dorm – Diplomátszerzek

Rental guide: 2 important things to consider if you are looking for an apartment

Although the big hype of apartment, room and roommate search season has already wrapped up in September and October, it could happen that you might just be in need of a ” study headquarters” far from home.

It may also be that you’ve already managed to find a place in the last few years or months, or possibly that you’ve had enough of the dormitory. Perhaps you have to leave your dorm because of energy conservation measures.

It’s also true that the drastic rise in energy prices could have caused utility bills to go through the roof for many large apartments, whereas the optimism of landlords at the end of this summer and beginning of autumn has also gone with it.

Two things ensue from the above that you should definitely bear in mind if you are in need of a cozy little study space these days.

TIP 1. Heating of the apartment

On the one hand, you need to be very conscious of the fact that in a large, two or three-bedroom, or even larger big city apartment with individual heating (convector or circulator), with possibly more people living in it, you can easily slip out of the discounted (i.e. very cheap) gas prices!If you are not careful enough, this winter, the price of a cheap-looking room, say 40-50 thousand forints, may be accompanied by a similar amount(!) of utility expenses…This is not a risk for district-heated apartments, even if your heating is individually metered.

TIP 2. Suspicious prices

If you are being offered larger apartments or houses for rent at suspiciously low prices, be especially careful!You could be lured into an ‘overheads-trap’ similar to the one detailed above.

It is worth knowing that the winter gas bill of a not new or not new-style apartment larger than a two or three rooms flat (about 60-70 square meters) equipped with a convector or even an older gas boiler, with outdated windows, can easily exceed 100-150 thousand forints in a single month!

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Dorm life: it’s not all sunny days!

Let’s start with the positives!

As a dorm student, you can participate more intensively in social life. Even within the dormitory itself, there are usually lots of parties, so you can quickly get to know people, expand your circle of friends and your social network.

As a dorm student, you have the advantage of being in closer contact with other upper-year students who are studying the same major as you. If you manage to build a good relationship with them, they can give you excellent tips: which teacher to choose for your course, what to expect in an exam or test, who to choose as a consultant for your thesis, which optional subjects will be a benefit. They can also give you their previous notes.

Yes, dorm is much cheaper than renting your own (or sharing) one.

If your home is really so far away from the university that it would be impossible to commute, you have two options: renting an apartment or going to a dormitory. And rent prices are sky-high, with the monthly price of a rented apartment in Budapest often exceeding the net minimum wage of an adult working graduate.
What’s more, it’s becoming more common for landlords to ask for a three-month deposit instead of two month, which can be a strain on your (or your family’s) wallet.

Here’s the downside!

You will have to constantly adapt to at least one, and in most cases three, other people. Moreover, in many cases, you don’t decide who you get to share a room with, and you may well end up with a roommate who you soon find you can’t live with.

Our Tip:

dormitory students can usually study quietly in the school library or a nearby library. Although you can’t have coffee and eat cookies there, but still the libraries are quieter than most coffee shops.

Another obstacle to successful learning is the poor wifi in many dormitories. And in today’s world, it is impossible to study without a laptop, so it can be very annoying to have to wait minutes to load a course material. And mobile internet is not cheap if you also need (or like) to watch a lot of videos.

Consider the above thoroughly before you enrol in a dormitory!

What are your dorm stories and experiences?

Share with us in the comment section!