The student guide to moving out

Students up and down the county are preparing for their current lease to come to an end. Perhaps returning home for the summer or relocating to a new property. 

We know this time can be stressful so as you prepare to move out here are our top tips to help the move run as smoothly as possible. 

Get organised 

Before you start check your contract and other documents from when the actual tenancy start date. Double-check the date you need to be out and how you hand over your keys. Make sure you check the inventory (and double-check), and keep it to hand when you start packing. 

In some cases, your contract may outline things you are expected to do before handing over the keys such as hiring a professional cleaner. If this is the case it's best to be organised and book with a reputable company early. 

To make sure nothing is forgotten write a to-do list including everything you need to organise and pack as well as the other little things you may forget such as taking your meter reading and defrosting the fridge/freezer.

Bills

While many student lets have all utility bills included in rent where this isn’t the case it's the tenant's responsibility to close down the utility accounts. 

You will need to contact your energy providers, as well as any other companies such as the internet provider. Provide them with your moving date and forwarding address so they can inform you of your closing balance. Just before you leave take a final meter reading and take a photo of it for future reference. 

Decluttering 

During your time as a student, it's likely you’ll move house a lot, from halls to shared houses going home each summer. Moving all of your belongings home at the start of each summer and back in September can become stressful, especially for your parents.  

Take advantage of this time to declutter before packing. 

Organise your belongings and anything you didn’t use at all during the last academic year why not list them on eBay, Vinted or Facebook marketplace. You might even make some extra cash for summer too so it's a win win!

If you left it too late to try and sell things online - simply donate what you no longer want to charity or check your local recycling centre. 

If you still have too much to pack it might be worth using a storage facility for the summer period. Door2door student storage is a Bristol-based company that can collect from many halls of residence at both University of Bristol and UWE. Why not reduce the cost by sharing one storage unit with your housemates? 

When you come back in September all of your belongings will be ready to move into your next property stress-free. 

Maintenance 

As the tenant, you are responsible for leaving the property exactly as you found it. If you accidentally broke anything, try not to panic but you’ll be expected to fix it. Double-check what’s stated in your contract to see where you stand on maintenance issues. In some cases, it may work out in your favour to formally report any breakages ahead of inspections or it can be cheaper to get things fixed yourself lowering the risk of it coming out of your deposit.

Time to clean 

To have the best chance of getting your full deposit back cleaning to a high standard is vital. Even if you are hiring a professional cleaner you should still make sure the property is clean and tidy for them. 

Turn it into a fun afternoon with all your housemates getting involved, put some music on and get into the zone. In a shared house this is a great way to make sure you aren’t the last one left, leaving all the cleaning up to you.

The trick is to just make sure everything is left looking exactly how it looked when you first moved in, if not even cleaner. 

We hope these tips help the move-out process run as smoothly as possible.

If you’re looking for rental advice, either as a tenant or as a landlord, don’t be afraid to contact a member of our team or drop into your local offices.

Tue 12 Jul 2022