What kind of student property are you looking for?

As a student, there can be nothing more stressful than having to coordinate a group of people for a day of viewing properties, especially when you’ve got 100 other things that you’d rather be doing.

We’re here to make this experience as stress-free as possible and would like to share with you a couple pieces of advice when it comes to choosing your student accommodation.

The decision shouldn’t be rushed into, make sure you look around and pick the house that’s right for you.

You should ask your agent lots of questions whilst on your viewing (that’s why we’re here); basically it’s our job to make your life easier and ensure you moving into your new home is as straightforward and as smooth a process as possible.

We’d recommend beginning to look for a property around November as this gives you enough time to ideally sort your new property out before Christmas. However, if you want to wait until January exams are over, which we can appreciate, you can pop in then and we’ll be able to get you sorted.

Our Guide to Moving In…

1. Inventories 

Here at Alexanders we provide you with an inventory list that will ensure you get all your deposit back at the end of your tenancy. An inventory is a complete list of each room, the furniture and contents of the condition of the building to keep note of any wear and tear before you fully moved in, then you will not be liable for paying for them after your tenancy has come to its end. The list is there to check over any damages and make sure the condition of the property is how you received it before you moved in.

2. Collecting your Keys

Once you have signed your contract and paid your deposit you will have secured the property for moving in. When your moving date comes around, you will need to pop in to collect your keys. These will have already been cut for you and all you will need to do is sign for them in the office to prove you have received them.

3. Setting up and Paying your Bills

When you move into your property remember to take the meter readings for the gas, electricity and water. This is to avoid any additional charges added to your bills that may have been from the last tenants. Remember to keep on top of your television licence! It is illegal to watch television without a licence and you could face up to fines and even being taken to court. A television licence can be paid for monthly and it will apply for the entire household.

4. TDS – Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Your deposit is protected by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Once you have agreed and signed your inventory list, you should not have any deductions from your deposit so as long as you have not caused any additional damage during your tenancy.

5. Maintenance 

Here at Alexanders we manage a large number of properties and have found that having a dedicated maintenance engineer is a valuable asset when dealing with the management of properties. If you have anything to report then please call us on 01970 636010 and we can send out the appropriate engineer to help assist with the problem. We have a 24 hour call out for emergencies too.

6. Rent Payments

When it comes to your rent payment, you are better off setting up either a direct debit or a standing order for the payment to come out of your account automatically each month. This ensures you do not forget to pay the landlord the rent. This can be done through your bank once you have the bank details of your landlord.

With over 15 years of experience in the student letting market, we’re more than happy to sit down with you and see if we’ve got the right property to suit your needs.