Private Housing with Roome – Royal Holloway’s Official Off-Campus Housing App
Finding a home while you study doesn’t have to be stressful. Roome is Royal Holloway’s official student housing and housemate-matching app, helping you explore the full housing market, connect with other students, and move into the right home with confidence.
The local lettings cycle starts in November, with most properties listed between November and August.
Download the Roome app and start exploring verified properties, matching with housemates, and setting up everything you need for a stress-free move-in.
Costs
Private housing near Egham, Englefield Green, Windsor, and Staines offers a wide range of prices. The average rent in the local area is around £140 per week (£600 per month) per person in a shared house, not including bills. If you’re a full time student, living in a house with other full-time students, you don’t have to pay council tax.
With Roome's property search you can:
- Compare listings side-by-side from all different property portals.
- View estimated costs and factor in bills.
- Access student-only partner discounts.
Finding private housing
Instead of searching across multiple sites, Roome's housing marketplace brings everything together:
- Browse listings from letting agents, landlords, and leading property sites.
- Explore student-friendly options in Egham, Englefield Green, Windsor, and Staines.
- Compare properties by price, size, and amenities all in one place.
Finding someone to live with
Not sure who to live with? Roome’s housemate matching makes it simple:
- Create your profile and match with other Royal Holloway students based on lifestyle, budget, and interests.
- Join or build groups to start looking for houses together.
- Chat directly in the app to plan viewings and organise move-in.
You can also attend Students’ Union housing events for extra support.
Contracts
When you find a property through Roome, you’ll sign a contract directly with the landlord or letting agent. Contracts usually last 12 months.
We recommend:
- Using the Students’ Union contract-checking service.
- Taking your time — properties will continue to be listed until August, so don’t feel pressured to sign too early.
Once you've signed a contract
If you have signed a private sector contract, you shouldn’t then apply to nor accept an offer to live in Halls. If you do, you would be taking out two accommodation contracts at the same time and as a contract is legally binding you’ll be liable for the rent for both properties.
If you’ve applied for accommodation in Halls and already have a contract in the private sector, please let us know so that we can cancel your application and avoid sending you an offer.
Right to Rent scheme for international students
All private landlords in England are required by law to check that any tenant entering a residential tenancy agreement has the right to be in the UK before renting out their property. The Government Right to Rent scheme has been introduced to deter individuals who are in the country illegally from remaining in the UK.
Your landlord may ask to see identity documents that show you’re legally allowed to live in the UK. If you hold a visa, these checks will need to be done within 28 days of the start of your tenancy contract. The checks have to take place in person and the landlord is required by law to take a copy of your documents and retain them for at least one year following the end of your tenancy.
