• •Safety. Dowanhill is one of the safer parts of Glasgow, residential and well lit with low through traffic. Standard city precautions apply late at night, but the area feels calm.
• •Green space. This is the strong point. Kelvingrove Park is around twelve minutes away, the Botanic Gardens roughly ten, and the Kelvin Walkway offers a river route for running and cycling.
• •Who is around. A blend of University of Glasgow students, academic staff, young families and long standing West End residents. Less transient than the centre, and quieter through summer.
• •What is around. Byres Road supermarkets and independents five minutes away, Ashton Lane bars and cinema, Òran Mór, plus the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum at the park's edge.
• •Transport. Hillhead subway station is about eight minutes on foot, connecting to the city centre in roughly twelve minutes. Frequent buses run along Great Western Road and Byres Road.
• •Character. Victorian sandstone terraces, tree lined lanes and mews style buildings. It looks and feels like a proper neighbourhood rather than a student district, which is largely the point.

Groceries

• •Marks and Spencer Foodhall, Waitrose and Tesco on Byres Road, all within a ten minute walk
• •Roots, Fruits and Flowers on Great Western Road for fresh produce and health foods
• •Locavore and independent grocers along Great Western Road for zero waste and bulk buying

Cheap eats and cafés

• •Ashton Lane restaurants and bars, five to ten minutes away, with student nights midweek
• •Byres Road cafés and bakeries with laptop friendly seating for long study afternoons
• •Great Western Road curry houses and takeaways, a West End institution and reliably good value

Study spaces

• •University of Glasgow Library on Hillhead Street, twelve minutes on foot, open extended hours in term
• •Hillhead Library on Byres Road for a quieter public option
• •Independent West End cafés with wifi for informal study sessions

Fitness and leisure

• •University of Glasgow Sport facilities at Stevenson Building for enrolled students
• •Kelvin Hall leisure centre with gym and pool, around fifteen minutes away
• •Kelvingrove Park and the Kelvin Walkway for free running and cycling routes

Culture and health

• •Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, free entry, around fifteen minutes on foot
• •Grosvenor Cinema on Ashton Lane for independent and mainstream films
• •Byres Road pharmacies and West End GP practices under NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

What the property provides A two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a living area and fitted kitchen. Confirm the furnishing level in writing before arrival, since private lets vary between furnished and unfurnished.

Bring or buy on arrival Bedding, towels, kitchenware, cleaning supplies, and possibly furniture if the flat is let unfurnished. Byres Road shops and IKEA delivery cover the basics within a couple of days.

Day one Collect keys, photograph every room including existing marks, take meter readings for gas and electricity, test heating and hot water, and confirm the broadband arrangement with your agent.

Day two Set up energy and broadband accounts in your name, apply for council tax student exemption using your enrolment letter, register with a West End GP, and walk your route to campus.

Small but useful Find your bin collection day, locate the nearest recycling point, note the stopcock position, and introduce yourself to neighbours since this is a residential building.

• •Total cost. Rent starts at £1,395 per month for the two bedroom apartment. Across a twelve month tenancy that is £16,740, or roughly £698 each per month when shared.
• •What is included. Confirm this carefully. Private lets frequently exclude energy, broadband, water and contents insurance, so budget an additional £150 to £250 monthly between two people.
• •Council tax. Full time students are exempt, but you must apply with your enrolment certificate. If one occupant is not a student, a discount rather than exemption applies.
• •Instalments. Rent is normally paid monthly by standing order rather than in academic term instalments, which suits students with steady funding rather than lump sum loan payments.
• •Deposit. Private tenancies in Scotland typically require a deposit of one to two months rent, which must be lodged with an approved tenancy deposit scheme by law.
• •Cooling off. Private residential tenancies in Scotland do not include a standard cooling off period once signed, so read the agreement thoroughly before committing.
• •No Visa No Pay and No Place No Pay. These clauses are standard in purpose built halls but are not guaranteed in private lets. Ask explicitly and get any agreement in writing.
• •Notice. Scottish private residential tenancies are open ended, with tenants normally able to leave on twenty eight days written notice after the initial period.

