I met Marcus in my first year at university. We are both foreigners and have a lot in common. We entered the UK on student visas, which were arranged for us through Imperial & Legal. A few months after meeting, we decided to live together, which meant we needed to rent an inexpensive flat.
When Ann and Marcus’s parents came to us for advice, we were pleasantly surprised. Some time ago, our specialists had already worked with the young couple, helping them to obtain student visas. A year ago, Ann and Marcus did not know each other, but in their first year at university, they met and became friends, and a romantic relationship developed between them. They decided to move out of the convenient and comfortable student campus and live together in a rented flat. Ann and Marcus’s parents approached us with a request to find a suitable flat for the couple.
The client’s request was not particularly difficult or problematic, but it did have some unpleasant nuances. First, many landlords required a year’s rent to be paid in advance. The reason for this is standard in the UK rental market: tenants often do not have legal sources of income in the country. The landlords were not particularly interested in the financial status of Ann and Marcus’s parents.
The second problem was the limited choice of areas. Ideally, the flat should be within walking distance of the university, no more than 20 minutes on foot. Such accommodation is primarily aimed at wealthy students, and for Ann and Marcus’s parents, the monthly payment was too high.
The third problem is related to the opaque pricing principles for rental properties in the UK. Often, hidden mandatory payments are not initially included in the final amount. Typical examples include inventory, council tax, and concierge fees. Faced with this approach, the students would have to pay not only the landlord, but also additional expenses.
Ann and Marcus had a specific request regarding the amount of monthly payments. Our specialists were given the maximum allowable amount, which could not be exceeded. This practically ruled out an “unlimited” option, where price was not a factor.
The parents of Ann and Marcus, young people from Australia who came to the UK to study at Cardiff University (ranked 168th in the 2025 Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings).
To find suitable accommodation for Ann and Marcus that met a number of requirements. The client expressed several additional conditions that were desirable to take into account.
Finding flats for students is a standard service provided by our company. But Ann and Marcus’s case was special. After discussing the terms of cooperation, our experts assessed the level of difficulty as “above average”.
The main difficulties were as follows:
The standard option for finding accommodation for students is publicly available property listings. However, given the specifics of Ann and Marcus’s case, a typical solution could have led to a long wait and exceeding the set budget. Therefore, when fulfilling the order, our specialists first analysed the current market situation.
The current rental market dictates strict conditions: to conclude a lease agreement, the tenant must confirm that they have income in the UK or a stable income abroad. Moreover, the level of this income must be sufficient to cover the cost of the selected property. If such income is not available, landlords usually do not offer the option of monthly payments. Additional guarantees from third parties or relatives from other countries (including parents) in the UK are also not accepted.
We explained these rules in detail to the parents of both young people. As a result, the families accepted the arguments, joined forces and raised the necessary amount to pay for a year’s rent in advance. This allowed the clients to quickly sign the contract and move into their new home without delay.
Our experts then contacted the landlords and clarified the details of the tenancy. We presented the clients with the remaining options. A company specialist then personally visited three flats with Ann and Marcus that met all the requirements.
An experienced Imperial & Legal lawyer reviewed the contract and suggested removing several controversial points from the text. Typical examples include a ban on early termination of the lease agreement or the owner’s right to change the payment terms without the consent of the tenants and without objective reasons.
When all the legal formalities were completed, Ann and Marcus moved their belongings from the student campus, signed the lease, received the keys to their new flat, and went for a walk around the neighbourhood. The whole process took two days, but it was over the weekend, so their studies were not affected.
There is a widespread belief that foreign students who do not have a legal source of income in the UK cannot find suitable accommodation in the country for the duration of their studies. But the case of Ann and Marcus proves that this is not true. It took no more than 2 weeks to complete their order, and the inevitable difficulties were easily resolved.
If the case is complex, additional time may be required. For example, the client may not have a UK visa at all, or they may want to pay the rent from a personal account that still needs to be opened. Complex orders require a special approach, where we take care of all the additional hassle — renovating the property, helping with the move, and purchasing food and essential items before the client moves in.
The specialists at Imperial & Legal successfully complete assignments of any complexity. We always meet the deadlines, guarantee legal transparency and do not limit clients in their requirements and wishes.
We will work with you to find a customised solution for your immigration, second citizenship, business, tax and other needs.
UK Student visas
Visas to the UK
Real estate in the UK