Thursday 30-05-2019 - 16:59

 

Summer is nearly here, which means that the time is nigh for some of you to move out. Reduce the pain of it all by following our simple guide.

Here’s a handy checklist for you to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered on moving out day. 

 

Pay off all bills
Read all the meters and then contact the utility suppliers with the final readings. Make sure you give your suppliers a forwarding address for the final bill. It’s a good idea to take pictures of your electricity and gas meter readings when you move out. If there’s a dispute over final bills, you’ll have proof to support your case.

If any bills are in your name or you’ve set up a direct debit say to pay one of your housemates, it’s a good idea to get in touch with your bank to cancel them to avoid any trouble trying to claim back money later.

Top tip: TV licensing have changed the way refunds work, so you can now claim back for any full months left on your licence. There are around 93,400 students in Manchester who may be entitled to a £50 refund on their TV license – a nice little perk you weren’t expecting. For more information, and to find out if you might be entitled to a refund, speak to TV licensing.

 

The big clean up
Clean your property from top to bottom, making sure it’s the exact same condition as when you first moved in. Get stuck in and clean all the nooks and crannies, including inside the oven and on top of the fridge — everything. Professional cleaning charges can run to hundreds of pounds and will be taken out of your deposit if agents decide you’ve not done a good enough clean up job yourself.

When you’ve done the clean-up go around the house with the inventory and original pictures from when you moved in to check all is in order. It’s a good idea to arrange for the agent to come and check through the inventory whilst someone is at the house, so you can discuss any points in person.

Top tip: Get everyone in the house involved in the big clean up and make it less of an all-round ordeal.

 

Moving out
Landlords will charge you to get rid of anything that’s left behind by the bag load. Avoid this by getting rid of every last bit of rubbish and all of your belongings before leaving. Also, make sure you return all of your keys to the agents, it not they’ll also probably charge you for replacement sets. If you plan to drop them through the agent’s letterbox, make sure you arrange with them beforehand if it’s okay to do so.

Top tip: Moving out time is a perfect opportunity to prune your possessions, by letting go of some of the stuff you no longer really need. And, by giving them away to charity instead of binning them, you can help someone else out. Give away any clothes, books you’ve finished reading, and pots and pans you don’t need any more. Handily, there’s plenty of British Heart Foundation drop off points across campus, including one at The Union. Visit Give it Don’t Bin it for more information.

 

Getting your deposit back
Once your tenancy has ended you should expect your deposit to be repaid in full within 10 working days. In most cases this will be refunded to the lead tenant. So, if there is a lead tenant, make sure you take their contact details so you can arrange the return of your deposit. If you are the lead tenant make sure you sure your details with the rest of your housemates.

If the landlord wants to make any deductions and you don’t agree, you’ll need to a) write to them and explain why you don’t agree, and b) ask for evidence there was damage, or work required where they have stated.

Top tip: if you have any trouble with your deposit, for example if you feel it is being unlawfully kept or you need support dealing with disputes over deductions, the Advice Centre at The Union will help you. We’ve got years of experience in helping students get their deposits back and the sooner you get in touch, the better the chance of getting your money back.

 

Need a hand keeping track of what to do?

Download the checklist