Turn on your fridge and freezer.
It takes a while for these items to reach their required temperature, so make sure this is one of the first things you do. You and your new housemates will be accountable for keeping the fridge clean and for de-frosting the freezer (this latter task should be done every 6 months or so if it’s an older model).
Talking of keeping clean: there will be a hoover in the property, which we’d recommend using at least once a week to keep the carpets clean. Plus, a regular swoosh – which is a technical term – of the kitchen floor, with a good cleaning product – will keep everything spic and span.
A chores rota could be a good idea, maybe?
Find out where the water stop cock is.
And, how to turn it off. If you’re not sure what this is, Google it.
Your internal stopcock shuts off the water within the whole of the property immediately – essential if water is coming in. It means that repairs can be made to pipes, and disasters averted.
Utilities and Bills next.
You’ll be advised who the provider of gas and electricity is (in the name of the landlord) and you will need to supply a meter reading on the day you move in – and when you leave.
You may change providers, but you’ll need to set up your own account with all the tenants’ names on in order to do this. Generally, bills are sent quarterly, however some tenants prefer monthly or via a pre-paid meter.
The same will apply to your:
• Water
• Internet/Wi Fi
• TV Licence
.
A word about bills etc: do try to get organised as much as you can. Keep paperwork in separate folders and always make sure that everything is up to date payments-wise. If it’s easier to allocate a “lead” tenant as the “bills person” that could work well, assuming that he or she is willing to take this on.
Contents Insurance
Whilst your landlord will take on buildings insurance, you will be responsible for ensuring that your worldly goods are adequately covered by an insurance policy. Accidents can and do happen, and insurance is likely to be much more affordable than you think.
Council Tax
There’s good news here: if all of you are full-time students, you don’t have to pay council tax. Don’t let this one slide, though: you’ll need to register your details with the council tax office to make sure that all residents are exempt.
Trip Switches
In a nutshell, if the lights go out, in the vast majority of cases you do not need an emergency electrician. So, first off – breathe, this is not a disaster.
It’s likely that there’s too much current going through the distribution board in the property, so that the circuit gets broken.
These boards are either grey or white and should be easy to locate. You’ll notice that the switch that’s tripped is in a downward position, so unplug your appliances, and flick the switch upwards. Power should be restored.
You could try turning things on one at a time, as there may be an electric guilty party that’s causing the outage.
This isn’t easy to describe, so YouTube should be your best friend in this situation.
Regarding drains
Make sure that you clean these out regularly as leaves can block them and cause no end of headaches.
Property Inspections
We will inspect your property every three months. Please rest assured that this isn’t to catch you out or make judgements in anyway; we’re on your side. Carrying out a series of checks will highlight any maintenance or repair issues that we can sort out on your behalf.
Is it Really an Emergency?
There’s no easy way to say this, but what you consider an emergency may not actually be one.
Leave a message out of hours and follow the guidance you hear. We’ll get someone to you within a defined timeframe based on the urgency of what’s gone wrong.
If There’s One Piece of Advice We Can Give You…
It’s this: Google offers a wealth of knowledge on practically everything, including a shedload of “how to” tips on looking after a property on a day-to-day basis. Do try Googling before contacting us – for one thing, the answer could be exactly what you need within half a second
So, there you are. A comprehensive guide for students moving into their first property. This is a rite of passage to take you from one stage of your life to another, and of course there will be adjustments.
Above all, enjoy it! Going to college or university is an outstanding experience, and one that you’ll never forget.
