you'll need are included.
4. Speak to your flatmates
If you're able to contact your future flatmates before arriving, coordinate larger shared purchases.
There's little point everyone turning up with the same communal kitchen equipment.
5. Check your arrival instructions
Read the information sent by your accommodation team.
Check:
- Move-in date
- Arrival time
- Key collection
- Required identification
- Parking/unloading arrangements
- Property address
- Any check-in requirements
6. Pack a first-night bag
Keep your immediate essentials somewhere accessible:
- Bedding if required
- Towel
- Toiletries
- Medication
- Phone charger
- Change of clothes
- Important documents
- Drinks and snacks
You won't want to search through several boxes after a long journey.
Bedding
Don't buy bedding until you've checked both whether bedding is provided and your mattress size.
If you need to supply your own, the basic setup will normally include:
- Mattress protector
- Fitted sheet
- Duvet
- Duvet cover
- Pillows
- Pillowcases
You might also want an additional blanket or throw for colder months.
Sharing a Kitchen
If you're living in a shared flat, your kitchen will probably become one of the main communal areas of your student home.
A few simple habits make a big difference:
- Agree which cupboards belong to whom
- Label food if necessary
- Clean up after cooking
- Don't leave washing-up indefinitely
- Empty bins regularly
- Keep shared surfaces clear
- Ask before borrowing somebody else's food
- Agree which household basics will be shared
Before buying kitchen equipment, check what's already supplied and coordinate with your flatmates.
Some things make sense to own individually; others can easily be shared.
Laundry
Essential Student Living advertises on-site laundry facilities as standard.
That means you won't normally need to find an external laundrette.
You'll still need everyday laundry essentials such as:
- Laundry detergent
- Laundry basket or bag
- Stain remover
- Delicates bag if required
Laundry cycles may involve an additional charge depending on the property and laundry system, so check your building's current arrangements.
Cleaning Your Room
Your own bedroom isn't necessarily cleaned as part of your standard accommodation.
Essential Student Living states that room-cleaning services are available at some properties for an additional charge unless they're specifically included within the rent.
You should therefore expect to keep your own room clean.
Basic items might include:
- Cleaning cloths
- Multipurpose cleaner
- Bin bags
- Bathroom cleaner if you have an en-suite
- Small cleaning tools appropriate to your room
For shared kitchens, agree with your flatmates how everyday cleaning will be handled.
Parcels and Deliveries
Parcel procedures vary between Essential Student Living properties.
Before ordering anything to your accommodation, check:
- The correct postal address
- Whether your room or flat number should be included
- How deliveries are accepted
- Where parcels are stored
- How you're notified when something arrives
Always use your full name and the addressing format provided by your accommodation team.
International Students
Essential Student Living accommodates international students as well as UK students.
If you're moving to Britain from overseas, the all-inclusive model can make the transition easier because utilities and internet are already arranged.
Keep important documents accessible when travelling, including where relevant:
- Passport
- Visa documentation
- University confirmation
- Accommodation details
- Insurance information
- Medication documentation
- Emergency contacts
Also check any electrical items you're bringing.
UK sockets use Type G plugs, and electrical equipment needs to be suitable for the UK power supply.
Short-Term and Summer Accommodation
Essential Student Living also offers shorter stays at selected properties.
Depending on availability, this can include:
- Short academic stays
- Semester accommodation
- Placement accommodation
- Pre-sessional courses
- Language courses
- Summer accommodation
- Internships
- Early arrival before the academic year
Selected short stays can be available from only a few weeks, while summer accommodation can also be offered at participating properties.
Facilities and bills remain included according to the terms of the particular booking.
What Should You Buy Before You Move In?
The best approach is check first, buy second.
Student accommodation already provides many of the large things you need, so there's no reason to arrive with unnecessary duplicates.
Once you know what's included, Loomz can help with the things you're missing.
Bedroom Essentials
Think about bedding if it isn't supplied, mattress protection, storage, lighting and the practical items that make a student bedroom more comfortable.
Kitchen Essentials
If you're sharing a kitchen, find out what's already there and coordinate larger items with your flatmates.
You'll then know which cookware, crockery, utensils and everyday kitchen products you actually need.
