Student Accommodation Checklist

20 Things You Need To Do When You Move To Your New University Accommodation

Make sure you're satisfied with the inventory

The first thing you should do is check that you are happy with the inventory document. This is the document that records everything that is in the house as well as its current condition, so if it is incorrect you might lose your deposit. To avoid this, you need to go through the document and make sure that any damages are recorded before you sign it.

Take photos of EVERYTHING

To avoid any issues with your deposit, make sure to take pictures of everything in the flat to showcase its condition. Might also be worth sending the images to your landlord in an email to document the date the photos were taken.

Make sure the flat is safe!

An often forgotten but crucial step is checking that the flat is safe to live in! You need to consider the following whenever you move into any new house:

• Check that the fire alarms work and can be heard from anywhere in the house.
• Ensure that there is nothing unsafe about the build of the house i.e. the stairs of the ceiling.
• Check the carbon monoxide alarm is working and installed where it needs to be.
• Make sure the house has an adequate fire extinguisher.

In case any of these are missing or broken, you need to notify your landlord immediately as it’s their responsibility to make sure these are present and working.

Sort Out Your Gas & Electric

The first thing to do is to check that all the lights and cooking hub are working fine as you want to avoid any unwelcomed surprises down the line. Unless your rent includes bills, you will need to pay them separately. The first of these is your electricity and gas (if your house has gas). Using websites like USwitch can help you find the best deal for your energy then it's just a case of contacting them to get your energy setup.

Sort The Water

It’s very important that you test the water pressure in all the taps and the showers in the house the moment you get into the flat. If you find any issues with this, you need to notify your landlord. Next, you need to pay for your water. Some cities will have one water provider, so contact them to make sure you are on a tariff that suits your specific needs.

Sort Out The Internet

Check the internet speed and price of your current provider and compare it to other providers in your area. Make sure that you consider how many people will be using the internet at any given time before choosing your provider.

Get Your Council Tax Exemption

You will eventually get a letter from the council asking you to pay council tax, but this is nothing to worry about as students are exempt from paying council tax. All you need to do is apply to your local council to get your exemption form. 

Sort Out The TV Licence Out 

Make sure to purchase a TV license, if you need it. According to the official UK TV Licensing website: “You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch programmes live on any online TV service - such as ITV Hub, All 4, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV or Sky Go. You don't need a TV Licence if you only ever watch on-demand programmes on any TV service apart from BBC iPlayer.” 

Clean The House

We know it’s been a long day, but trust us when we say there is nothing better than a clean house. The house should be in decent condition anyways, so you would just be doing a light clean to make your stay a bit more comfortable. If the place is a total mess, contact your landlord before you start unpacking.

Unpack Your Bags ASAP

It might seem obvious, but a lot of students live out of their suitcases for a few weeks before they actually get around to taking everything out. You want to make sure you get any organising done before you get overwhelmed by lectures and assignments so, take an hour or two to unpack everything

Buy The Essentials

Nothing worse than running up to the bathroom to wash your hands only to realise no one bought soap. Make sure you make a list of all the essentials you need from shampoo to milk so that you avoid running down to Tesco at 1 am.

Decorate The House

Once you’ve got the essentials out of the way, it's time to make the house your own by decorating the house. Make sure to avoid using anything permanently like pins or blu tack to avoid losing your deposit.

Locate Where Everything Is

It can be overwhelming moving to a new city, so take the time to locate where everything you need is and find the easiest way to get to it. Here are a few places you might want to think of:

• University Buildings
• The City centre
• Supermarkets
• Pharmacies
• Restaurant
• The train station
• Gym

Create A Chores Rota 

Living with people at university would be a great experience if they didn’t leave their dirty dishes in the sink. This is why if you are living with people, it is vital that you all create a chores rota to make sure the house stays clean and that everyone does their part.

Create A Safety Check Bulletin Board

We got this creative idea from a few university houses that wanted to make sure they knew where everyone was. They created a bulletin board next to the door so that people could highlight whether they were in or out of the house, to ensure that people are where they said they’d be.

Change Your GP

If you don’t fancy travelling back home whenever you need to visit a doctor, you might want to change your GP to your closest practice or the university GP.

Change Your Address Online

Make sure that you notify anyone that sends you letters of your change of address (like your bank or insurance) and that you cancel any unused subscriptions like your gym.

Register To Vote

If you’re living somewhere for three plus years, you want to make sure your voice is heard so make sure to register to vote in your local council.

Tell People Where You're Moving

You never know who else is in your area, so it could be a great idea to share that you are moving on your social media to ask if anyone you already know lives there. Could also bag yourself a free ride from the train station.

Take A Deep Breath. You Got This!

Finally, moving to a new city with strangers could feel overwhelming, but everyone around you is in the same situation too. Pat yourself on the back for moving out and enjoy your new adventure!

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