Settling in
Check for safety concerns
We will have tested your fire detectors and carbon monoxide alarm just before you moved in, but please try it out yourself. We will need you to test them at least every month and record it on a form.
Make sure all of your fire doors close properly. Doors with self-closing devices should swing and close properly when released. They may need adjusting as they age or with the changes in room temperature, so let us know if they do need adjusting. Please don't prop them open.
Make sure you are familiar with the instructions on using the fire blanket. You don't want to be trying to speed-read them in an emergency.
Some rooms will have a notice saying that the window might be needed as an escape route in a fire (usually in bedrooms accessed via a kitchen). Make sure the window is unobstructed, easily opens fully and that you feel confident getting out of it in an emergency.
If you have any disability aids or adaptations (e.g. deaf alerting equipment), make sure you are confident that it is installed properly and working correctly.
Let us know about anything else that you think should be addressed as a safety concern.
Learn where everything is
The water stop-tap and the gas shut-off valeve are things you do not want to by searching high and low for during a leak. Make sure you find them and remeber where they are. Let us know if you can't locate them.
Make sure you know your fire escape route (fastest way out and away from the building), including whether your room has an escape window that needs to be kept clear.
Organise your bills
If your tenancy does not have bills included in the contract (check your agreement or ask us if you're not sure), you will need to set up utility accounts.
Take meter readings
We will try to email readings to you if we can, but please take your own as soon as possible after arriving if you have not received them already.
The electric and gas meters will usually be found in boxes on the front of the property or in cupboards/ under stairs cupboards. Water meters are usually under round black drain covers on the driveway or pavement outside the property, which will need to be opened with a screwdriver. Note that not all properties have a water meter- the water bills for these properties will be covered by the owner, so please don't try to set up an account!
If you've had a hunt around and can't find a meter, or find any of this confusing, please get in touch and we should be able to tell you.
If you have a key meter, look up the closest place to top it up online.
Set up accounts
You will not be tied to any particular provider for utilities gas, electric or broadband, even though you may get letters addressed 'to the occupier' asking for you to set up an account. We recommend checking out some comparison sites to find a good deal- ideally one supplying energy from renewable sources. Most of these sites make signing up easy.
Try to ensure you set up utilities accounts in the names of all housemates wherever possible. This means you all have joint liability. There are a few organisations offering bill sharing services aimed at students which you may want to check out online (search 'student bill sharing'), or alternatively there are some bill splitting apps.
It is your responsibility to settle all bills at the end of your contract. We may pass your details to utilities companies if you do not.
You could check out this guide for a bit more information: https://www.savethestudent.org/accommodation/guide-to-student-energy-bills.html
TV Licensing
The stance of TV Licensing is that students should hold a license, and are not covered by a license held elsewhere.
Here is a link to their website, where you can assess whether you need a license and buy one if necessary. Note that you can claim a partial refund if you are not at the property for a full year.
Organise your living arrangements
It may be a good idea to establish some household ground rules. You can never quite know what someone is like to live with until you do. So it is best to be upfront about these things rather than make assumptions.
Check out our household harmony section for some more on this.
Who is caring for the garden?
Our policy with the head landlords is that we don't expect our students to be horticulturalists, pruning bushes etc. Some supply a lawnmower for you to occasionally cut the grass, but most will attend to the garden themselves.
If you have been supplied a lawnmower, ensure that you are confident in using it - let us know if not.
Essential information about your property
Please take some time to check the information posted in your property when you first arrive. Add any essential numbers to your phone, such as numbers for repairs or emergencies. Bookmark this site for future reference.
Post for former tenants
If you get post for former tenants, it is usually best to write 'return to sender' on the envelope, and cross out the address to stop it ending up back at your house.
Why go to the effort of doing this? Firstly, it tells companies to stop sending post to your house. Secondly, if the former tenants have debts, the companies chasing them need to know that they are not there- otherwise you may end up with debt collectors at your door.
Register with a GP/ dentist
Make sure you register with a doctor and a dentist.
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/gps/how-to-register-with-a-gp-surgery/