Moving out, no matter the situation, can be stressful and is quite likely not to be the most enjoyable activity in the world. To relieve unwelcome surprises, time spent, and extra costs this is the guide that will have you packed and ready in no time. Below you will find our step-by-step guide on packing and moving out of student accommodation, as well as our answers to university students’ most-asked questions.
What to prepare in advance
Be meticulous by planning ahead. Make sure you have read the contract agreement for your accommodation in case it states any specific way you ought to leave your accommodation. If you are unsure, contact your landlord or property agent to leave the space in an appropriate manner, to ensure a good relationship and your full deposit back (more on this later). You should also ensure that you know who to give your keys/access card to, or where to leave them.
Ahead of moving out, make sure you have a plan in place on how your belongings will get to your next destination. There are many student storage options available that will allow you to sleep peacefully knowing your belongings are safe and secure if you aren’t going straight from one living space to another. In any case, you’ll need to have a moving van – or a friend’s car! – ready and waiting on move-out day.
- Check how to leave the property according to your contract agreement
- Plan your travel arrangements from your property to your destination
- Book a storage facility for your belongings if necessary
Packing like a pro
Make a list to avoid forgetting things or losing belongings. Making a list of your important belongings beforehand will help you keep track of time needed and where everything is as well as the most efficient way to pack.
Don’t be afraid to donate or throw out what you do not need. This will make moving and unpacking a lot easier overall. It will make your luggage lighter and travelling later much simpler.
Here is a simple checklist for packing:
- Plan ahead
- Don’t be the one to host a leaving party
- Clean and empty cupboards and drawers
- Clean out your fridge and pantry
- Remove all posters and pictures from walls
- Check under your bed and any other spaces that your belongings could be hiding
- Dispose of all rubbish
- Deep clean your space
- Pack all chargers, cables, and plugs
- Compare against the inventory
- Get your housemates’ contact details in case of any problems
- Do not leave bills unpaid
- Inform of your departure to your utility providers
- Check-in with your landlord or letting agent
- Be upfront about damages
- Chase the owed deposit
- Take pictures of the property
- Keep a final record of readings
- Keep relevant paperwork
- Update your address for communications
- Leave a forwarding address
- Consider storage
- Arrange insurance for your new home
- Return the keys/card
Updating your address with essential services
There is more to moving than just packing! Personal admin is an important thing to keep ahead of, so remember to update your address with services like your GP, dentist, bank, DVLA and any online companies you have a profile with. It is also a good idea to have a mail forwarding service for all your mail to ensure nothing gets lost amidst all the moving about.
If you aren’t living all-inclusive yet, remember your bills
Do not leave any bills unpaid, you will thank your future self for getting on top of this and staying organised.
Create a spreadsheet displaying all your end dates and amounts for each utility. Keep track of any correspondence with your landlord and/or housemates about terminating utility contracts to ensure they do not continue after moving. It is important to communicate with your utility providers about when they can expect your final payment as well as the forwarding address for the lead tenant allowing them to send final bills directly over. This is your responsibility – so don’t forget.
Those with all-inclusive accommodation will have less money-related admin to worry about – as they typically have no bills or contracts to end before leaving.
How can I get my student accommodation deposit back?
Take photos
Taking photos means that you have evidence – should you need it – to support your request for the repayment of your deposit. Show the state of accommodation at your time of departure in case you and your landlord disagree on the condition it was left in.
Check inventory
Ask your landlord to sign a check-out inventory so there is no miscommunication about what was there before and what was left behind after your departure.
Skip the leaving party
Lots of students worry about getting their deposits back, but the truth of the matter is that if everything looks the same as when you moved in, you should be fine and get the full amount back. Be upfront about any damage caused to the property or appliances. This will be checked against the inventory list so best mention it to your landlord or property manager before inspection.
A checklist to make sure you have left the property in the best state:
- Deep clean the property
- Return all furniture to its original place
- Switch off all plumbing and electrical appliances
- Close all windows
- Remove all wall decoration including LED lights
Another plus to inclusive accommodation: you do not need to deep clean yourself. So long as your accommodation is left neat and tidy, and the inventory checks out, you can feel secure about the return of your deposit.
Can I leave the accommodation early?
The last thing students want is to end up in a messy contract they cannot get out of, so naturally the question then arises: how to get out of a student accommodation contract?
Unfortunately, most legal contracts with student accommodation do not allow for you to leave the contract contrary to the agreement you have signed within the contract’s legally binding length. The length of these contracts will typically be on a fixed term, contrary to a periodic contract which runs on a rolling basis.
However, there are possible ways to move out of student accommodation early – if there is a break clause in your contract which allows you to end it early, the break clause should say how much notice you must give, there is also the possibility your landlord agrees to end the fixed contract, this is called surrender. This is less likely to occur and may only happen under rare circumstances, such as leaving your university course due to ill health. Moving in with friends elsewhere is not likely to be a justifiable reason, but this depends on your landlord and contract – if your contract allows a replacement tenant and you find a suitable replacement, then depending on your contract you may be able to move out early.
Reduce the fuss with Study Inn
Amidst all the change soon to come with moving and university, why not secure yourself a stress-free and luxury experience at Study Inn? Study Inn offers all-inclusive rooms, with all the facilities you could need. You are provided with everything you could possibly need for student life – utility bills included, a broad range of high quality kitchenware, a TV, a wellness spa and gym, an entertainment area, a study area, biweekly cleaning services with fresh replacements of bed linen and towels, 24/7 security, and much more.
All of this means that there is less stress involved when the time does come to move on – since all of your utilities are part of your accommodation contract and don’t need to be contacted one by one to break away. Choose Study Inn for the best student accommodation in Bristol, Exeter, Nottingham, Leeds, Leicester, and Loughborough.