Bathroom Essentials
If you have an en-suite, you'll need your own towels, toiletries and everyday bathroom products unless your property specifically says otherwise.
Study Essentials
Your room will normally include somewhere to study, but your own tech and accessories can make it considerably more practical.
Helpful Student Guides
Not sure where to start?
Loomz has created practical guides for students moving into UK university accommodation:
- UK University Packing Checklist
- University Move-In Checklist
- Bedroom Essentials Guide
- Kitchen Essentials Guide
- Bathroom Essentials Guide
- UK University Move-In Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Essential Student Living?
Essential Student Living is a UK student accommodation brand and a trading name of Homes for Students Ltd.
It provides purpose-built student accommodation across multiple university cities.
Is Essential Student Living part of Homes for Students?
Yes.
Essential Student Living states that it is a trading name of Homes for Students Ltd.
Where does Essential Student Living have accommodation?
Essential Student Living operates in multiple UK university cities, including locations such as Brighton, Coventry, Glasgow, High Wycombe, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Reading.
Check current availability directly because portfolios can change between academic years.
Are bills included?
Yes.
Essential Student Living advertises all-inclusive utility bills as part of its accommodation proposition.
Check your individual contract for the precise terms.
Is Wi-Fi included?
Yes.
Free Wi-Fi is provided.
Does Essential Student Living have laundry facilities?
Yes.
On-site laundry is advertised as available as standard.
Check your particular property for the laundry system and current usage charges.
Are rooms furnished?
Yes.
Rooms are furnished, although the precise furniture and storage provided varies by room and property.
Does Essential Student Living offer studios?
Yes.
Studio accommodation is available at selected properties.
Studios typically provide greater independence, including private bathroom and kitchen facilities.
Do I need to bring bedding?
Possibly.
Check your particular booking and room inventory before purchasing bedding.
If bedding isn't supplied, confirm your mattress dimensions before ordering fitted sheets or a mattress protector.
Do I need kitchen equipment?
It depends on your property and room.
Major kitchen appliances and facilities are provided, but you may still need cookware, crockery, cutlery and other personal kitchen essentials.
Check your inventory first.
Is my room cleaned?
Standard room cleaning shouldn't automatically be assumed.
Essential Student Living states that room-cleaning services are available at some properties for an additional charge unless specifically included with the rent.
Can I bring a pet?
Essential Student Living states that pets aren't permitted, except for registered assistance dogs.
Can international students live with Essential Student Living?
Yes.
International students can book Essential Student Living accommodation subject to the normal eligibility and booking conditions.
Can I book Essential Student Living for a short stay?
Short-term accommodation is available at selected properties and cities, subject to availability.
Options can include semester stays, placements, short courses and summer accommodation.
Do I have to be a student?
Essential Student Living states that residents must be full-time students to live in its student accommodation during the academic year.
Check the particular eligibility conditions applying to your booking.
What should I bring on move-in day?
Prioritise the things you'll need immediately:
- Bedding if required
- Towel
- Toiletries
- Medication
- Phone charger
- Laptop
- Important documents
- Change of clothes
- Basic food and drinks
Everything else can be unpacked afterwards.
Why Students Choose Loomz
Loomz is a UK-based online store built around the practical things students actually need when moving into university accommodation.
Rather than buying everything on a generic university packing list, we recommend checking what your accommodation already provides and concentrating on the things you'll genuinely use.
Loomz offers:
- UK university accommodation essentials
- Bedding and bedroom products
- Kitchen essentials
- Bathroom and laundry products
- Storage and organisation
- Lighting and study accessories
- Student-friendly tech
- Free UK delivery
Whether you're moving into Essential Student Living in London, Manchester, Leeds or elsewhere in the UK, Loomz can help you get your accommodation ready.
Ready to Move into Essential Student Living?
Start with your particular Essential Student Living property and room inventory.
Find out what's provided, confirm your bed size and coordinate shared items with your future flatmates where possible.
Then make a list of what's missing.
From bedding and kitchen basics to bathroom products, storage, lighting and student tech, Loomz can help you get everything else ready for move-in day.
Check your room. Make your list. Get uni-ready with Loomz.
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