Where to stay

If you’re relocating to the Southampton area, we can help with advice and guidance on finding somewhere to stay.

Types of accommodation

Bed and breakfast (B&B)

B&Bs are private homes which offer short-term room accommodation with breakfast. 

Renting

Renting (also known as letting) is where you agree to pay a fixed amount to a landlord for a room or entire property that the landlord owns, but does not live in. The landlord pays for all property charges incurred by the ownership.

Lodging

Being a lodger means that you rent a room in someone’s home and share the accommodation with them. As a lodger you will pay for your room and usually contribute towards household bills. 

Staying for a few nights

If you’re considering coming to Southampton for a short visit before you move here and want somewhere to stay for a few nights then here are some links to local bed and breakfasts:

Local bed and breakfasts
B&B Distance from the hospital Travel time (walking / by car)
 Brunswick Lodge  1.6 km / 1 miles 16 mins / 6 mins
 Glenmore Guest House  4 km / 2.6 miles 40 mins / 12 mins
 Carmel Serviced Rooms  2.6 km / 1.3 miles 26 mins / 7 mins
 Ellenborough House  3.7 km / 2.3 miles 37 mins / 10 mins
 Madison House   3.7 km / 2.3 miles 37 mins / 10 mins
 Alcantara Guest House  3.5 km / 2.2 miles 35 mins / 8 mins
 Irving House  4.3 km / 2.7 miles 43 mins / 14 mins
 Amberley Guest House  3.5 km / 2.2 miles 35 mins / 8 mins
The Altri Guest House 3.5 km / 2.2 miles 35 mins / 8 mins
Hospital House 0.8 km / 0.5 miles 8 mins / 5 mins
The Regent Guest House 3.1 km / 1.9 miles 31 mins / 7 mins
Asturias House 3.1 km / 2 miles 31 mins / 8 mins
Landguard House B&B 3.3 km / 2.1 miles 33 mins / 8 mins

       

You’ll find more bed and breakfast properties at www.airbnb.co.uk

There is also a number of hotels in and around Southampton, from the low cost Novotel, Ibis and Etap to luxury hotels such as the Hilton and the Grand Harbour. Most of the hotels are located within the city centre, which is about a 20 minute journey by car to the hospital (a number of bus services cover the route). More options can be found on hotel booking websites such as laterooms.com, expedia.co.uk, trivago.co.uk, kayak.co.uk and booking.com

Renting a property 

The UK government website has a handy guide to renting a property that you can view here. The Money Advice Service also offers some good advice about renting.

Finding a rental property

There are lots of websites that can help you find a rental property in the UK:

Lots of rooms are also advertised on our internal notice boards, which are situated throughout the hospital.

For short lets (under three months):

Top tips

Here are our five top tips for renting a property:

  1. Renting direct from a landlord: don't hand over any cash until you've got the landlord's full name and a contact address. If you're concerned, you can always double check that they own the property via the Land Registry website (costs £3).

  2. Renting via a letting agent: check that the letting agent is a member of a professional body such as the Association of Residential Letting Agents, National Approved Lettings Scheme, UK Association of Letting Agents or National Association of Estate Agents.

  3. Take lots of photos inside and outside the property. It’s important to do this before you move your furniture or personal belongings in as it could save you from losing your deposit. 

  4. Make sure you know where your stopcock is. Your mains water tap, or stopcock, is the off-switch for all the water in your home. 

  5. Check the detail – there can be hidden agency fees so make sure you ask if any other fees apply. You should also read the small print on the contract as there could be large fees if you have to leave before your agreement has ended. 

Keep an eye out for scams

Make sure you don’t become a victim of scams. Here are some warning signs:

  • You are asked to wire money via Western Union.

  • The landlord is away/unable to show you around the property.

  • The contact information you're given doesn't work.

  • The landlord is using a free email address like hotmail or gmail.

  • The price is much cheaper than others in the area.

  • The landlord asks for money before you have seen the property.

If you're suspicious, contact the Citizens Advice Bureau. If you're aware of a scammer, cut off all contact and report them immediately to Action Fraud.

Buying a home

How it works

Buying a property in the UK can take some time and be a little complicated, but there are websites that help explain everything you need to know about buying a property in the UK.

Help to buy scheme

The government has created the Help to Buy scheme to help you buy your own home. It’s essentially a dedicated savings account (an ISA) where the UK government will put in an additional pot of money. For example, if you save £200 a month, they’ll add £50, up to a maximum of £3,000.

Find out more on the Help to Buy website. 

Many of the medical roles within the NHS are considered to be key worker roles and, as such, you may be able to benefit from the properties that are reserved exclusively for key workers. To find out more contact www.homebuyservice.co.uk/eligibility/key-worker-eligibility.html

Finding a property to buy

There are a number of websites that can help you find the perfect home in the UK. Here are some of the UK’s favourites.