Tips For Students When Moving House To West Hampstead
Posted on 29/07/2015
Аdvices For Students Moving To West Hampstead
Moving from your family home or student halls into a new house in West Hampstead can be one of the most exciting parts of your education. However, if you don’t take the appropriate steps to make sure you’re thoroughly informed on your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, relocation in the future can bring a variety of difficulties. Here are a few good pointers to remember when moving house to NW6 as a student.
Several studies by the NUS have shown that in 2015, almost half of all student tenants in the UK didn’t know whether or not their initial deposit was protected, and that around 20% hadn’t received the paperwork required by law confirming this protection. When you’re planning your relocation, bear in mind the two things all landlords are required to do with your deposit. First of all, they’re required to protect all deposits with a protection scheme within a month of receiving them, and must offer you thorough information as to the scheme your deposit is protected by. Investigations carried out by various property authorities showed a considerable rise in queries made by students who were having trouble reclaiming their deposits. A lot of them were unsure of the protection that existed around their deposit, or what it could and couldn’t be used for. These are both things you should get out of the way at the start of your tenancy. Getting your deposit back as a student tenant often depends on your actions starting from the moment you move in, not just when you move out. Therefore, when moving house to West Hampstead, NW6, it is exceptionally important for tenants to make sure their deposit is protected by a government-approved scheme.
If it’s their first time independently moving residence, a lot of students seem to put off drafting an inventory of the whole house, which will simplify tracking any damages, and give you much better chances of reclaiming your deposit when you move out again. As soon as you step through the door, check every room for damages and the general condition of your property. Before cracking out the celebratory booze, record any problems that pop up in the inventory. This will save you from any unpleasant disputes when it comes to leaving the tenancy and getting your deposit back. On a note more important than any fiscal issues, you should also make a point to see the gas safety certificate of the building, and ensure that it has a functioning carbon monoxide and smoke alarm.
Another important point is to thoroughly understand the contract you’re on, and how easy or hard it may be to be released from it. If you’re due to move into shared student accommodation in NW6, which is expected for students, you’ll be subject to either a separate or joint tenancy agreement. If you’re part of a joint tenancy, where you and everyone else living in the property signs the same tenancy agreement, you and all the other tenants share accountability for rent payments. So, if one of your housemates makes the decision move out, the rent of that person will be spread across you and everyone else until you find another tenant to pick up the slack. On the other hand, if you want to move out, it can be extremely difficult to leave a fixed-term tenancy agreement, so read your contract carefully before agreeing. One other point is to know have your landlord’s contact information at all times. Landlords are legally responsible for almost all repairs their property requires. If your landlord in West Hampstead refuses to carry out any repairs, you can get advice from your student union and various pressure groups such as Shelter.