Are you ready to move into your Newcastle student house? What to do!
There is a lot to do when you move into your new student property - here's our checklist to help you out!
1) Make a plan in advance
There's nothing worse than not having a plan for an event like this. When moving house you want everything to be as stress free as possible. Maybe you can your family and friend if they can lend a hand? If there's a few of you moving together, it could be worth hiring a van so you can do it all in one trip!
2) Paperwork
Moving is stressful. Before you move into your house it's vital you make sure that all paperwork is complete and all fee and rent payments have been made. If you're in a group make sure every single one of you have completed everything - if just one person is missing one payment or piece of paperwork we won't give out any keys until everything is 100% complete! You may even run the risk of missing out!
3) Collecting the keys
Check with your agent or landlord if there's a certain time you have to collect your keys. At Seekers it must be after 3pm and you must call up and make an appointment in advance. Speak to your housemates about when they're moving in, the first person to come to the office can collect all the keys for each tenant.
4) Know your point of contact
When you collect your keys make sure you're given the number and email address of the person you need to contact if there are any issues with the property, and if there's a separate number for out of hours emergencies. This will either be the landlord or, if your property is managed by Seekers, your property supervisor. We also appoint a lead tenant, someone who is our point of contact for when we need to inform you about viewings and inspections.
5) Inventory
You'll be given an inventory when you move in, either from Seekers or the landlord. Make sure you know the deadline for returning the completed inventory (with Seekers it's seven days) and that you pay close attention to every item and make any corrections that may be necessary. This will help when it comes to moving out of your Newcastle student house and getting your deposit back at the end of the tenancy.
6) Utilities & Bills
You'll be asked to record meter readings on your inventory form. Keep a note of them as you'll need this information when creating new utilities accounts. If you need any help with this, call your property supervisor and they'll be happy to help. For more information about utilities and bills, take a look at our FAQs page.
7) Council Tax
Students are exempt from paying council tax but you'll need to inform the council of your exemption status or you'll be sent a bill.
8) Summer Arrangements
If you're moving your things in but not actually living there over the summer, let your landlord or agent know. This bit's obvious but remember to switch the heating and any plugs off before you leave and make sure you don't leave any valuables on display! You never know who might be peeking in.
If you have any further questions, or would like to find out more about the move in process, please email us or visit our Percy Street office.
