When should I start looking at accommodation options?
There is no harm in starting your research into accommodation options as early as possible. If your university has a housing advice service you can start by contacting them. Ideally, you should not sign any housing contract until you have seen the accommodation you are signing for. Try to do as much research as possible before committing to any particular accommodation, as it is very difficult to cancel an accommodation contract and move somewhere else. Doing so may mean that you lose money. Be aware of your university’s deadline for applying for accommodation and understand the terms and conditions regarding reserving accommodation.