Exeter is home to the University of Exeter, one of the UK’s leading universities and within the
Russell group of universities. It attracts thousands of students from across the UK and
internationally every year. There are over 30,000 full time students at Exeter University. Demand for quality student accommodation consistently exceeds supply in many popular areas, making Exeter an attractive city for landlords seeking reliable
occupancy, strong rental yields and long-term capital growth investment potential.
The most sought-after student locations are St James, Lower Pennsylvania and Mount
Pleasant which are areas in close proximity to the main Streatham campus. Students prefer to
walk to lectures and be close to local amenities the town centre and nightlife.
HMO stands for House of Multiple Occupation. A property is generally considered an HMO
when three or more unrelated tenants share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. These properties are
subject to extra safety requirements designed to protect tenants.
Article 4 direction is a planning restriction that removes permitted development rights to
convert a family home (Use class C3) into a HMO (Use class C4) without planning permission.
A significant area of central Exeter is covered by an Article 4 Direction mainly surrounding the
main Streatham campus and beyond. It is very important to check planning requirements
before purchasing a property for student letting and making sure you obtain a “Certificate of
Lawfulness”.
Exeter City Council will not approve planning applications for new Student HMO properties within the Article 4 Area.
Landlords must comply with all legal requirements and supply an annual gas safety
certificate, electrical installation condition report (EICR) valid for 5 years, fire safety certificate
(annual / 6 months depending on size of house), energy performance certificate (EPC),
portable appliance testing certificate (PAT), legionella certificate and a HMO licence if required
(within Exeter 5 or more bedrooms).
Most students within Exeter start searching for accommodation at the beginning of October
and then right through to the end of November. The most attractive homes and the best located get snapped up
first and the market can be quite a frenzy of activity during these months
Many student properties include some utility bills such as broadband and TV licence. The
remainder of bills such as gas, electricity and water are the students’ responsibility. Some
larger homes such as 8 bedrooms plus generally include all the utilities within the rent. We
have partnered with Unihomes who offer an all-inclusive price package for utilities.
Graduation Properties and Graduation Lettings
have partnered with Unihomes to offer an all-inclusive price package for utilities. This is not part of the signed tenancy agreement as is paid for directly be each tenant to Unihomes.
Five and six-bedroom student homes tend to perform particularly well in Exeter; most
students have at least 4 or 5 friends. These property types have lots of demand from the very
start especially the ones within St James and Lower Pennsylvania due to the close proximity
to the main Streatham campus of the University of Exeter.
Properties ideally need to have 2 or more bathrooms. a 6 bed home with 3 bedrooms will stand out in the Exeter Market and will achieve premium rent.
5 bed homes ideally need 2 bathrooms.
Communal areas are one of the most important features for students, it’s the place they will all
congregate together with their housemates and their friends. Spacious
lounges and well-equipped kitchens make the home more appealing and easier to let and achieve higher yeilds.
Contemporary decoration and dressing of rooms before pictures are taken is crucial. Modern fully fitted kitchens and Increase bedroom numbers, modern decoration & dressing of rooms before pictures are
taken. Modern kitchens and bathrooms, new flooring, upgrading of
furniture and tidy low maintenance outdoor spaces. Working with a specialist student management agent like Graduation Properties can
increase your rental yield.
Bright, high quality photographs showcasing bedrooms, kitchens and communal areas at their best. Rooms that
have been dressed and set up for photos. Students want to see clearly bedroom sizes with study areas, social spaces and the overall
condition of the home before booking viewings.
Graduation Properties offer staging, furnishing advice and photography as part of our fully managed service for our
landlords.
No Graduation Properties and Graduation Lettings will provide all the soft furnishings and framed art prints for the walls etc at no extra cost to our fully managed landlords. This is a unique benefit for Student Property Management in the Exeter Market.
No we remove them. When the students view the property the house will not have these items in still. However it is important to have them in the photos to allow prospective tenants to imagine living in the property.
When the house is viewed the current tenant’s items will be in the house.
Yes, most definitely, virtual tours significantly increase engagement and enquiries,
particularly from those groups members who were unable to attend viewing in person. They
also help prospective students make an informed decision which can reduce the number of
unnecessary viewings.
Yes, Graduation Properties can advise and provide landlords on furniture packages specifically designed for the
student market and your specific house, helping create attractive, durable and compliant
living spaces that appeal to students within Exeter
Graduation Properties focus on creating clean, modern and practical living environments. Professional
photography, virtual tours, high quality marketing descriptions and guidance on furnishing
and presentation, these all help maximise interest and secure student groups swiftly.
Well-presented student homes in popular Exeter student locations often achieve a very high
occupancy level. However, effective marketing, competitive pricing and early promotion are
essential to minimize potential void periods between academic years.
There will be up to a month at the end of the academic year when the property is empty between tenancies.
Student lettings operate very differently from the traditional residential market. A specialist
student agent like Graduation Lettings in Exeter understands university accommodation cycles, student expectations, HMO
legislation, guarantor requirements, group tenancies and local market trends. All of this helps
landlords maximise returns while remaining compliant. We at Graduation Lettings only
specifically work within the student market, we do not operate in the residential market. We are the premium student property management choice.
Key ways to maximise rental yield:
Optimise bedroom numbers where appropriate
Maintain high property standards
Professionally photographed and dressed
Investing in desirable features
Marketing early
Reducing void periods
Using a specialist student letting agent like Graduation Lettings with our extensive local market expertise
The first step is understanding the local market and talking to a specialist student letting
agent with a lot of experience and knowledge of the marketplace of where to buy and invest.
Graduation Properties can advise on property selection, expected rental income, licencing requirements,
planning considerations, compliance obligations and management options to help you make
an informed decision.
