A-Z of renting

Tips on everything to do with renting, from dealing with condensation to fire safety.

Cars

Certain areas have very limited parking and require resident parking permits. Contact the local council for details of costs and availability of permits.

Cleaning

It is your responsibility to keep your room and the common areas of the house clean. Many students lose money from charges as a result of not cleaning regularly.

In communal kitchens you should:

  • do your own washing up
  • clean the sinks and kitchen surfaces
  • clean grill pans after every use
  • not leave food lying around
  • not let the rubbish or recycling bins overflow
  • defrost fridges and freezers at least once per term.

In shared bathrooms:

  • clean the bath and shower after using them
  • always make sure the shower curtain is tucked inside the bath.

Communal living

Your neighbours are likely to have a different lifestyle to you. They may be elderly, for example, or families with young children. It's important to be considerate to your neighbours, as well as the people you live with.

You should limit any excessive noise, particularly after 11pm. If you are thinking about arranging a party, it's best to be courteous and consult your neighbours before making any plans. Complaints about noise are taken very seriously and will be investigated.

Be considerate of other residents in your house to avoid unnecessary friction between housemates.

Condensation

Cooking, taking baths and drying clothes indoors can create a lot of moisture. If this moisture can’t escape it will build up and condense on the walls, windows and other surfaces in cold weather.

Condensation that does not dry out causes mould, mildew and rot. To avoid this it is very important you heat and ventilate the property.

To help prevent condensation:

  • Use extractor fans whenever necessary
  • If you are drying washing inside, make sure a window is open
  • Use a washing line to hang washing if there is one provided.
  • After showering or bathing, open the window for half an hour
  • Leave bedroom doors open – this allows air to move freely around the house
  • Leave a gap between the walls and furniture to allow air to circulate
  • Open a window or switch on the fan if you are cooking or washing up.

During the cold winter months, heating your house is essential to prevent a build-up of condensation.

If black mould forms, this is an indication of a problem with condensation and you should follow the above advice closely. If you allow the problem to get worse then it is highly likely that you’ll be charged for the cost of redecoration.

Council tax

If you are studying full-time (21 hours per week or more) then you will be exempt from paying council tax. You will need to make sure the council receives an exemption certificate confirming your status.

Doctors

You are strongly advised to register with a university doctor or local doctor. Find out more about your local health services.

Electoral register

The electoral roll, also known as the electoral register, is a listing of all those registered to vote in a particular area. You are legally required to complete an electoral registration form and return it to the local council even if you are not eligible to vote.

Electrical appliances

There is no legal requirement for a landlord to have an electrical safety certificate, but make sure to ask when considering or moving in to a property. The certificate will give you peace of mind that the electrical appliances in the property have been checked and are safe.

In most properties you will be supplied with the basic appliances. It is your responsibility to look after them, so make sure you know where the manuals are in case of a problem. Ask your landlord if you cannot find them.

Make sure that any of your own appliances are in good working order and do not pose any fire hazard.

Don’t plug in too many appliances at once. It's best to use four-way oblong extension leads with neon indication and an in-line fuse rated at five amps. Avoid using cubic adaptors and coiled extension leads.

Emergencies

Make sure you have an emergency contact number for your landlord or managing agent. 

The emergency number for the fire brigade, police and ambulance service is 999 (or 112 from a mobile).

If you smell gas, leave the property and call National Grid on 0800 111 999.

Fire safety

Check that there are smoke detectors in the property and test them regularly. The best kind is wired into the mains electricity, but battery-operated is preferable to none.

If there are fire blankets and fire extinguishers in the property, check that they are in date and haven’t been used.

A carbon monoxide detector is essential to alert you to the possible presence of carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas and is virtually undetectable without technology.

Make sure that all the furniture in the property is fire resistant – check the labels on sofas, mattresses and other fabric or foam items.

For your own safety:

  • Don’t cover or interfere with heat/smoke detectors
  • Don’t use candles, joss sticks, tea lights, electric bar fires, fan heaters, oil lamps or fireworks in the house
  • Don’t use chip pans
  • Only use gas grills with the oven door open. If you close the door while the grill is in use, you will cause a build-up of carbon monoxide
  • Take care when cooking with a wok or frying pan and when using the grill
  • Keep all equipment clean so that it does not create unnecessary smoke and activate the fire alarms
  • Don’t overload electrical circuits
  • Be aware of fire escape routes and avoid blocking hallways with bicycles or other items.
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