Your Students' Union Advice Centre Team have put together some handy tips to help your student move out of accommodation run smoothly.
Check your contract
First things first. Whether you are moving out of halls of residence, a student flat or a shared house, make sure you find out what the rules are for moving out day.
Find out what date you need to be out by, and fill out any paperwork you are required to complete prior to the end of your tenancy, what access you will have during the move and how you hand over your keys.
Trust us, we know it's tempting to worry about it all later on, but if you get your hands on all the necessary information now, it will set you up for a smooth departure.
If you are moving out of halls of residence, check your inventory to ensure everything is left as you found it. The chances are, inspections will take place, so find out if these will happen and what requirements will be expected of you during this process.
Bills
If your bills aren't covered in your rent, closing down your accounts is a crucial step in your student moving checklist, so don’t neglect it or leave it until the last minute.
If you are leaving a student flat or house share, you will need to contact the council and any energy providers you may have as well as any internet, TV and phone companies, well in advance to provide them with your moving date and forwarding address, so they can inform you of your closing balance and any payments or refunds you may be due.
Remember to take a final meter reading before leaving the property and keep a record of this for future reference in case of any confusion or disputes later.
Cleaning your property
Cleaning your student halls or house share before the end of your tenancy is a MUST – especially if you are banking on getting your deposit back.
Rope your flatmates in and make sure you plan your cleaning session for a specific date before everyone starts departing for home, leaving you shouldering the responsibility.
Sell unwanted stuff
Selling unwanted items is a great way to fund your summer fun. So, gather anything you think would sell and set up your very own online shop.
eBay and other online marketplaces are a great way to sell your stuff online but more and more of us are using Facebook Marketplace as it's easier than ever to buy and sell online.
Selling on Facebook is a great way to earn money from getting rid of old textbooks and any furniture that you can’t take with you to your next home.
Donate and recycle
Most students acquire a whole lot of random stuff over the course of their studies and selling items online is not for everybody.
So, you know those Charity shops, Charity bags that come through the door? Instead of chucking them away, fill up those bags with unwanted clothing, books, ornaments and more. Just check the individual bags for what kind of items the charity accepts.
Or just simply take your items to your local charity shops. Now the city centre is safely reopening, you'll find lots of charity shops desperate for donations.
Write a list
When it comes to moving out of your student accommodation, it's time to write a checklist to get organized. If you prefer, you can do this on your phone by creating a tick box list in Google Keep.
Use this blog to start your list, and include items like utilities, council tax, inventories, and cleaning.
Add anything to your list you may forget to do like defrosting the fridge freezer, transferring your TV license and anything else you might forget.
Here is a starter for you to add to and personalize before you move:
- Maintenance jobs
- If applicable cancel any Gas and Electricity
- Final meter readings
- Notify Council Tax if applicable
- Cancel TV and broadband
- Cancel TV Licence
- Ensure you have boxes, tape, labels, markers, bubble wrap etc.
- Pack up the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living room etc.
- Defrost fridge freezer.
- Clean
- Hand over keys
Maintenance
You and your flatmates are responsible for maintaining your property in the condition you found it in, so if anything has broken during your stay, the chances are you will be expected to repair it. This could include bed frames, doors, leaky taps, broken shelves or door handles.
Check out your contract to see where you stand on any broken items or other maintenance issues – and don’t leave it too late.
It may work out easier for you to simply report any breakages and any other issues and lose part of your deposit. Or, it may be a lot cheaper for you to get things fixed before you leave to avoid losing part or all of your deposit.
Packing
Once you have your list sorted, pack smarty to make the move hassle-free.
Here are a few tips from us on how to pack up your student flat in the best way:
- Label everything
- Mark up fragile boxes
- Use odd or spare socks to pack glasses to prevent breakages.
- Take photos of cables and wires (so you can set them up correctly in your new home)
- Roll up rugs
- Empty and clean your toaster before packing
- Keep cupboards and drawers open once you have cleaned them so you can spot anything you may have missed
- Don’t overload your boxes!!!
Finally, You’re on your way
Now you have your plan in place, along with some top tips for moving out of your student accommodation, go and put them to good use. Then whether you're off travelling, on holiday, starting your new job or just chilling, you can do it all with zero stress.