1. •University of Glasgow
2. •The Glasgow School of Art
3. •Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
4. •Glasgow Caledonian University
5. •University of Strathclyde
6. •City of Glasgow College
7. •University of the West of Scotland

What you should know before your child signs

• •This is a private residential let, not managed student accommodation, so there is no on site team, reception desk or twenty four hour security presence.
• •Bills are generally not included. Budget an extra £150 to £250 per month between two occupants for energy, broadband, water and contents insurance.
• •A deposit of one to two months rent is normal in Scotland and must legally be lodged in an approved tenancy deposit scheme within thirty working days.
• •Full time students are exempt from council tax, but the exemption must be applied for with an enrolment certificate rather than granted automatically.
• •Scottish private residential tenancies are open ended with a twenty eight day notice period, which offers more flexibility than a fixed academic year contract.
• •Sandstone tenement properties can be expensive to heat, so ask about the EPC rating and heating system before signing anything.

• •Arrival. Glasgow Airport is roughly twenty minutes by taxi, and Hillhead subway connects you to Glasgow Central and Queen Street in about twelve minutes. Arrange key collection with the letting agent well in advance of travel.
• •No UK guarantor. Private landlords usually require a UK based guarantor. If you do not have one, expect to be asked for several months rent upfront, or use a recognised third party guarantor service such as those commonly accepted in Scotland.
• •Visa safety net. No Visa No Pay protection is standard in purpose built halls but is not automatic in private lets. Ask the landlord or agent to include a visa refusal clause in writing before you sign or transfer any money.
• •Setup. Register with a West End GP, apply for council tax student exemption using your enrolment letter, open a UK bank account with your tenancy as proof of address, and set up energy and broadband in your own name.
• •Home food. Great Western Road and Byres Road hold South Asian, Middle Eastern, Chinese and Polish grocers within a fifteen minute walk, so halal meat, spices, rice and familiar brands are readily available nearby.

• •Safety. Dowanhill is one of the safer parts of Glasgow, residential and well lit with low through traffic. Standard city precautions apply late at night, but the area feels calm.
• •Green space. This is the strong point. Kelvingrove Park is around twelve minutes away, the Botanic Gardens roughly ten, and the Kelvin Walkway offers a river route for running and cycling.
• •Who is around. A blend of University of Glasgow students, academic staff, young families and long standing West End residents. Less transient than the centre, and quieter through summer.
• •What is around. Byres Road supermarkets and independents five minutes away, Ashton Lane bars and cinema, Òran Mór, plus the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum at the park's edge.
• •Transport. Hillhead subway station is about eight minutes on foot, connecting to the city centre in roughly twelve minutes. Frequent buses run along Great Western Road and Byres Road.
• •Character. Victorian sandstone terraces, tree lined lanes and mews style buildings. It looks and feels like a proper neighbourhood rather than a student district, which is largely the point.

Groceries

• •Marks and Spencer Foodhall, Waitrose and Tesco on Byres Road, all within a ten minute walk
• •Roots, Fruits and Flowers on Great Western Road for fresh produce and health foods
• •Locavore and independent grocers along Great Western Road for zero waste and bulk buying

Cheap eats and cafés

• •Ashton Lane restaurants and bars, five to ten minutes away, with student nights midweek
• •Byres Road cafés and bakeries with laptop friendly seating for long study afternoons
• •Great Western Road curry houses and takeaways, a West End institution and reliably good value

Study spaces

• •University of Glasgow Library on Hillhead Street, twelve minutes on foot, open extended hours in term
• •Hillhead Library on Byres Road for a quieter public option
• •Independent West End cafés with wifi for informal study sessions

Fitness and leisure

• •University of Glasgow Sport facilities at Stevenson Building for enrolled students
• •Kelvin Hall leisure centre with gym and pool, around fifteen minutes away
• •Kelvingrove Park and the Kelvin Walkway for free running and cycling routes

Culture and health

• •Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, free entry, around fifteen minutes on foot
• •Grosvenor Cinema on Ashton Lane for independent and mainstream films
• •Byres Road pharmacies and West End GP practices under NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

What the property provides A two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a living area and fitted kitchen. Confirm the furnishing level in writing before arrival, since private lets vary between furnished and unfurnished.

