A Few Things to Think About When Moving Into a Student House

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When moving into a new house there are a few things you need to do. To begin with, it seems a lot of effort, but it will prove extremely useful in protecting your deposit now while you are a student and throughout life while you rent accommodation.

Inventory

• Completing an inventory is a must.
• Ask your landlord if they have an inventory and if so, use it as a baseline and modify as required. Once you have completed the list share a copy of the updated list with the landlord and ask for their comments to avoid any misunderstandings.
• If you decide not to complete your own you must, at the very least, check your landlord’s list.
• Take a copy of the list, share it with your housemates and you should take pictures of every item or at the very least damaged areas/ items, state of cleanliness, etc.
• Inventories are often thought to be lists of only moveable items in a house, but they should be a list of everything in the house. For example, walls and their condition should be listed on a good inventory. If there is any paint peeling, make a note and take a picture.

You can find our sample inventory list here, which you can edit as required.

Documents

Your landlord must provide you with certain documents by law. These are:

1. A copy of the Government’s How to Rent Guide. This can be found online here. Your landlord must provide a physical copy unless you agree to a digital version.
2. A gas safety certificate if the property has gas.
3. Details of the deposit protection scheme(certificate). There are three companies approved: The Deposit Protection Service, The Tenancy Deposit Scheme, and My Deposits. Your landlord must provide the paperwork for your deposit within 30 days and return your deposit within 10 days of your tenancy ending.
4. Their relevant contact details. This must include their name, address and phone number.
5. A copy of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
6. A record of electrical inspections. Inspections should be carried out every 5 years.

In our inventory checklist, you are reminded to check you have these documents in the ‘other’ section.

Damp and Mould

• Make sure you check for signs of damp and mould.
• Landlords often use anti-mould paint to resolve the problem, however, unless the mould is removed first, it will likely reappear. Most anti-mould paints help prevent new mould growing but don’t remove existing mould.
• You can often identify mould by looking for paint that is bubbling or cracked.
• Your landlord should remove any mould before you move in.
• If you arrive and notice any, take photos and report it straight away.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms

• All properties must have at least one smoke alarm on every floor.
• Ask if they are connected to the mains or use batteries.
• You should ask when they were tested.
• In England CO alarms are only required in rooms with ‘solid fuel appliances’. For example, a working fireplace.
• In Scotland and Wales, every house must have one.
• Carbon monoxide can be produced by gas and oil appliances.
• If your house has gas hobs it is recommended that a CO alarm is fitted in the kitchen, there isn’t one, ask your landlord if they can fit one.

Inventory Checklist - https://bit.ly/Untrapped-Inventory

Did out checklist help you? Can you think of anything that would improve it? Let us know in the comments below!