Moving into
your first student house is one of the most exciting things you’ll experience
at uni! What could be better than your own place full of your friends? Take a
minute to read our 5 top tips to make your first house moving experience the
best it can be!
1) Find a nice house
Although this may seem obvious, it's something that has to be thought about! Luckily there
is an abundance of student property in Southampton, so finding a house that
suits everyone’s needs shouldn't be too difficult. Make sure you find a
property that’s in good location, a condition that you can actually live in and
make sure you all agree on the property you’re going to rent – everyone needs
to be happy!
2) Record readings from the utility meters
When you move
into the property you should take readings from the gas and electricity meters
(as well as the water meter, if applicable). Make sure you keep these readings
in a safe place, and contact your utility providers with them. This will make
sure you only pay for energy that you have used and not what the previous
tenant has used.
3) Inform the council that you’re all students
All students
are council tax exempt – but you’ll have to get in touch with the local council
and let them know how many people are staying in the property. Sometimes this
is done automatically by the university – just make sure you update your
address on SUSSED so they know where you are living! If you receive any letters
be sure to send the council proof of your enrollment. However, if anyone drops
out of education but remains living in the property, they will have to pay
council tax.
4) Write an inventory
An inventory
list will cover everything that is in the property when you move into it – this
could cover things like wardrobes, beds, cookers and so on. Also make a note of
any damage that was present when you arrived – like paint chips, blue tac marks
or dents and scrapes. By writing this list and having the landlord and/or
letting agency agree to it, everyone knows what needs to be left in the
property once you move out, and knows what damage was not down to you! This
will help with getting deposits back at the end of the year.
5) Keep it tidy
Try and make an
effort to keep everything tidy and in good condition – not just for the
duration of time that you live there, but when you move out. Remember landlords
can withhold your deposit on the property if you’ve trashed it, so make sure
the house is well looked after.
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