All you need to know ...
To answer some of the questions you may have about our accommodation, processes and policies, we’ve put together this guide. We hope this will help you, but if there is anything else you would like to know, please get in touch.
Principles, people and property
Our key principles
Our purpose is to provide:
Modern, well-designed, well-located buildings that are properly maintained and offer a safe and welcoming environment for students
Excellent customer service through our onsite teams, who give advice and assistance to students throughout their time with us
Value for money through our all-inclusive pricing (which covers rent, utility bills, contents insurance and WiFi)
Safety and security
The safety and security of our residents is iQ’s no.1 priority. All our sites are fully compliant with current safety standards, and have fire alarm systems in place, as well as fire prevention equipment. We carry out regular testing and evacuation drills, and our buildings are regularly audited by external, independent consultants.
Our highly qualified Health and Safety team visits sites regularly, and we continually review our programme of security, fire and safety standards. We use accredited national providers to service and maintain life safety systems. In addition, there is a constant staff presence at all iQ sites.
Pastoral care
Universities undertake the main role in respect of pastoral care, however all our staff are trained to provide an initial level of unobtrusive care and support. Our teams have good relationships with university pastoral care and welfare support services, and will refer students who need additional assistance.
Types of accommodation
We offer the following types of accommodation:
En suite rooms – these rooms have a bed, study area with good lighting, storage and an en suite shower room with shower, washbasin and WC. These rooms are located in shared flats, where students share a kitchen and living area with other residents. These are equipped with an oven, hob, microwave, fridge and freezer, a dining area and lounge. These rooms are popular with new students and encourage social interaction with other residents.
Studios – our studios are self-contained, with integrated kitchen facilities and a living area. All have a bed, study area with good lighting, storage and an en suite shower room with shower, washbasin and WC. Studios are popular with students seeking more privacy, but still enjoy the use of all the onsite facilities and social areas.
Flats – some of our sites also offer self-contained apartments. These have all the facilities of our studios, but with separate bedroom(s) and more living space. These are popular with couples, and friends who want to share accommodation.
Maintenance
Our online maintenance portal allows students to log a fault at any time. Unlike many providers, all our maintenance teams are based on site, so we fix most issues within 24 hours. For those we can’t fix ourselves, we use only trusted contractors who go through a vigorous approval process.
Financial and legal
Booking process
The easiest way to book accommodation with iQ is online. Clicking a ‘book now’ button takes you to our secure portal where students will be asked to register, complete a booking form and pay a booking fee to secure their booking. Please note, this booking fee is non-refundable, even if the student does not proceed with the tenancy. The only exception is if a conditional offer of a university place is withdrawn after non-qualifying exam results (confirmation from the university will be required).
Once the student has chosen their room, they need to complete an Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement online, a copy of which will be emailed to the student. Once the Guarantor (usually a parent) has received and acknowledged the Guarantor email and provided proof of ID, the booking process is complete. The booking fee will be treated as a payment towards your first rental payment and credited to your rent account once the Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement is completed.
Bookings can also be made by phone or in person at the relevant site, with payment by debit or credit card. A booking fee is still required to secure the booking.
Room allocation
Using the online booking system, students are able to see the profile (including age, gender and basic likes and dislikes), of any students who have already booked into the other rooms of a shared flat. We have a small number of female-only flats, but will give preference to students who require these on religious grounds (see more details of our Equality and Diversity Policy).
We discourage room moves in the first few weeks as it often takes time to settle in. If, after a reasonable period of time, a student is still not happy and wants to move rooms we will try to accommodate their request, subject to availability. There is an administration charge of £50 for room moves.
If your son or daughter has specific accommodation requirements, please contact us.
Guarantor
All tenants must provide details of a guarantor.
If you are acting as a guarantor, you will be responsible for putting right any breaches of tenancy, including non-payment of rent if the tenant fails in their responsibilities.
To confirm your acceptance to act as guarantor, you must sign a Guarantor's Agreement. You will also be required to provide us with two forms of identification (one of which must contain a photo, and one which must contain proof of address). You must provide one document from each of the following groups:
Valid passport / photo driving licence / national ID card (with photo)
Utility bill (dated within the last 3 months) / mortgage statement (dated within the last 12 months) / council tax bill (dated within the last 12 months)
Where possible, the bill name and address should be written in English.
