No single provider wins. iQ is the one to choose if nobody can act as your guarantor and you can pay in one go, Unite Students has the longest cooling-off period of the three, and Student Roost asks every resident for a guarantor but accepts anyone over 18 who meets its job and housing test. Once those rules are out of the way, your city and your building should decide it.
Unite vs iQ vs Student Roost at a glance
Published rules checked in November 2026. Your own tenancy agreement always beats this table.
All three include bills, so that should not swing your decision. The real differences are guarantor rules, time to change your mind and location. This is general information, not legal advice, and rules can differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
| Unite Students | iQ | Student Roost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | All bills in rent: electricity, water, heating, Wi-Fi, contents insurance | All bills in rent, plus Wi-Fi and contents insurance. Laundry is extra | All bills in rent, plus internet and contents insurance. Says no energy limits |
| Guarantor | Generally needed. You may need one even if you pay in full | Not needed if you pay in one instalment, unless you are 17 when you sign | Needed for every booking, even if you pay in full |
| Money to secure a room | Advertises no deposit. Advance rent if your booking says so | Booking fee, varies by site, credited to first instalment | Advance rent, taken off first instalment. Scottish properties may take a deposit instead |
| Cooling off | 7 days from the booking confirmation email. Wales may differ | England terms mention no cooling-off period. Complete your tenancy within 7 days of paying or iQ may release the room | 3 days, or 24 hours if you book from 1 August 2027 (2027/28 policy) |
| Contract lengths | Full year and academic year, plus short, semester and summer stays | 51 weeks and 43 or 44 weeks on the buildings we checked | Weeks not published on the pages we read. Semester and summer lets at selected properties |
Which cities does each provider cover?
All three operate in 12 places: Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. We compared the lists on each company's own site.
Leeds and Manchester have Unite and iQ but not Student Roost. Durham and Southampton have Unite and Student Roost but not iQ. Brighton and York have iQ and Student Roost but not Unite.
| Only this provider | Places |
|---|---|
| Unite Students only | Cardiff, Loughborough, Medway, Portsmouth |
| iQ only | Bangor, Dundee, Egham, Huddersfield, Kingston, Lincoln, Plymouth, Preston, Salford, Wolverhampton |
| Student Roost only | Aberdeen, Belfast, Chester, Swansea, Warwick, Wrexham |
Starting prices in the four cities we compared
The lowest weekly from price we could see in November 2026. Academic years differ, so this is a guide, not a league table.
Student Roost showed 2026/27, with 2027/28 rooms coming soon, so its figures are a year older. iQ has no city-wide price, so we read building pages: four each in Sheffield and Edinburgh, one in Liverpool and four of its 18 in London, so cheaper iQ rooms may exist.
From prices are the cheapest room only. We would compare the exact room type and contract length before believing any gap between providers.
| City | Unite (2027/28) | iQ (2027/28) | Student Roost (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | From £109 | From £77 at Brocco | From £79 at Central Place |
| Liverpool | From £101 | From £147 at Great Newton House | From £156 at Byrom Point |
| Edinburgh | From £160 | From £219 at Fountainbridge | From £219 at Lady Lawson Street |
| London | From £199 | From £249 at Sterling Court | From £239 at Mannequin House |
Student Roost guarantor rules, compared with Unite and iQ
The biggest difference, and the question we would settle first.
Student Roost asks every customer to name a guarantor, whether they pay in full or in instalments. The guarantor must be over 18, not a student, and in full-time employment while owning or renting their home. They do not need a UK address, and the paperwork is due within 14 days of booking. On that wording, a retired or part-time parent may not meet the test, so ask Student Roost before you book.
iQ only asks for a guarantor if you pay in instalments or are 17 when you sign. A guarantor must be 21 or over, not a full-time student and not living in an iQ property. iQ does not accept guarantor companies, though a university rent guarantee scheme may be accepted.
Unite's international page says you will generally need a guarantor, who must be over 25 but does not need to be a UK resident. Its booking guide says you may still need one even if you pay in full. So a 22-year-old sibling could qualify for iQ or Student Roost, but not on Unite's stated age.
| Rule | Unite Students | iQ | Student Roost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | Over 25 | 21 or over | Over 18 |
| Can be overseas | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can be a student | Not stated | Not a full-time student | No |
| Job or housing test | Not stated | Not stated | Full-time job, and owns or rents |
| Pay in full to avoid one | Not guaranteed | Yes, unless you are 17 | No |
Deposits and cancelling: what happens if plans change
Unite gives you 7 days from the booking confirmation email, unless you have collected keys. After that, you owe the rent unless a replacement tenant is found or you start a new Unite tenancy, with a £50 charge if you have moved in. No Place No Pay covers first-year students whose offer is withdrawn over grades, or who go elsewhere after beating them. For September and October starts it ends on 30 September, with documents due within 7 days of results.
iQ's England terms give you until 11:59pm on the 7th day after payment to complete your tenancy, and it keeps the booking fee if you cancel before signing. It says the fee and rent come back if you miss your grades or your visa is refused, with visa notice due within 72 hours. Once signed, you stay liable unless you have a qualifying reason or a replacement is found. Wales and Scotland have their own iQ terms.
