If you are moving away from home for university, you will need somewhere to live. In second and third year of your studies, it is likely you and your friends will want somewhere to live together and have your own space. However, it is important to remember that renting a house is a big decision and you should take time thinking about everything before you rush into anything. If you want to know everything you should consider before renting a house at university, then be sure to keep on reading to find out my best tips from my personal experience!
Before purchasing anywhere, it is important to sit down with your friends and brainstorm or discuss what you are looking for. For example, do you want it to be close to university, do you want there to be more than one bathroom and if you want a dishwasher for instance. Brainstorming and planning all of the things you are looking for will help you and your house mates get on common ground for what you all want out of your house. When you eventually go to view houses, you will be able to save time as well as narrow down your search.
When renting a house, you will be entering a contract. It is important you are looking at houses you know you can afford. Ask the land lord or estate agent for all of the fee details so you know what you will be paying. It is crucial to remember estate agents can charge things like agency fees which can cost a few hundred pounds. Some letting agents charge different things, so it is important to look around and see what is best for you. The type of contract you have is also important, you may have a joint tenancy with your house mates which means all of your deposit is put into one and you do not have individual responsibility if something breaks. Therefore, you need to decide if this is something you feel comfortable with. For instance, your friend could decide to drop out of the house and you and the fellow house mates would be responsible to make up the rent.
Before moving into your rental property and you start to unpack, it is important to take detailed pictures of all the house. For instance, any stains marks and dirt that was already there before you move in. It is also important to ensure all of the lights, water and gas works so if it doesn’t, you can report it to your landlord or letting agent as soon as possible. It is likely the house could be quite worn in if it is a student rental, so I suggest giving the house a good deep clean before moving your belongings in.
When renting a house, the bills aren’t always included so it is important to know what you do and do not have included in your rent. You will need a water, gas, heating, TV licence and a broadband provider to name the basics. It is a good idea to take meter readings when you first move in also. You can use range of comparison websites to find the best deal for your bills. It is likely it will have to be in one person’s name, so I would set up a new bank account under the person who you have decided is “head tenant” that you can all pay your bills into. This is an important factor you should sort sooner to moving in rather than later. Again, be sure to read into the contract lengths and types. The letting agent or landlord may give you some advice and you can find student providers that do package deals so be sure to do your research!
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