Tips on moving away from home

Being away from home can be both an exciting time and scary. Your friends and family will be missing you, so make sure to keep in touch! Why don’t you invite them over for the weekend and show them around. Or even set up a facetime date with your bestie, just don’t forget them!

Moving away from home means you will now be faced with new responsibilities such as laundry or cooking. If you find you are struggling don’t be afraid to ask for help from your new flat mates or your family.

This may be the first time in your life where you have to learn how to budget and after paying your rent you will need to be careful with your remaining student finance. Make sure you plan your outgoings and then work out a weekly spending budget and stick to it. There are also many handy apps that you can get to help you keep on top of your money. 

 

Laundry

Your going to need to do a laundry load sooner or later, but it can be so confusing at times! So we’ve put together a quick guide for you:

Ok, so I get the symbols but what goes with what? Everyone washes their clothing differently, but the basics are: 

• Lights and Whites. (light greys)
• Darks
• Colours
• Typically bedding, pj’s, towels, socks, and underwear can be tumble dried, just make sure to check the labels!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living in halls 

• Moving into halls for the first time can be both exciting and terrifying, youll have a chance to meet new people and make new friends, don’t worry they are in the same boat as you. Remember communication is key, if you have any issues with your new flatmates try and speak to them, don’t forget to take your flatmates concerns into consideration too! 
• Not everyone is going to get along with each other, but don’t fret, there will be plenty of opportunities to make friends at university, be it in your lectures or in societies!
• Make sure you fairly distribute the communal jobs, sit down with your flatmates and make a weekly rota on who does what one week. 
• Don’t be afraid to make your room yours. Put up pictures and posters, bring cushions and fairy lights or your childhood stuffed toy. 
• Be courteous… everyone has a different way they live, some are quietand reserved while others are outgoing, just make sure you don’t have your music up too loud at unsociable hours!  

Private housing 

• Some houses will have bills included, this can drive the rent up, but keep bills down! So defiantly a thing to consider when looking at properties. 
• Make sure you go through an accredited letting agency, just be aware that there are extra admin fees involved. 
• Some properties will come furnished or unfurnished, so make sure you have all the furniture and white goodsyou need before you move in.
• Make sure to take an inventory of the property before you move in and note any damage and take pictures. This can come in handy when getting your deposit back.
• Make sure the property is in a decent location, close to the university or near a decent public transport service. 
• Check the energy ratings of the building, this will tell you if the heating bills will be high or not.
• If you are in fulltime education, you will be exempt from paying council tax. However, this does not extend to spouses. 
• When moving in remember:
  • Read your gas and electric meter and ring the companies up to sort out an account
  • Get a TV licence 
  • Set up the internet
  • Make sure you shop around for the best deals in your local area
  • Inform the council that you have moved in 
  • Tell your bank, car insurance and GP your new address
  • Get any old letters redirected to your new address
  • Sort out water rates 

 

Deposits 

• Be it in student halls or a private tenancy, you will need to secure your property with a deposit. 
• Athena hall charges a £100 deposit fee, while private landlords can charge a month and a half’s rent upfront before you even get the keys. 
• Make sure your deposit goes into an accredited deposit scheme.
• The deposit (or part of the deposit) can be kept by the Landlord if the tenant:

o  Leaves the property owing rent

o  Causes damage to the property or its contents

o  Does not pay their bills

• The landlord cannot withhold the deposit over general wear and tear.
• If the landlord does withhold part or all your deposit, you are within your rights to ask for receipts of the work being done. 

-      Your landlord by law must protect your deposit by using one of these three schemes:

o  MyDeposits - https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/

o  Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) - https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/

o  Deposit Protection Service (DPS) - https://www.depositprotection.com/

 

House sharing 

• Sharing a house with your mates can be fun, but remember you are all responsible for the rent and bills!
• Decide what to do about the deposit, will you all contribute? Will one person pay for it? What if that person leaves and wants their share of the deposit back?
• You will need a guarantor, so if it is your mum/dad make sure your friends are reliable with the rent, or they will be paying the arrears. 
• Make sure you take your time when looking for houses and compromise where possible.

 

Tenancy 

• When booking your accommodation be it halls or private, make sure your tenancy covers the duration of your course. 
• If you change your mind or want to opt out of your tenancy early you may incur charges or be required to pay for the full duration of your tenancy. 
• Private accommodation tenancy’s normally last for 6 months, but these can be extended for longer periods. 
• If your guarantor does not meet the income requirement, it may be possible to combine two guarantors to meet the income requirement.