Housing Hub

What to know when looking for student housing

• Get your bearings before finding your student house. Being flexible over location can help you find the house you want, at the size you need, and at a price you can afford. Many of our students live outside the city centre. 
• There’s enough housing. There has been enough accommodation in the city for everyone who wanted it this year. Accommodation in the city centre is always the more in-demand, and often more expensive. 
• Don't rush. You do not need to queue at letting agents outside normal office hours to secure accommodation. And remember, a good agent or landlord will give you time to sign a contract.

Remember, don't rush in before you settle in - it's important to take your time to find housemates, do viewings, and look at reviews and ratings from other student renters through Rate Your Landlord.

The University will provide support and guidance to all of our students in finding accommodation for next academic year.

Read further analysis of the housing market here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Is there a shortage of accommodation at Durham? 

Answer: No. There will be enough accommodation for Durham students for the 2026/27 academic year. Over the past two years, there has actually been a surplus of accommodation at Durham. Although we’re forecasting that there’ll be a higher demand for housing during the next academic year, there is enough housing, and we will provide support and guidance to all of our students in finding accommodation. 

We have good relationships with housing providers, and a strong understanding of housing across Durham. Through this, we know that two major accommodation facilities are to undergo improvement work in 2026/27, meaning the number of beds available will be temporarily reduced. 

The city centre is always an in-demand location, and often more expensive. You may wish to consider living in a nearby area of the city or one of the surrounding villages. If you are house hunting later in the academic year, it is common for fewer city centre rooms to be available.  

Question: What are my options?    

Answer: There’s a number of housing options available to students, including purpose-built student accommodation offering a range of different services. There are also around 2,500 private rented homes available in Durham City and the surrounding areas. There’s a wide variety of housing providers, housing types and locations to meet the needs of our diverse student population. You can find information about living out of College.  

Question: Will the University support me to find accommodation? 

Answer: We will provide support and guidance to all of our students in finding accommodation. 

We’ll continue to do this through a range of services, including tips on house hunting, details about local housing providers, information about living outside of college, money advice and cost of living advice. You can find all of this on our dedicated Durham Housing Hub or by getting in touch with accommodation.office@durham.ac.uk.