Husing Guide 2016-2017 A guide fr students mving int private rented sectr accmmdatin Please nte: This bklet has been prduced by Bltn Students Unin. All infrmatin in this bklet was crrect at the time f printing (January 2017). Yu may wish t cntact us fr the mst current infrmatin.
Intrductin Welcme t this brief guide n what t d when mving int the private rented sectr. Find ut abut the essentials f chsing smewhere t live, what t lk ut fr, hw t avid truble befre it starts and what t d if yu d run int prblems. If yu are experiencing prblems that are nt cvered in this guide r want mre infrmatin n surviving in the private rented sectr then make an appintment with an SU Advisr Gd luck!
Cntents Things t cnsider 1 Lking fr a huse 3 Viewings and cntract checking 5 Mving in day checklist 6 Living in harmny 7 Mving ut 9 Useful cntacts 18
Things t cnsider What are yur ptins? If yu decide that living in University Halls f Residence isn t fr yu, then yu may need t cnsider ne f the ptins belw. Make sure yu knw the Prs and Cns f yur ptins!! Husing Type Prs Cns A shared huse This is likely t be knwn as an Assured Shrthld Tenancy (AST) Ldgings Living with a landlrd in their hme Large huse Secure yu can t be evicted withut legal ntice and a curt rder Depsits have t be prtected by a tenancy depsit scheme Flexible usually either party can give ntice and end agreement early May require less depsit and less rent upfrnt Can suit quieter students / pstgraduates etc as nt in a big shared huse There is always smene t talk t Usually a jint tenancy see sectin 3 Inflexible usually have t sign up fr a fixed perid such as 6 / 9 mnths Is almst impssible t end early if yur circumstances change Less security may be asked t leave at shrt ntice Less privacy living with landlrd May be mre huse rules N prtectin fr depsits apart frm thrugh curt actin Mre difficult t get agreement between large grups n cmmunal issues / cleaning / bills etc 1
Wh d yu want t live with? Prblems between tenants in shared huses are ne f the tp reasns students cme t us wanting t leave their huse early. Living with peple yu n lnger like, r with cnflicting lifestyles can be stressful and can have an effect n yur studies and yur health. Hints and Tips Ask yurself a few questins: D yu like having yur wn space? Wuld yu prefer living n yur wn (mre expensive), r as a ldger? If yu mve in with yur byfriend / girlfriend what happens if yu break up? D yu share similar lifestyles with yur friends such as attitude t study / ging ut / music tidiness etc Are yur friends reliable / gd with mney Is a large grup (5 r ver) such a gd idea? Why nt think abut spilling int smaller grups but live in the same street / area Cuncil Tax Remember full-time students are exempt frm paying cuncil tax but if yu are planning t live with smene wh is nt a full-time student then they will have a liability fr cuncil tax. Make sure yu discuss this and decide wh is ging t pay it befre signing yur tenancy agreement and mving in!! 2
Lking fr a huse Hw d yu find accmmdatin? The Bltn News, especially the Wednesday editin Yu may pay n r less fees by finding a huse thrugh private adverts but take care they are nt vetted and culd be suspicius s use yur cmmn sense Lcal estate agents are ther surces f private rented accmmdatin They can charge yu a fee fr finding accmmdatin They usually charge fr references, setting up the tenancy agreements and chick-ins They ften insist n a UK Guarantr, wh usually have t be hmewners They may ask fr significant amunts f rent in advance if yu can t prvide a guarantr Depsits Get prtected!! There is n limit n the amunt f depsit a landlrd can request the average is 4 6 weeks rent, it cvers the landlrd if yu dn t pay yur rent f damage the huse. If yu have an Assured Shrthld Tenancy agreement and yu pay a depsit it MUST be registered with a natinal Tenancy Depsit Prtectin Scheme within 30 days f yu paying the depsit. There are a cuple f different schemes and yu must be ntified which ne hlds yur depsit. Fr mre infrmatin visit www.gv.uk/tenancy-depsit-prtectin What if I dn t get this infrmatin? Ø Ask yur landlrd / letting agent t prvide it Ø Check if any f the ther tenants are classed as the lead tenant, if s they may have been given the infrmatin and nt passed it n t yu Ø Use the shelter n-line tenancy depsit checker t see if yur depsit is prtected http://england.shelter.rg.uk/get_advice/tenancy_depsits 3
