You get what you pay for, so if you’re getting a big, plush room with en suite bathroom, crystal chandeliers and shag-pile carpets, then expect to plunge deep into the debt pool or have a silver spoon hanging out of your mouth.

Most student houses are notoriously bog standard (and often sub-standard), but occasionally you may be lucky enough to find hints of luxury. Don’t laugh, but en suite shower rooms and toilets are becoming pretty much standard in newer housing.

Don’t expect to get it for free, however.

If you’re living out, most student houses come equipped with the basics, although if you want a washing machine, TV, DVD player, sauna and so on, you’ll have to make your own arrangements. (Oh, and if there’s no plumbing for a washing machine, check that you won’t have to carry your dirty kecks halfway across town to find the nearest launderette.)

You may well also need to provide your own kitchen equipment – everything from knives and forks to pots and pans. But not usually including the kitchen sink.

If you go in with a sizeable group of housemates, you may all want to chip in to buy or rent a microwave and/or a freezer if there isn’t one provided. Renting one is usually pricier in the long-term and if you own it, you can at least sell it on to the next bunch of students or even your landlord when you leave. However, rental does avoid arguments about whose TV it is – especially if it gets nicked.

You should expect central heating, with fully functioning radiators in every main room. Your room should have, at the very least, a bed, a radiator, a desk, a chair and a wardrobe. Fashionably spartan rooms (Push believes the word is ‘minimalist’) are the norm and don’t expect brand new spine-friendly mattresses or top quality furnishings. Expect orange carpet, purple curtains and brown walls.

It’s up to you to give it your own personal makeover to make it feel as homely as possible, but ask the landlord’s permission before doing anything expensive or permanent or you may end up paying again to reverse it. If they like your plan, they may pay for it.

• Renting and housing
• Dosh drains: where the money goes
• Choosing housing: what to consider

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