Student Roost's 2027/28 policy allows cancellation for visa refusal or missed grades, and tenancy takeovers cost a non-refundable £50 and must happen by 31 May 2028. Its 2026/27 versions differ by nation, so read the one for your country. In England, Unite and Student Roost both describe a right on common law tenancies to leave on four weeks' notice if you withdraw from uni or are ill for over 60 days.
A simple rule for choosing
Stop at the first step that settles it.
- Check your cityIf only one provider is in your city or near your campus, the comparison is over.
- Nobody can be your guarantor?If you can pay all your rent in one go and are 18 or over, choose iQ. Unite says you may still need one and Student Roost says you will.
- Who is your guarantor?Under 25 rules out Unite on its stated age limit. Not working full time, or not owning or renting their home, is a problem for Student Roost. iQ's listed test is the simplest.
- Still unsure about your place?If you are a first-year waiting on grades, or still deciding, Unite's 7-day cooling off and No Place No Pay wording is the clearest of the three.
- Then compare the actual roomSame room type, same number of weeks, same academic year. Multiply the weekly rent by the weeks to get the real total.
Who should pick which?
If every step is a tie, we would ignore the brand and choose on the building: walk to campus, room size and total contract cost.
Unite Students
Best fit if you want the longest time to change your mind and you are a first-year waiting on results. Guarantor must be over 25.
Read our Unite Students reviewiQ
Best fit if you have no guarantor and can pay up front, or you want a choice of 51 or 43 to 44 week contracts. Watch the booking fee.
Read our iQ reviewStudent Roost
Best fit if you are in a city the others skip, such as Aberdeen, Belfast or Swansea, and your guarantor works full time. Act fast, as cooling off is short.
Read our Student Roost reviewof the 500 UK students in our 2026 Student Experience Survey had hit at least one housing issue. Housemates (34%), the property itself (32%) and Wi-Fi (29%) came up most.
Keep planning
FAQs
Is Unite Students or iQ better?
Neither is better across the board. iQ suits you if you have no guarantor and can pay your rent in one instalment, as it then normally needs no guarantor. Unite suits you if you want longer to change your mind, with a 7-day cooling-off period and No Place No Pay for first-year students. Both include bills.
What's the best student accommodation provider: Student Roost, Unite or iQ?
It depends on your city and your guarantor. Twelve places have all three, so start there. Then check who can be your guarantor, because the rules differ more than anything else. We would only compare prices after that, using the same room type, weeks and academic year, because the from prices are not like for like.
Does Student Roost need a guarantor?
Yes. Student Roost says every customer must name one, whether they pay in full or in instalments. The guarantor must be over 18, not a student, in full-time employment, and either a homeowner or renter. They do not need a UK address. The agreement and documents are due within 14 days of booking, or your booking may be affected.
Can I book iQ without a guarantor?
Usually, yes, if you pay all your rent in one instalment. iQ says you will not need a guarantor in that case, with one exception: anyone who is 17 when they sign needs one even if they pay in full. iQ does not accept guarantor companies, but it says a university rent guarantee scheme may be accepted.
Do Unite, iQ and Student Roost include bills?
Yes, all three say bills are included in the rent. Unite lists electricity, water, heating, Wi-Fi and contents insurance. iQ lists bills, Wi-Fi and contents insurance. Student Roost lists utilities, internet and contents insurance, and says there are no energy limits. iQ charges separately for laundry, so budget for that and check how each building handles it.
Do I pay a deposit with these providers?
Usually not a traditional one, but expect to pay something. Unite advertises no deposit, though advance rent may apply. iQ takes a booking fee that varies by site and counts towards your first instalment. Student Roost takes advance rent off your first instalment, while its Scottish properties may take a refundable deposit instead. Check the amount before you book.
Sources and official resources
- Unite Students cancellation policy Cooling off and No Place No Pay
- Unite Students: how to book Payment plans and guarantor wording
- Unite Students: international students Guarantor age and overseas rule
- iQ FAQs Guarantor, booking fee and bills
- iQ booking terms, England Deadlines and cancellation rules
- iQ: ways to pay Instalments and the under-18 rule
- Student Roost: what is a guarantor Full guarantor criteria
- Student Roost cancellation policy Versions by year and nation
- Student Roost: advance rent payments How advance rent works
Provide student accommodation?
Put your rooms in front of students choosing where to live. Talk to us about clearly labelled partner placements and campaigns.
How we built this guide: facts come from the sources listed above, checked November 2026. It is general information rather than legal or financial advice, and rules and prices change, so confirm with the provider or an adviser before you commit. How we compare student accommodation.