My experience living in Felda House

Written by Jennifer Grumann-Copping

Third Year 'The Art of Video Games'

When you think about entering higher education, you usually think that you’d be living away from home, gaining the independence that you very much deserve! Despite Escape Studios not having its own dedicated student accommodation, there are still plenty of chances for you to live in the big city and explore London whilst you study!

I, for one, was looking to move away from home for my second and third year. The hunt for affordable places to live can be daunting, but I hope that this post will help make things that little bit easier. 

Wembley Park

One of the best places for students to look is Wembley Park. With an easy route to campus via a 45-minute direct journey on the Jubilee line, and lots of different student accommodation buildings all in one area, I cannot recommend checking this location out enough. The stadium is the first thing you see as you exit the station, just before the descent down the stairs onto Olympic Way. There are many food shops you can easily get your groceries from, takeaways around almost every corner, and fun places to visit like Box Park and the Fashion Outlet to have some wind-down time. (There’s even a Cineworld that does student discounts!)  

This place is a highlight for students with so much to do and explore. Escape Studios already recommends a location in Wembley Park which is where I originally started my search. However, it is always a good idea to just see what else is out there as you may find something more affordable, convenient or tailored to what you're looking for. 

Felda House 

I found Felda House, the smaller sister building to the recommended Grand Felda, which both are owned by CRM Students. Felda house is located just behind the Novo Hotel, and is a speedy 3-5 minute walk away from Wembley Park Station. It’s also super close to some shops that you will bound to become regulars at: Lidl, Costa, a boba tea and Asian food store called Shakii Shakii, and a McDonalds!  

Felda House offers a few varieties of accommodation for students depending on the budget you have in mind for rent. The cheapest is the en-suite bedroom, with a kitchen that you share with four other flatmates. This is the type of room I have been living in and I really enjoy it! Having a ¾ double bed (with underbed storage all to yourself is honestly so worth it! The en-suite bathrooms also have a decent sized shower, and a light up mirror so you can get the best lighting for when you get ready in the mornings. Each room comes with a decently sized desk with drawers, and trust me, you won't have any issues fitting a desktop PC on it! Not to mention a built-in wardrobe too! What’s great about this is you have a lot of chances to decorate your room to make it feel more like your space. That was the first thing I did when I moved in and it really helped me settle in and feel at home in a new place. The magnetic board above the desk was a great way to display photos and posters to liven up the room. 

I am really happy to have found Felda House, the staff here have been so kind and helpful throughout my stay and the security is very good. Post is safely stored at reception and is needed to be signed out upon collection, ensuring whatever you treat yourself to will be all secure. Reception also often leaves out freebies for residents to help themselves to, usually to celebrate different holidays from all over the world. They also give out some free food too; the last thing I grabbed was one of each flavour of pot noodles they had and an energy drink!  

Applying for student accommodation 

One thing I'd recommend doing is checking out the building first before deciding if that's where you want to live. You get the vibe of the atmosphere and the people there which really helps with making the choice. I checked out Felda House before moving and I am so glad I did. The rooms seemed smaller on their website and not many features of the bathroom were advertised so checking it out, I got the full tour of not only the room but the kitchen layout, and also the common area that is on the ground floor of the building.  

When booking accommodation, make sure you have a guarantor sorted who can help back you up if you do have any issues with paying rent. Rent is either paid in one lump sum before you move in, or termly. I chose termly and use the student portal provided to pay when my student loan hits each term. Also, valid ID is needed, whether that's in the form of a driving licence or a passport.

Another useful tip is to book as early as you can! Rent can go up the later you leave it to book, so I would recommend getting a place as soon as you can to ensure you're getting the best deal. It also becomes a lot harder to get a room later down the line, so if you're set on living away from home, book as soon as possible to make that become a reality for you.  

The booking process is simple, it's all booked online and then you will be contacted by Felda house about the room you are given. You do need to pay a deposit, but as long as you look after your room, you’ll get that back with no worries. 

What to pack? 

Not sure what to take with you to your new home away from home? I didn’t either and that's totally okay! One piece of advice I’d give is: you can never have enough tea towels! Make sure you bring everything you need for your studies at Escape Studios, whether that's a laptop or desktop, as you’ll be sure to be using that to work on your projects. However, you need the basics too, like kitchenware, bathroom necessities and bedding. I cannot stress enough, bring spare bed sheets! Sometimes, that late night domino's pizza might stain your duvet! 

Conclusion 

Overall, I believe Felda House is a good option for new students looking to live in the big city. It’s affordable and in a great location with easy travel to and from campus. I would check it out if you're considering living away from home. You can easily contact the management team to ask any questions about the accommodation so if you're at all curious, don’t hesitate to reach out to them!  

A link to their website is here so go check it out!