University: Moving Into A New Student House

Moving into a new student house is such an exciting time – but it can also (I speak from experience!) be rather stressful There is a lot to do when you move into your student house – here’s this checklist to help you out!

Plenty of things can go wrong when moving into a new student house, or indeed any house. Furniture promised may have disappeared, keys may be missing (it took several weeks to get all the keys for my final year property!), or the house may simply not be in a good state – my housemate was first to move into our second year place, and it was far from clean and tidy! This advice from Walton Robinson points out how you can make your life just that little bit easier when moving in.

1) Make a plan in advance -There is nothing worse than not having a plan for an event like this. When moving house, you want everything to be as stress free as possible. Maybe you can your family and friend if they can lend a hand? If there’s a few of you moving together, it could be worth hiring a van so you can do it all in one trip! I would also make a packing list; things you need, last minute ‘to dos’ etc – I love having it all written down.

2) Paperwork – Moving is stressful, before you move into your house it is vital you make sure that all paperwork is complete and all fee and rent payments have been made. If you’re in a group, make sure every single one of you have completed everything – if just one person is missing one payment or piece of paperwork we won’t give out any keys at all until everything is 100% complete!

3) Collecting the keys – Check with your agent or landlord if there is a certain time you have to collect your keys. It is often after 3pm and you may need to call up and make an appointment in advance. Speak to your housemates about when they’re moving in, the first person may be able to come to the office and collect all the keys.

4) Know your point of contact – When you collect your keys make sure you are given the number and email address of the person you need to contact if there are any issues with the property, and if there is a separate number for out of hours’ emergencies. This will either be the landlord or, if your property is managed by an estate agent, your property supervisor. You should also appoint a lead tenant, someone who is the maid point of contact for informing you about viewings and inspections.

5) Inventory – You will be given an inventory when you move in, either from your estate agent or the landlord. Make sure you know the deadline for returning the completed inventory (often it is seven days) and that you pay close attention to every item and make any corrections that may be necessary. This will help when it comes to moving out and getting your deposit back at the end of the tenancy. My top tip is to also note on the inventory any marks, any damage and the general condition of everything listing. Take photographs if necessary!

6) Utilities & Bills- You will be asked to record meter readings on your inventory form. Keep a note of them as you will need this information when creating new utilities accounts. If you need any help with this, call your property supervisor and they will be happy to help.

7) Council Tax –  Students are exempt from paying council tax but you will need to inform the council of your exemption status or you will be sent a bill.

8) Summer Arrangements – If you’re moving your things in but not actually living there over the summer, let your landlord or agent know. This bit’s obvious but remember to switch the heating and any plugs off before you leave and make sure you don’t leave any valuables on display! You never know who might be peaking in.

And if you aren’t living there over summer, if you’re leaving the property for good, read over top 10 tips for what to do before you move out to help avoid deposit charges!

I hope this post from Walton Robinson will give you an idea of what to expect when moving into a new student house, and how to make the process a little smoother. Good luck with it all if you’re moving soon – I’m currently in a sea of bubble wrap and cardboard boxes myself!

*Post sponsored by Walton Robinson, as always all opinions are my own.

Are you moving soon? Do you have any tips for making a house move as stress-free as possible?