Types of hostel

There are around 200 hostels in London alone - mostly in central London. Most other large towns or cities usually have at least one hostel.

Hostels are run by charities, housing associations or private organisations. They usually provide accommodation for only a short to medium term basis (for example up to two years) but some hostels will accept people on a long term basis.

Hostels vary widely in size and facilities. The smallest are for around 10 to 15 residents with the largest having around 250 residents.

Residents usually have a single bedroom to themselves and share a toilet and bathroom with other residents. Some hostels have kitchens that residents can use to prepare their own meals. Others have a canteen and charge for meals either in the rent or as you take them.

Most hostels give residents a licence agreement. This type of agreement gives you fewer rights than a tenancy agreement. It allows your landlord to evict you without having to take you to court. Most charitable or housing association landlords usually give at least 4 weeks notice if they want a resident to leave and will often help with finding alternative accommodation. More information on types of tenancy and your rights can be obtained from Shelter by clicking on www.shelternet.org.uk.

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Can I get hostel accommodation?

Hostels cater for all kinds of people. Some are for particular groups such as students or working people. Others are for people who need support with a housing related problem such as drug use. Some are women-only or men-only, and some are just for young people.

The bigger hostels tend to be direct access which means that they can usually offer rooms at short notice. Others may want to interview you first and put you on a waiting list until a room becomes free. In London there may only be around 10 hostel rooms coming free each day.

Hostels that cater for students or working people usually take direct applications from people. Hostels that cater for homeless people are increasingly likely to want you to be referred by another organisation, such as your current housing provider or an advice agency. Both can be good sources of advice on how best to get hostel accommodation.

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What services can I expect?

Who the hostel caters for will affect the type of services it offers. Hostels for students or people that are working are likely to offer very different services to those that are targeted at people with a drug or alcohol problem.

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How much does it cost?

The quality of the accommodation and the rent you will be charged can vary quite a lot from hostel to hostel. When comparing costs you need to identify what the amount you will be charged includes, for instance, food and bills. If the hostel doesn't have facilities for you to cook your own food you need to think about the additional costs of buying a prepared meal every day. This might not be a problem if the hostel has a canteen proving cheap meals all day.

Lots of hostels get money from the government towards their costs, but many still charge over £100 a week to residents. There is going to be a change to the funding many hostels get in April 2003 that should bring rents down to much lower levels. You may want to ask about this when getting information from a particular hostel.

Click on Finding the right hostel for advice on where to look for a hostel and important questions to ask.

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Click on these links to reach different parts of the website:
Private renting - Council or housing association - Buying your own home
Hostels - Jobs with accommodation - Moving out of London
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