Although a lot of houses do go by January, don’t think that you need to have found a house by then There will still be houses left at Easter and, surprise surprise, even after results day.
Make sure the landlords or your letting agent has done a proper inventory. There should be an inventory clerk and a proper inventory for you to sign. These are usually pages long and detail every item in every room and its condition. It is essential that one is carried out so that you won’t be charged for any damage that is pre-existing in the property. One will also be done when you move it, so keep it tidy!
If possible, assess the potential housemates with whom you’ll be living, you don’t want to be living with horrible/messy/smelly people for the next year of your life!
After you move in
As soon as you collect your keys, take photos of everything that is wrong with the house. Dirt on the wall, dodgy window – whatever – just take a photo of it (with date on it) so you don’t get charged for it when you move out. Actually just take photos of everything but concentrate on things that are wrong. It’s probably best to do this before you move all your stuff in, it’s really important you have a record of the condition of the house.
If your landlord claims that they need to take money from your deposit for repairs, make sure you get a breakdown of the costs so you can question them if need be – nothing like discovering six months later that you’ve been charged £75 to cover a small chip in the paintwork.
If your landlord is on the university housing list and is being particularly unhelpful regarding your deposit, let him/her know that you intend to report it to the housing office. At the least it’ll get you a response and an explanation because no landlord who rents to students wants to get blacklisted by the housing office.
As regards the phone/internet/digital tv, look around for good combined deals. Also, shop around for gas & electricity suppliers – you don’t just have to keep the ones the old tenants were with, you might find a cheaper deal.
To find who your gas supplier is, contact the National Grid’s ‘Meter Number Helpline’ on 0870 608 1524. To find out who your Electricity Supplier is contact your local Electricity Supply Company and ask for their Metering Point Administration Service.
As a student, you don’t have to pay council tax. Get a form from your university for each student in the house and send it off to the council to prove that you are students. Ensure you do this as you could end up in court!