Hw will depsit prtectin help? In the past sme landlrds ften withheld depsits fr n gd reasn nw if there is a dispute abut deductins frm yur depsit the prtectin scheme deals with the matter and makes an independent decisin it is nt up t the landlrd, yu shuld get yur depsit back quicker at the end f yur tenancy. If yur landlrd refuses t register yur depsit get advice!! Yu culd take them t curt and pssibly get up t 3 times the depsit as cmpensatin. Guarantrs This usually needs t be a UK based hmewner, ften yur parents r relative. They are signing t say that they will pay rent r cver the cst f any damage (ver the depsit amunt) if yu dn t pay. Make sure they are nly signing t guarantee yur persnal rent liability (nt the full prperty rent) If yu can t prvide a guarantr it is likely that the landlrd will ask yu fr mre rent in advance up t the full tenancy agreement, this is nt illegal but yu shuld try t negtiate. Huses f Multiple Occupancy (HMO s) If yu share a huse r flat with ther tenants, yur landlrd will prbably have extra legal respnsibilities. These include making sure that the cmmunal areas are in a gd state f repair and that prper fire safety measures are in place. Yur landlrd will have extra legal respnsibilities if the hme yu rent is defined as a huse in multiple ccupatin. Nt all shared hmes are HMOs. Yur hme will prbably be a huse in multiple ccupatin (HMO) if: three r mre unrelated peple live there as at least 2 separate husehlds fr example, 3 single peple with their wn rms, r 2 cuples each sharing a rm the peple living there share basic amenities fr example, a kitchen and/r bathrm. An HMO can be either: a huse split int separate bedsits a shared huse r shared flat, where peple have separate renting agreements 4
a hstel a bed-and-breakfast htel that is nt just fr hlidays shared accmmdatin fr students althugh many halls f residence and ther types f student accmmdatin wned by educatinal establishments are nt classed as HMOs. It may nt be easy t wrk ut whether yu're living in an HMO. Ask yur lcal cuncil t check if yur hme is registered as an HMO further infrmatin can be fund at http://www.bltn.gv.uk/website/pages/hmesinmultipleccupancy.aspx 5
Viewings and cntract checking 1 The mst imprtant thing abut attending a viewing is nt t feel pressured in t signing r agreeing t anything until yu have had time t reflect and always lk at mre than ne prperty Belw are sme tips fr yu t think abut when yu are deciding what area t live in Ø Think abut the lcatin f the prperty - is it near lcal amenities? Ø If it is nt within walking distance des it have gd transprt links? Ø Is it in an area that yu wuld feel safe walking arund at night time? Ø If yu have a car is there smewhere t park it? Ø Try t chat with current tenants t see what they like / dislike abut living there Ø What are yu neighburs like? Viewing Tips Ø Check fr damp / muld Ø D all windws and drs lck prperly Ø Cnditin f fixture and fittings Ø Check that the gas / electricity certificates are up t date Ø Hw is it heated, is it wrking Ø Are there any smke alarms Ø Flush the tilet and run the taps t see that the plumbing wrks Ø Ask lts f questins Once yu have decided where yu want t live never sign yur tenancy agreement withut reading and understanding it, sme things t lk ut fr are Ø Hw much is the rent and when des it have t be paid Ø Hw much is the depsit Ø Wh is respnsible fr the bills, are any included in the rent Ø Wh are the ther tenant, if they are nt all full-time students they culd be a cuncil tax issue Ø Hw lng is the cntract Usually a cntract is fr a fixed perid. Once yu sign a fixed tem cntact yu are legally liable t pay full rent fr that perid whether yu live there r nt. If there is nt a get ut clause in yur cntact yu will need t negtiate with the landlrd / letting agent t see if they will release yu frm the cntact early, this is smetimes allwed if yu can find a replacement tenant, smetimes yu will be charged an administratin fee fr this. 6
Ø Is the cntact individual r jint liability If yur cntract is an individual cntract yu are nly liable t pay the rent fr yur rm, if yu sign a jint tenancy then yu are all equally liable fr the rent, s if yu r anther husemate dn t pay yur rent it means that the thers named n the tenancy becme liable be very careful wh yu sign a cntract with!! Mving in day - checklist Make sure yu carry ut an inventry f all fixtures and fittings and the cnditin they are in (take pictures if necessary) this is yur prf f the cnditin f the prperty when yu mve in and will help yu t secure the release f yur depsit at the end f yur tenancy. Git it signed and dated by the landlrd, letting agent and make sure yu keep a cpy!! Has yur landlrd registered yur depsit with the tenancy depsit scheme and given yu all the relevant infrmatin? Read the gas, electricity and water meters and give the reading t the supplier t make sure yu dn t get charged fr the previus tenant s usage. Check the gas safety certificate if there is gas in the prperty it is a legal requirement, gas appliances shuld be checked n an annual basis. Check the energy perfrmance certificate this is als a legal requirement and shws hw energy efficient the building is. An A rating is the mst efficient with G rating being the wrst the average is a D rating dn t frget the mre energy efficient it is the less yu will spend n yur bills!! If yu have a TV, get a licence, if yu get caught withut ne yu will receive a large fine. Smetimes students can get a refund if they live there fr less than 12 mnths, fr mre infrmatin visit www.tvlicensing.c.uk Take ut cntents insurance r check t see if yu are cvered n yur parents plicy 7
