Broadcasting Tower

Advance rent replaces deposits for most direct bookings: usually £250 at booking, credited to the first instalment. The current FAQ exempts Scotland, payment in full, rebookings and bookings after the first instalment due date. University-nominated bookings may still require a deposit. The international booking policy describes £250 for England; confirm the exact offer and any exception before paying.

For ordinary academic-year bookings, Unite requires full-time student status, payment details and acceptance of the tenancy by both student and required guarantor. The international cancellation policy allows five days to complete an offer, including any advance rent; an expired offer does not preserve the room or price. Check the actual building, national and university-nominated agreement. Summer stays have separate rules: current students aged at least 18, usually at least seven days, an emergency contact and full upfront payment.

The general booking guide lists full payment or, at most properties, three or seven instalments for a UK permanent address and two or four for an overseas address. Country/campaign and actual offer schedules can differ; these counts are not a guaranteed plan for every student. Advance rent, where required, is credited to the first instalment. The guide accepts Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, UnionPay and Direct Debit. Summer stays require full payment upfront with no instalments.

Ordinary academic-year bookings generally require a guarantor over 25 who accepts joint financial responsibility. Unite accepts international guarantors; UK residence is not required. Paying the whole rent upfront may still require a guarantor. Summer stays instead require an emergency contact, not a guarantor. Confirm any university-nomination exception in the offer.

For bookings made from outside the UK, send the visa-refusal letter within seven days of receipt and by 30 September of the tenancy-start year. Unite must verify and accept it. The separate summer no-refund rule needs written clarification before relying on this protection.

Eligible first-year undergraduates need failed-grade rejection or exceeded-grade UCAS evidence within seven calendar days of results. September/October cutoff: 30 September. Main policy gives January entrants 30 January; international policy says 30 September—confirm before relying on either.

The main policy allows cancellation within seven days of the completed-booking confirmation email, before collecting keys, with deposit/advance rent refunded. Wales may have a different cooling-off period. Afterwards rent remains due unless Unite accepts a release, replacement or new Unite tenancy. Before the start, Unite may accept a replacement, resell the room or allocate a waiting-list student; release is seven days after that action. After the start, liability ends when the replacement tenancy begins; prior occupation adds a £50 preparation charge. Eligible first-year undergraduate failed-grade or exceeded-grade UCAS changes require evidence within seven calendar days of results. Main-policy deadlines are 30 September for September/October courses and before 30 January for January courses; the international policy instead specifies 30 September, so January international bookings need written clarification. For England Common Law Tenancies from 2026/27, withdrawal, exclusion/refused admission or agreed illness suspension after over 60 days can allow at least four weeks’ evidenced written notice and departure by the stated date. The international policy separately covers verified visa and ATAS refusal, with seven-day evidence and 30 September deadlines. Requests use the registered student email and internationalcancellations@unitestudents.com; agent bookings send evidence through the agent. Summer bookings have a separate published no-cancellation/no-refund rule; do not assume these academic-year protections cover a summer stay.