Bring or buy on arrival Bedding, towels, kitchenware, cleaning supplies, and possibly furniture if the flat is let unfurnished. Byres Road shops and IKEA delivery cover the basics within a couple of days.

Day one Collect keys, photograph every room including existing marks, take meter readings for gas and electricity, test heating and hot water, and confirm the broadband arrangement with your agent.

Day two Set up energy and broadband accounts in your name, apply for council tax student exemption using your enrolment letter, register with a West End GP, and walk your route to campus.

Small but useful Find your bin collection day, locate the nearest recycling point, note the stopcock position, and introduce yourself to neighbours since this is a residential building.

• •Total cost. Rent starts at £1,395 per month for the two bedroom apartment. Across a twelve month tenancy that is £16,740, or roughly £698 each per month when shared.
• •What is included. Confirm this carefully. Private lets frequently exclude energy, broadband, water and contents insurance, so budget an additional £150 to £250 monthly between two people.
• •Council tax. Full time students are exempt, but you must apply with your enrolment certificate. If one occupant is not a student, a discount rather than exemption applies.
• •Instalments. Rent is normally paid monthly by standing order rather than in academic term instalments, which suits students with steady funding rather than lump sum loan payments.
• •Deposit. Private tenancies in Scotland typically require a deposit of one to two months rent, which must be lodged with an approved tenancy deposit scheme by law.
• •Cooling off. Private residential tenancies in Scotland do not include a standard cooling off period once signed, so read the agreement thoroughly before committing.
• •No Visa No Pay and No Place No Pay. These clauses are standard in purpose built halls but are not guaranteed in private lets. Ask explicitly and get any agreement in writing.
• •Notice. Scottish private residential tenancies are open ended, with tenants normally able to leave on twenty eight days written notice after the initial period.

1. •University of Glasgow
2. •The Glasgow School of Art
3. •Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
4. •Glasgow Caledonian University
5. •University of Strathclyde
6. •City of Glasgow College
7. •University of the West of Scotland

What you should know before your child signs

• •This is a private residential let, not managed student accommodation, so there is no on site team, reception desk or twenty four hour security presence.
• •Bills are generally not included. Budget an extra £150 to £250 per month between two occupants for energy, broadband, water and contents insurance.
• •A deposit of one to two months rent is normal in Scotland and must legally be lodged in an approved tenancy deposit scheme within thirty working days.
• •Full time students are exempt from council tax, but the exemption must be applied for with an enrolment certificate rather than granted automatically.
• •Scottish private residential tenancies are open ended with a twenty eight day notice period, which offers more flexibility than a fixed academic year contract.
• •Sandstone tenement properties can be expensive to heat, so ask about the EPC rating and heating system before signing anything.

• •Arrival. Glasgow Airport is roughly twenty minutes by taxi, and Hillhead subway connects you to Glasgow Central and Queen Street in about twelve minutes. Arrange key collection with the letting agent well in advance of travel.
• •No UK guarantor. Private landlords usually require a UK based guarantor. If you do not have one, expect to be asked for several months rent upfront, or use a recognised third party guarantor service such as those commonly accepted in Scotland.
• •Visa safety net. No Visa No Pay protection is standard in purpose built halls but is not automatic in private lets. Ask the landlord or agent to include a visa refusal clause in writing before you sign or transfer any money.
• •Setup. Register with a West End GP, apply for council tax student exemption using your enrolment letter, open a UK bank account with your tenancy as proof of address, and set up energy and broadband in your own name.
• •Home food. Great Western Road and Byres Road hold South Asian, Middle Eastern, Chinese and Polish grocers within a fifteen minute walk, so halal meat, spices, rice and familiar brands are readily available nearby.