The student experience is without question one that which will stay with you for the rest of your life. Chances are that some of the friends you make are the friends who will stand alongside you for years to come, and the experiences, whether good or bad, will help to forge you into the person you will end up becoming. It is probably one of, it not the truly defining chapters of your life.
Moving into your first student house will be an integral part of this experience of course, but it can all be a bit of a minefield because of inexperience and the number of unscrupulous landlords out there. It is therefore important to employ some common sense and know the basics so that you can protect yourself from being exploited or scammed. Follow these rules, pay your rent on time, don’t get into debt, and enjoy the journey.
Think carefully about who you move in with
This may seem a little obvious on the surface but it is worth pointing out first and foremost; choose carefully who you move into your student house with. Even for those moving into a place with their best friends and closest comrades, shared living will be a bit of a rollercoaster and there will be ups and downs, not to mention your fair share of awkward silences, arguments, or maybe even conflict. However while with friends you have a good relationship to carry you through the hard times, you won’t have this with people you do not know so it is important to find out if you are compatible housemates before you sign on the dotted line of your tenancy agreement.
Interview a potential housemate
If you are thinking of taking on a housemate who you don’t know, it is definitely worth meeting them for a coffee or a drink so you can informally talk about their attitude to household cleanliness, what time they go to bed, are they partial to a party, what music they like, do they smoke, can they afford the rent etc, because you will quickly be able to determine if they will be a good match up in your household. You could save yourself an awful lot of headache in the long-run by doing a bit of scouting in this way.
Getting thumped with a £1,000 fine for not having a TV licence
Fair enough, your chances of being caught out for not having a TV licence are slim, and with money at a premium, you will no doubt be very unwilling to fork out money each month so that you can watch Jeremy Kyle or Murder She Wrote in peace. However, you can really get caught and fined £1,000 for not having one and it does happen more often than you might think.
Check your inventory or create your own
Some landlords are quite happy to take your deposit payments but are less helpful when it comes to handing it back at the end of your tenancy. Some unscrupulous landlords have been known to withhold deposits under the pretext of damage to the house and furnishings that came with it; this is a bit of a joke, bearing in mind the terrible condition of many student houses in the first place! To avoid being scammed in this way, digitally photograph with times and dates all furniture in the house, any damage you may find to walls or carpets for example, and anything else which you or your housemates could be accused of responsibility for as soon as you move in to the property.
Check your contract and ensure that deposit is protected by Tenancy Deposit Scheme
You should always look carefully through your contract and check how much rent and deposit you are expected to pay, when it is due, and whether you and your housemates are signing individual contracts or a mutually liable joint tenancy agreement. It is important to know where you stand if one of your housemates suddenly stops paying the bills. Also, make sure that your landlord notifies you that your deposit payment is safely tucked away under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Your landlord has a legal duty to notify you of this within 14 days, otherwise they will face a fine.
Discuss bills
The subject of bills and money can quickly turn ugly in a shared house, so it is important to talk and communicate. Usually housemates will take on a bill each, or alternatively, everybody will agree to have their names put on the bills so that all are liable. To avoid disputes about who will pay for the bills, set up a communal house bank account from which direct debits and bill payments will be paid.
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