Tenancy agreement
The Tenancy Agreement is an important legal document which, once signed, places obligations on iQ, as the landlord, on the guarantor and on the student as the tenant.
iQ issues Assured Shorthold Tenancies and you can view our Tenancy Agreement on our Important Documents page. Students should read the document carefully – we are happy to answer any questions you or they may have about the document. As with all Tenancy Agreements, the terms are binding and only in exceptional circumstances will iQ permit Tenancy Agreements to be cancelled.
We recommend that, if possible, students visit the accommodation before signing the Tenancy Agreement. Most of our sites have open days, or show flats or rooms available to view. Please contact us for details.
Costs
All iQ rents are inclusive of utilities, contents insurance and WiFi. Our rents are stated per week and you can be sure that what you see is what you pay, with no hidden extras.
Rents are due termly in advance at all sites, except Grove and Fountainbridge in Edinburgh. We prefer payment by Direct Debit, but students can also pay by credit or debit card.
Practicalities
Students with disabilities
All iQ sites have rooms suitable for students with disabilities, including rooms that are fully wheelchair accessible. For more details, please contact the relevant site.
Pets
Sadly, we do not allow pets at iQ. However, we make an exception for residents who require the assistance of a trained and registered Service Dog or Assistance Dog.
Any requests for emotional support animals that are prescribed by a licensed mental health professional are assessed on a case by case basis.
What to bring
Students will need to bring their own bedding, towels, crockery and utensils, and a PC or laptop when they come to live with iQ. We recommend that students who will be in a shared flat do not bring too much kitchen equipment otherwise they will end up with 5 or 6 of everything.
Kettles, toasters, mini fridges etc are not allowed in bedrooms, as these items pose a fire risk and will activate the heat detectors.
Tenant handbooks
All new residents will receive a tenant handbook on arrival, with important and useful information about all aspects of living with iQ. To view the tenant handbook for your chosen site, please see our Important Documents page.
Parent Testimonials
"Our daughter has been with iQ during her first year at University. From the first contact we had with the staff at iQ, we have been really impressed by their helpfulness and understanding."
Ian Neal, Parent
"During my daughters’ stay with iQ Hoxton, I really liked the location in East London – it is a multi-cultural atmosphere with easy access to public transport, with lots of independent restaurants and services, including an organic grocery across the road. Healthy food is easily available at inexpensive pricing in this area.
I would recommend iQ Hoxton because it was the only residence that responded to my initial concerns in a personalised manner. All the others sent me standard automated responses. I would also recommend the very friendly front desk staff, the 24-hour security, the great location, the ability to have a balcony and large shared kitchen, and the small number of units per floor.
Out of everything about my daughter’s stay, I will miss meeting her flatmates and the front desk staff, and getting to know a trendy part of London that I was unfamiliar with.
Paul Maclean was my favourite member of the team and I would recommend him as a point of contact for parents or residents. Although he is responsible for many students, he makes each one feel special. Being so far away in Canada, Paul put my mind at ease anytime I needed to contact him. He has an easy going and caring style that is very reassuring.
As a resident of iQ Hoxton, I would recommend all to take advantage of The Geffrye museum nearby. It has quiet garden areas and a lovely tea room for some contemplative time, very important between busy times of socialising and studying. In addition, I would recommend purchasing a British Museum pass that includes a free guest. The Metro Bank is open till 8pm and has a great package for international students."
Mary Tasi, Parent
"We were recently trying to find accommodation for our daughter in London, who was undertaking an internship there. We tried several hostels and Airbnb but the prices were high and we had some concerns about security. Then we discovered iQ Student Accommodation - a network of sites in London offering accommodation to anyone who is a student and with holiday-period availability.
From our first exchange with the manager, Paul Maclean, we felt very confident in both the quality of the accommodation and Paul's awareness of our concerns around security and personal safety. He reassured us about the arrangements at iQ Hoxton and reviews on the site were very positive. Paul continued to assist us in the booking process and when we had to change the dates of the booking at short notice, his team, particularly Jenna, were equally positive and supportive and found us an alternative room. We are both in business and firmly believe that good customer service starts at the top of any organisation. Paul and his team exemplify this and we would strongly recommend iQ Hoxton for great service, superb quality accommodation and great location."
Carrie and Mike Hayton