Hello

I've just started a Medicinal Chemistry MA at Newcastle University (UK) and am moving to Heaton.
I've been quite suprised at how bad the stigma of Newcastle's housing is - apparantly there's loads of crime :/

Has anyone else had experience of this.

I found this on the Student Room forum which was reassuring. http://miniurl.com/75988

Any advice? :$

Stigmas are often like stereotypes - accurate.

So Sorry to read this on this forum. I'm about to start my masters on Newcastle university and I'm afraid I may not find a good housing by the time I need to leave my current one. I've tried online resources for housing and rooms for rent such as http://www.housepals.co.uk/. There are some nice adds there. Would you recommend another way to find a safe and good accommodation that is worth the money.

For this one, I have to break my self-imposed silence and say things aren't as bad as perhaps the media might make out.

Heaton is adjacent to Byker, which is still a bit rough. However, the housing in Heaton itself is mostly student, as it is in Jesmond and parts of Gosforth (no history of real trouble in either of those areas). If you said Fenham or (especially) Benwell, then I'd advise more caution.

There is a small risk of of burglary, so make sure you make sure your flat is secure when you are out and you should be fine (door locked, windows locked, etc.). Stick to main routes if you're coming back from a night out in Central Newcastle being the other thing I have to say. The vast majority of people in digs there will never see any trouble.

Given I support Sunderland, I should be taking this opportunity to run Newcastle down!!! :-)


Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

My younger sister was a student there until about two years ago. It's a pretty safe city with low crime levels - probably one of the safeest big British cities. So I wouldn't worry too much. From what I can remember from visiting her Jesmond / West Jesmond / Sandyford / Quayside / Gosforth / Heaton / Fenham (in descending order of rent price) were the student areas. Avoid the West End eg Elswick - we got lost there once and it was seriously dodgy, I didn't think Byker was that bad but it wouldn't be my first choice. I would suggest contacting the University accommodation office - my sister rented a flat through them in her second and third year and you had the assurance that the housing met certain standards and that the landlords weren't really dodgy. http://www.ncl.ac.uk/accommodation/private/nustudenthomes/ for details. I seem to remember my sister also saying something about the student union having some sort of list of good agencies - it might be worth looking on their website. I'd be careful about renting anything online sight unseen - there are some dodgy people out there.

I lived in Newcastle for 7 years, in Heaton, High Heaton, Walker(!) (briefly), Jesmond and had friends in Sandyford, Gosforth, Fenham and the city centre. I found Newcastle to be one of the safest and nicest places I've ever been. I definitely felt safer than I do in Glasgow.

The main student areas are Heaton, Jesmond and Fenham. Heaton is next to Byker but I lived literally just the other side of the rail track that divides them and I had no problems whatsoever. Jesmond is the posh end, mainly the richer students live there on "daddy's dollar" (though there are some regular students there too). Fenham is the other side of the city and I would say it is the roughest of the 3, however it is still not dangerous and the houses over there are cheap and HUGE.

All in all Newcastle is a fantastic place to be a student, at either undergrad or postgrad level.

(I don't get paid by the Newcastle tourist board honest!!)

Hi Andrew,

We can help you to find a room anywhere in UK because we list rooms for rent. YOu can even create a group to share a property. Have a look at www.flatmatch.com

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I think Newcastle is like any large city.
There are some areas that are better than others!
The main student areas of Jesmond and Sandyford are great areas to live and do not have crime problems but it is always easy for an opportunist thief when they see an open window especially if it looks like a student house as they know there will be laptop mobile phone etc.
All of our properties are licensed by the council therefore have to have a high standard of security and we have no issues.
Regards
Paul

*link removed by postgrad forum team*

I think you could try this site: