Everything about Selly Oak Court

• •Safety. Selly Oak is a well populated student district with constant footfall and good street lighting along Bristol Road and Elliott Road. Like any dense student area it sees opportunistic bike and bag theft, so the on site CCTV, secure entry and bike storage genuinely matter here.
• •Green space. Selly Oak Park is a short walk for open grass and a run, with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal towpath nearby for flat traffic free cycling. Cannon Hill Park and the Bournville village green are both a short bus ride south for proper weekend space.
• •Who's around. Overwhelmingly University of Birmingham undergraduates and postgraduates, mixed with long standing local families along the residential streets and a growing number of young professionals priced out of Edgbaston.
• •What's around. Selly Oak Shopping Park covers the big supermarket run, Bristol Road handles takeaways, barbers and phone repairs, and Bournbrook's pub strip is where most of the student social life happens on any given night.
• •The honest downside. Selly Oak is functional rather than pretty, and it empties noticeably outside term time. If you are staying through summer, expect a much quieter neighbourhood than the one you signed up for.

• •Supermarkets. Sainsbury's at Selly Oak Shopping Park is the main weekly shop, with Aldi and several Tesco and Co op convenience stores along Bristol Road for daily top ups.
• •Cheap eats. Bristol Road is lined with student priced takeaways, from kebabs and pizza to fried chicken, most open late and most within a ten minute walk.
• •Cafes. Independent coffee shops around Bournbrook and Selly Oak serve student sized breakfasts, with campus cafes at Edgbaston a short walk away and usually cheaper.
• •Pubs. The Bristol Pear, The Goose and the Bournbrook strip are the traditional student haunts, all within walking distance and all reliably busy in term time.
• •Library. The University of Birmingham Main Library is around twenty minutes on foot, with Selly Oak Library nearer, plus the building's own dedicated study rooms.
• •Gym. There is a free on site gym for residents, with UoB Sport and Fitness Club at Edgbaston offering a pool and full facilities on a student membership.
• •Health. Several GP surgeries and pharmacies sit along Bristol Road, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is close by for anything more serious.

What the property provides: double bed with under bed storage, desk and chair, double wardrobe, shelving and pinboard, private en suite shower room, kitchen with ceramic hob, combi oven and fridge freezer in studios, heating, Wi Fi, and access to the gym, study rooms, lounge, games area, garden and bike store.

Bring or buy on arrival: bedding and pillows, towels, pans, utensils, crockery, cleaning supplies, a UK adaptor, a bike lock if you are cycling to campus, and a drying rack because outdoor space is limited.

Day one: collect keys at reception, photograph the room, bathroom and kitchen before unpacking, submit the inventory, test the Wi Fi, find the laundry and bin stores, then walk to Sainsbury's at the shopping park for the first proper shop.

Day two: register with a Bristol Road GP, walk your genuine route to campus so you know the timing, sort a Swift card or a bike, activate your bank account, and get into the communal lounge while flatmates are still introducing themselves.

• •Total cost. Weekly rate multiplied by contract weeks. A 44 week en suite at £175 and a 51 week studio at £257 differ by several thousand pounds, so always compare totals.
• •What's included. Wi Fi, gas, electricity, water, heating, contents insurance, gym access, communal facilities and maintenance. No separate utility accounts to open or manage.
• •Instalments. Rent is usually split into three or four instalments timed around student finance dates, with the first payable at or before check in.
• •Deposit. An advance rent payment or holding fee secures your room and is credited against your first instalment rather than added on top.
• •Cooling off. A seven day cancellation window applies from signing, allowing you to withdraw and recover what you have paid.
• •No Visa No Pay. Official written evidence of a refused student visa releases you from the tenancy without penalty.
• •No University No Pay. If your place at university does not go ahead, the same release applies with official confirmation.
• •Dual occupancy. Some rooms permit two occupants, which can substantially reduce the cost per person if you are booking with a partner or friend.

1. •University of Birmingham — the obvious first choice, walkable to both Selly Oak and Edgbaston campuses.
2. •University of Birmingham School of Medicine — the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site is a short walk or bus.
3. •Birmingham City University — City South Campus at Edgbaston is around twenty five minutes by bus.
4. •University College Birmingham — reachable at roughly thirty six minutes by bus.
5. •Aston University — about thirty minutes by bus into the city centre.
6. •Newman University — Bartley Green is a manageable bus journey to the west.
7. •University of Law, Birmingham — a city centre commute of around thirty minutes.

What you should know before your child signs

• •The contract binds for the whole term. Once the seven day cooling off period ends, the full tenancy is owed whether or not your child remains in residence.
• •A guarantor is normally required. Parents outside the UK can use an approved international guarantor service, or pay a larger advance instalment instead.
• •All bills are included. Wi Fi, gas, electricity and water sit inside the weekly rent, which removes the most common first year budgeting error entirely.
• •Selly Oak is a genuine student district. It is safe and busy, but it is loud at weekends, and that suits some students far better than others.
• •Cluster size shapes the experience. A four bed cluster is more social and cheaper. A studio is quieter and private. The choice matters more than the building.
• •Bike theft is the local risk. Secure bike storage is provided on site and should be used rather than locking anything to street railings.

• •Arrival. Birmingham Airport connects to Birmingham New Street in around fifteen minutes, then Selly Oak is a further fifteen minute train. A taxi from the airport takes roughly thirty minutes. Confirm your arrival time with reception so keys are ready if you land late.
• •No UK guarantor. A UK homeowner co signer is not essential. Approved international guarantor services are accepted for a one off fee, and paying a larger advance instalment commonly removes the guarantor requirement from the agreement altogether.
• •Visa safety net. No Visa No Pay releases you from the contract if your student visa is refused, and No University No Pay does the same if your place falls through. Both require official written evidence and neither carries a penalty.
• •Setup. Register with a Bristol Road GP in your first week, open a UK bank account using the tenancy agreement as address proof, buy a Swift card for buses, and pick up a UK SIM at the airport before travelling into the city.
• •Home food. Selly Oak and neighbouring Bournbrook have South Asian, Middle Eastern, Polish and East Asian grocers within walking distance, and a short bus into Sparkbrook or the Balti Triangle opens up halal butchers and full spice ranges at very low prices.