Graduation Properties has over 23 years direct experience of working within the specialist
Exeter student market renting student homes to University of Exeter students.
Yes, most student tenants are required to provide a UK based guarantor who agrees to cover
rent and other financial tenancy obligations if necessary.
Most student tenancy agreements in Exeter run for 48 – 51 weeks.
If a student drops out, they are still liable for the contract until such times that they have
found an alternative student to take their place. If this happens with one of our student homes
we assist the group to find an alternative student if and when required.
Yes, under current legislation, landlords and letting agents can take a holding deposit to
reserve a property which usually goes towards the damage deposit. The maximum holding
deposit is one week’s rent and specific rules govern when it can be retained and when it must be
refunded.
For most student tenancies, the tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks’ rent where the
annual rent is below £50,000. Deposits must be protected within a government approved
tenancy deposit scheme and the prescribed information provided to tenants within the 30 day
required timescale.
Graduation Properties uses state of the art property management software with links directly into the government back deposit schemes to ensure compliance and effective dispute arbitration.
Yes, students expect properties to be fully furnished. Typical furnishings include a double bed,
mattress, wardrobe, desk, chair, chest of drawers and quality communal room furniture. Well-furnished student
homes generally attract more enquiries and let more quickly for a better price. Speak to Graduation Properties if you need help with getting this right.
Broadband (WiFi) is one of the most important features students consider. Fast and reliable internet
is essential for online lectures, coursework, streaming and gaming. Student homes with
strong broadband provision often have a competitive advantage in the Exeter student market.
We generally recommend routine inspections every term, subject to tenancy
agreements and appropriate notice being given. Regular inspections help identify
maintenance issues early and ensure the property remains well maintained.
Common maintenance issues in student properties include:
Blocked drains
Boiler breakdowns
Appliance faults
Wear and tear to furniture
Minor plumbing repairs
Damp and condensation issues
Door lock and security concerns
Prompt maintenance helps protect both the property and tenant satisfaction.
Landlords can reduce long-term maintenance costs by:
Carrying out regular inspections
Investing in durable furniture
Addressing repairs quickly
Undertaking preventative maintenance
Using experienced contractors
Educating tenants on reporting issues promptly
Preventative maintenance is often significantly cheaper than major repairs.
Fully managed Landords enjoy piece of mind knowing Graduation Lettings has an experienced team of trade people to maintain your property for you.
Yes. Professional cleaning between tenancies helps present the property at its best, improves
tenant satisfaction and can reduce disputes at the end of a tenancy. It is particularly beneficial
for student HMOs with multiple occupants. We have a range of cleaners we recommend that
we use for our students’ homes.
Student landlords should consider specialist landlord insurance that may include:
Buildings insurance
Contents insurance
Landlord liability cover
Loss of rent protection
Legal expenses cover
HMOs often require specialist insurance policies tailored to shared accommodation.
Currently, rental properties in England generally require a minimum EPC rating of E unless an
exemption applies. Improving energy efficiency can reduce running costs, improve tenant
satisfaction and future-proof an investment. There is current legislation requiring an EPC C
from the 1 st October 2030 for all private rental properties.
Requirements vary depending on the size and type of HMO, but commonly include:
Interlinked smoke detection systems
Fire doors
Emergency lighting in some properties
Fire blankets
Protected fire escape routes
Regular fire safety checks
Landlords are responsible for:
Maintaining the structure and exterior
Ensuring gas and electrical safety
Providing safe accommodation
Maintaining heating and hot water systems
Managing fire safety compliance
Protecting deposits correctly
Addressing repairs within reasonable timescales
Good management helps ensure legal compliance and tenant satisfaction.
Yes. Despite increased regulation and compliance requirements, student HMOs in Exeter can
still provide attractive rental yields due to strong demand from University of Exeter students
and limited housing supply in key student areas of Exeter’s Article 4 restrictions.
One of the most common mistakes is underestimating compliance requirements and ongoing
management responsibilities. Successful student landlords understand licensing, safety
regulations, maintenance obligations and market expectations before investing. Graduation Properties understand and can advise or take care of management responsibility for compliance for you.
In most cases, rents can be reviewed annually between tenancy periods or in accordance with the tenancy agreement and current legislation. Rental increases should reflect market conditions and remain competitive within the Exeter student market, if rents are set too high compared to the local market tenants can now challenge them at the First Tier Tribunal.
Graduation Lettings use Reapit and Proprop. Reapit is regarded as one of the best Property Management software options for leading lettings agents.
Payprop allows accurate invoicing and reporting to landlords with automated payouts to landlords and HMRC compliant invoices.
Yes we use signature sense which allows us to capture signatures and robust with legally defensible location and IP time stamps. We are able to deliver multiple signatures on one contract simultaneously with full audit trail.
Landlords can maximise rental yield by:
Investing in high-demand student locations
Optimising bedroom numbers where appropriate
Maintaining modern kitchens and bathrooms
Providing high-speed broadband
Minimising void periods through early marketing
Keeping the property compliant and well maintained
Using an experienced student letting specialist
Professional management and strategic improvements can significantly enhance both rental
income and long-term property value.
Graduation Lettings within Exeter, a specialist student letting agent go beyond standard
management by helping landlords refurbish and upgrade their properties to maximise rental
appeal and compliance.
We offer a range of services:
End-to-end refurbishment management (from design to completion)
Advice on HMO compliance and licensing upgrades
Layout optimization to increase bedroom numbers or usability
Guidance on durable, student-proof furnishings
Project management with trusted local contractors
Landlords, working with an agent who understands student demand in Exeter ensures
refurbishments are not just cosmetic, but strategic investments that improve both rental value
and occupancy.