Student house hunting: tips for a happy home When you move out of university halls of residence, you lose the mostly worry-free living that comes with well-maintained on-site rooms and fall into the hands of landlords and letting agencies. However, you do get the choice of who to live with and where. These tips should help make the transition a little easier or, if you're already house sharing, assist with moving if you want a change. 1) Decide who to live with carefully You are most likely to choose who to live with through contact with fellow students in your halls, on your course or at university social activities. Think about who you might find it easiest to live with, not who might always want to go to the pub. If a friend suggests moving in with someone you don’t know, try to get to spend time with them yourself so there are no nasty shocks two weeks into a tenancy when you realise you don’t get on well. You may also find yourself in a situation when you can move in with non-students, but remember to consider the next point. 2) Don’t forget about council tax and bills Students don’t have to pay council tax, that’s one of the conveniences of student living. However, if you decide to live with anyone who does work, they will need to pay the bill or face legal action. Make sure any non-students are aware of the situation and can afford it. If there is just one non-student they do get a 25 percent discount.When it comes to paying bills, it’s a good idea to split who has their name on each between various people. This way one person isn’t lumbered shelling out for everything then collecting all the money which could potentially leave them out of pocket for longer than necessary if it is not handed over promptly. 3) Find a location you are all happy with When choosing a location to look in for your property, proximity to the university campuses you each use may well be a primary concern so you can walk to lectures and the library quickly. However, don’t forget about the essentials such as local shops and public transport should you need to get a bus or train somewhere. Living in a city centre can be a lot of fun, but think about how it will effect your studies if the university is based on the outskirts. Of course, cost is also a factor that must be taken seriously, as is how safe a neighbourhood looks. A simple Internet search should provide you with local crime rates which will give you an idea of the safest locations. 4) The property Of course, the property you are going to live in for 12 months or even more needs to be given just as much consideration as everything else, if not more. Think about the whether the layout is suitable, there is enough communal living space, the walls are thick enough so you can’t hear everything little noise made in the property and if it looks in good condition. Normally you’ll know the place you want to live in the moment you step through the door and have a quick look around so if don’t panic if you can’t find somewhere immediately – keep looking. Just don’t leave it until the last minute to start to give yourself plenty of time to get the place that suits you!Other key things to check: all windows open, locks on the windows, solid doors, what furniture is staying and improvements, if any, the landlords are planning in between you viewig it and moving in. 5) The deposit One of the most contentious issues when renting is the dreaded deposit. Expect to pay at least the cost of a month’s rent for the deposit together with the first month’s rent in advance. When you do move in, ensure you take pictures of anything suspect and arrange for the landlord to fix anything that needs repairing straight away and throughout your time in the accommodation if necessary.If you think you are being unfairly charged for anything when you move out, the pictures can help prove any unrepaired damage was there when you first moved in and keeping on top of issues throughout the year will also make getting your money back goes smoothly.Do enquire into whether your new landlord uses the tenancy deposit scheme as it will protect your money if there are any major problems: www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm. 6) More help needed? Speak to your university’s housing department as they should have a list of available student accommodation and guidance on choosing where to live based on their local knowledge.

Student house hunting: tips for a happy home

When you move out of university halls of residence, you lose the mostly worry-free living that comes with well-maintained on-site rooms and fall into the hands of landlords and letting agencies. However, you do get the choice of who to live with and where. These tips should help make the transition a little easier or, if you're already house sharing, assist with moving if you want a change.

1) Decide who to live with carefully
You are most likely to choose who to live with through contact with fellow students in your halls, on your course or at university social activities. Think about who you might find it easiest to live with, not who might always want to go to the pub. If a friend suggests moving in with someone you don’t know, try to get to spend time with them yourself so there are no nasty shocks two weeks into a tenancy when you realise you don’t get on well. You may also find yourself in a situation when you can move in with non-students, but remember to consider the next point.

2) Don’t forget about council tax and bills
Students don’t have to pay council tax, that’s one of the conveniences of student living. However, if you decide to live with anyone who does work, they will need to pay the bill or face legal action. Make sure any non-students are aware of the situation and can afford it. If there is just one non-student they do get a 25 percent discount.When it comes to paying bills, it’s a good idea to split who has their name on each between various people. This way one person isn’t lumbered shelling out for everything then collecting all the money which could potentially leave them out of pocket for longer than necessary if it is not handed over promptly.

3) Find a location you are all happy with
When choosing a location to look in for your property, proximity to the university campuses you each use may well be a primary concern so you can walk to lectures and the library quickly. However, don’t forget about the essentials such as local shops and public transport should you need to get a bus or train somewhere. Living in a city centre can be a lot of fun, but think about how it will effect your studies if the university is based on the outskirts. Of course, cost is also a factor that must be taken seriously, as is how safe a neighbourhood looks. A simple Internet search should provide you with local crime rates which will give you an idea of the safest locations.

4) The property
Of course, the property you are going to live in for 12 months or even more needs to be given just as much consideration as everything else, if not more. Think about the whether the layout is suitable, there is enough communal living space, the walls are thick enough so you can’t hear everything little noise made in the property and if it looks in good condition. Normally you’ll know the place you want to live in the moment you step through the door and have a quick look around so if don’t panic if you can’t find somewhere immediately – keep looking. Just don’t leave it until the last minute to start to give yourself plenty of time to get the place that suits you!Other key things to check: all windows open, locks on the windows, solid doors, what furniture is staying and improvements, if any, the landlords are planning in between you viewig it and moving in.

5) The deposit
One of the most contentious issues when renting is the dreaded deposit. Expect to pay at least the cost of a month’s rent for the deposit together with the first month’s rent in advance. When you do move in, ensure you take pictures of anything suspect and arrange for the landlord to fix anything that needs repairing straight away and throughout your time in the accommodation if necessary.If you think you are being unfairly charged for anything when you move out, the pictures can help prove any unrepaired damage was there when you first moved in and keeping on top of issues throughout the year will also make getting your money back goes smoothly.Do enquire into whether your new landlord uses the tenancy deposit scheme as it will protect your money if there are any major problems: www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/index.htm.

6) More help needed?
Speak to your university’s housing department as they should have a list of available student accommodation and guidance on choosing where to live based on their local knowledge.