Keep a recrd f all cntact yu have with yur landlrd / letting agent, this will save yu time and stress if yu later get int disputes. Find ut when yur rubbish and recycling days are frm yur neighburs!! Living in harmny Nw yu have mved in yu will be realising things are a bit different than living in university accmmdatin!! Yu have regular bills t pay, there is nbdy t clean up after yu and yu are living amngst the lcal Bltn residents. Belw are a few tips t help yu settle in Ø Be a gd neighbur, intrduce yurself!!! Mst cmplaints frm lcal residents are arund rubbish and nise. Nise cmplaints can be investigated by the cuncil and in serius cases actin can be taken against yu. Ø Have a meeting with yur husemates and agree sme basic rules fr a cleaning rta, visitrs / vernight guests, nise and music playing this can stp prblems arising frm an early stage Ø Make sure yu have an agreement n hw the bills are ging t be paid. Ø Make arrangements t have regular get tgethers s that prblems and issues are dealt with in a timely manner and are nt left t build up Ø If this has nt been dne by the landlrd / letting agent discuss having smebdy t act as the main cntact t deal with matters such as reprting repairs. Whever is the main cntact shuld cnfirm everything agreed with the landlrd / letting agent in writing and keep huse recrds 8
Cmmn Prblems Ø Yu shuld be given 24 hurs ntice f any visits frm landlrds / wrkmen. Keep a recrd f any unscheduled visits and yu can cmplain. Always check the wrkman s ID befre letting them in. Ø Prblems with repairs yur rights d nt cme in t frce until yu have reprted the prblem in writing. If the landlrd des nt respnd in a timely manner visit the SU Advice Unit fr mre assistance and advice Ø Yur husemate wants t leave but yu have a jint tenancy get advice frm the SU Advice Unit Ø Nt able t pay the rent pay as much as yu can and keep the landlrd / letting agent infrmed abut the situatin. Smetimes they can be sympathetic especially if it is a prblem with yur student funding. Call in t the SU Advice Unit t get help with srting ut yur finances and always get advice straight away if yur landlrd r letting agent is threatening t evict yu!! Energy / mney saving tips Ø By turning dwn yur heating thermstat by ne degree yu culd save ver 60 per year n yur heating bill Ø By washing yur clthes n a 30c washing cycle, turning ff lights and chargers when nt needed and nly biling enugh water fr what yu need yur huse culd save up t 90 per year Ø The average husehld thrws away ver 400 per year f fd that culd have been used if mre thught had been put in t yur menu planning. Visit www.lvefdhatewaste.cm they have lts f recipes and ideas fr using up fd as well as tips n string fd and prtin sizes Ø Bltn has a great market that is pen n Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, buying yur fresh fd frm here is ften cheaper and fresher than the supermarkets. http://www.bltn.gv.uk/website/pages/bltnmarket.aspx 9
Mving Out Giving Ntice Make sure yu read yur cntract and understand hw and when yu need t give ntice, always give yur ntice in writing. Yu may be required t give ntice even if yu are in a fixed term cntract. Getting yur depsit back It may be the case that yur landlrd may be able t legitimately deduct mney frm yur depsit fr rent wed r damage t the prperty. Yu shuld nt have mney deducted fr nrmal wear and tear. If there is n dispute ver the amunt f the depsit t be returned yu shuld get it back within 10 days request t the scheme please check the website fr yur particular depsit scheme fr mre infrmatin. If yu d dn t agree with the amunt that the landlrd wants t deduct yu can request that the scheme makes an impartial decisin n a fair deductin. The big clean A cmmn reasn fr the landlrd wanting t make deductins frm depsits is t pay fr a prfessinal cleaning cmpany t clean the prperty. Make sure yu clean the prperty t the standards expected in yur cntract speak t the landlrd fr guidance if yu are unsure Rubbish Remval Leaving rubbish inside ur utside f the prperty is cstly fr the landlrd t get rid f s make sure yu remve all rubbish. Check www.bltn.gv.uk fr lcal tip and recycling facilities r advertise yu items in advance n www.freecycle.rg Meter readings Make sure yu read all f the meters n the day that yu leave and give these readings directly t the utility cmpany and a cpy t yur landlrd, request yur final bill frm each utility cmpany Check ut 10
Make sure yu arrange a time fr an inventry check up / inspectin with yur landlrd / letting agent. If fr any reasn this is nt pssible g rund the prperty and make yur wn ntes and make sure yu take dated phtgraphs f the cnditin f the prperty. 11