The long summer is approaching and for many university students, it will soon be time to check out of student accommodation.

Moving out might not be the most fun task you can think of, however, it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With a bit of planning and a good checklist, you can make the moving process much quicker and easier.

Here we have listed a few helpful hints on checking out of your student home to ensure you don’t miss anything…

 

Check your contract end date

Depending on what type of student accommodation you live in currently, you are likely to have a fixed moving out date, which is when your contract will come to an end. Make sure you check your contract for your accommodation end date and also any other information surrounding your departure from the property. Check things like what access you have during the move itself and also when and where to hand in your keys.

 

Sort out any outstanding bills

If you pay separately for any service providers or subscription services at your student residence, then make sure that you are all paid up and that there is nothing outstanding. A lot of the time, your utility bills will all be covered in your student accommodation fees, but again, check your contract to make sure there is nothing outstanding to pay.

You may be asked to take a final gas or electricity meter reading before leaving the property and if so, be sure to keep a note of it safely in case you need it later down the line.

 

Change your correspondence address

From your Amazon account to your mobile phone contract, it’s likely that you will have many services linked to your university home. Therefore, now is the time to make a list of them all, and make sure you log in to register your change of address.

Perhaps you already have your new student address sorted for September or are moving to a new city altogether? Either way, sorting this bit of admin now will save you a headache later when you realise you’re not getting any of your mail or deliveries to the right place!

The Royal Mail also offers a redirection service for 3, 6 or 12 months from £33.99. So, this gives you a bit of extra time to switch over anything you might have missed.

 

Check your inventory list

Whatever type of property you are moving out of, chances are you will have been given an inventory list to sign at the beginning of your tenancy. This inventory list documents all the things that were included in the property when you moved in – and that need to be left in the property when you leave. Make sure you check the list to ensure all the things that don’t belong to you and your housemates are left behind, so that you don’t incur charges from the landlord to recover the cost for the items.

As well as ensuring the items are physically there, make sure the quality is still the same and that there is no damage to the items, which might also incur a cost.

 

Arrange a final clean

A deep clean of your student home or house-share is a must at the end of your tenancy to ensure that you get your deposit back. You landlord or lettings agent will perform a thorough check on the property after you’ve moved out to make sure it’s clean and in good condition.

Try and make this a fun task, with the music on and windows open. If you live with other housemates, then allocate tasks evenly to ensure you all help out. Remember to clean the oven, clean the fridge and freezer and other appliances, as well as a thorough clean of all the bathrooms, floors, surfaces and windows.

For more information, check out the article we published recently on cleaning hacks that are cheap and eco-friendly!

 

Getting your deposit back

Following your departure, your lettings agent or landlord will make you aware of any deductions to your deposit before processing the deposit return via the DPS (Deposit Protection Scheme). Once logged in to the DPS, you will be able to provide account details of where you want the funds returned to.

 

Good luck with your move and your future plans!