Moving In
When you move in to your nice new flat, there's a couple of things you might not have heard of before or know what to do with.
Inventory
An inventory is a list of all the things that the property comes with including furniture, kitchen cupboards, washing machine, fridge etc.
When you first move in, carefully go around the property checking everything off on the inventory and make sure you agree everything’s in the condition the landlord/letting agent says they’re in. Also, if you notice any damage/marks on the walls, floors and furniture, take a photo and send it over to the landlord/letting agent so they know the damage was already there when you moved in. Keep a copy of these photos for when you move out too, as they might try to argue you caused the damage whilst living there.
This is particularly important when you move out as it can ensure whether or not you get your full deposit back.
Council Tax
Council Tax is a local tax on residential property, a property can be exempt from this if it is wholly occupied by students however you still need to apply for exemption.
Click here to apply for your Council tax exemption.
Make sure you do it as soon as possible or you could still be taxed. If you do get taxed, you will need to request the decision is reviewed, based on your student status.
If one of your flatmates is not a student, then you will have to pay council tax. You can apply for a discount though!
Don’t forget to renew your council tax every year, especially if you move flats!
Bills
Students don’t need to pay the water bill so that’s one thing off your list! However, you are required to take care of your gas and electricity bills as well as Wi-Fi. These are your responsibility and NOT the responsibility of your landlord. If you have a joint tenancy agreement, you are all liable for the bills if they're left unpaid.
Speak to your flatmates about it and decide how you would like to organise it. One person can oversee each bill and money can be transferred to whoever is in charge or one person can oversee all the bills. Speak to other students about recommended energy and Wi-Fi companies and pick the best one for your flat! Some even offer referral codes getting you money off.
Helpful tip: If this hasn’t been taking care of, check and take pictures of the meter readings in the flat and submit to the current energy supplier letting them know you’ve just moved in. That way, you won’t be charged for the electricity/gas used by previous tenants. Don’t assume your flatmate has read the gas and electric meters- always check!