Moving to university can be a real mix of emotions– giving up the comforts of home to an empty room on campus might not sound very appealing. However, once you have all your possessions sorted and have made your first friends, mum and dad will be nothing more than a distant memory. So settle into University as quickly as possible. It will give you more free time to party away the night, eat your own weight in take-away and sleep until the afternoon. Make sure you begin university the right way by following this guide.
{University managed residence}
Some first year students will end up in halls of residence or “Halls” for short, which are flats and buildings privately owned by the University, designed to cater to their students. You will be in capable hands and in nearly every case there will be people specifically appointed to help you move in to your new room.
The advantages to staying in Halls are plain to see. They are usually at the centre of campus life and within stumbling distance of subject buildings and lecture theatres. Costs to do with accommodation are made transparent. Probably the best reason will be that you will be in the same boat as hundreds if not thousands of fresher’s.
Remember: If you want to have a TV at your place you are going to have to pay for a your own separate TV licence - it's the law!!
{Living on your own}
Most students will end up having to arrange their own private housing with other students they have only met for the first time. The house hunting process can be challenging and you’ll often have to sift through many a dodgy property till you find one you’re happy with. Don’t go signing anything just yet! Pass your contract, commonly called an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement, to a trusted third party. Ask your university if they have anyone at hand to help you look over your student housing contract.
More so than with hall of residence, you will need to create an accommodation budget as there are extra financial concerns when in private housing. Utilities can cost a lot, so always find out how much you will have to pay for water, heating and electricity. Read the house’s meter upon arrival and write it down. The company you choose should given a reading of the meter. This will avoid the unpleasant surprise of having to foot the bill of the previous tenants. Don't begin the school year without having any internet by making sure you set it up as early as possible as well as your landline.
Pay for your TV licence if you know you’re going to be watch television. We bet you will be!! If you are a part-time student you will not be exempt from the dreaded council tax. If you are unsure whether you need to pay or not, contact your University – they will be happy to help.
An inventory can be a life-saver when trying to claim back the deposit at the end of the year. Before you sign a contract and list and take photos of the condition of the important sites in the house. Any damages should be documented and a copy made for your landlord to sign. It might sound like overkill but you’ll thank us when your landlord claims the hole in the wall was all you’re doing!
{Staying safe}
Students are unfortunately a target for local thieves, so do as much as you can to protect your abode and possessions. The most important rule that is often forgotten is to simply lock up. When you leave your room lock the doors and windows (especially if you’re on the first floor) and if possible hide any valuable items from plain sight. You should of course have a working burglar alarm if you have your own house.
{Insuring your valuables}
Make an inventory of all the possessions you wish to insure. At the very least you should have your laptop insured against theft as they are the most commonly stolen possession from student accommodation. You can commonly insure you items through a university affiliated insurance company that will give students a discounted rate for an academic year's worth of cover.
{Shipping possessions}
In most scenarios, mum and dad will be own personal couriers, however annoying for them that may be. If for whatever reason you can’t enlist the help of the parents to move in your possessions, then it might be necessary to hire a man and van remover.
Get as much as you can fit into a couple of suitcases that you will carry personally. Anything left over is what should to be shipped. Work out what items you will actually use in your new place and leave anything that is non essential. You may want to pump your guns but personal gym equipment will be a chore to ship. So let the dumbbells and other non-essential items remain at home – it will save you both time and money.
