When are they planning to move in? It can be nice to move in at the same time as your housemates but consider whether there is space for everyone to be moving in at the same time.

It is also a good idea to find out what everyone else is bringing with them. You will want to bring some kitchen essentials, such as a toaster and kettle (if not provided by your landlord/agent) but you probably don’t need more than one.

Once you've chatted to your housemates, let the landlord/agent know when you'd like to move in and confirm a time and the process for collecting your key. You don’t necessarily need to move in on the first day of your tenancy but you will be liable to pay rent from this date.

Think about who will help you move. Do you have a friend or relative who can drive you to the property or do you need to make arrangements with a removal company?

If you’re bringing a car with you, either permanently or just for your move in, check whether you will need a parking permit. Permits are issued by Norwich City Council and the permit cost varies depending on the size of your car. For more information and to apply for a permit, visit their website.

Research internet providers and discuss the options with your housemates. It can sometimes take a few weeks to arrange the new connection. Some providers will have deals specifically for students so look out for these.

Pack your personal belongings. Don’t forget:

• Clothes
• Bedsheets & towels
• Toiletries, including medication
• Electronics and chargers
• Student essentials (books, stationery)
• Items to personalise your room (photographs/photo frames, plants, rug)

*Your tenancy agreement may contain a clause which prohibits the use of blu-tack or sellotape to display photographs and posters because these can mark and damage the walls. If you decide to use these, then the landlord/agent may make a deduction from your damage deposit at the end of the tenancy to cover the costs for repairs and/or painting.

Ask the landlord/agent for a copy of the inventory. This will outline the condition of the property and any items provided by the landlord/agent.

The inventory will be reviewed when you leave, to determine if any deductions should be made from your damage deposit. We recommend spending some time to thoroughly review the inventory. If you think changes are needed to best reflect the condition of the property then let the landlord/agent know. You should confirm these in writing and take photographs too, preferably with a timestamp.

Some tenancy agreements will specify a deadline for making the landlord/agent aware of any changes to the inventory. Check your tenancy agreement and speak with the landlord/agent if you are unsure on this.

If the landlord/agent does not provide an inventory then it will be more difficult for them to evidence charges for deductions from your damage deposit at the end of your tenancy. You should still take photographs of anything in the property that you are concerned about.

Council Tax is a charge applied by the local authority and covers a wide range of services for residents of Norwich, including waste and recycling collections.

Many students are exempt from paying Council Tax but exemption is not automatically applied by Norwich City Council. All eligible students will be able to download their Council Tax certificate as a pdf from e:Vision. The certificate should then be shared with Norwich City Council. If you have trouble accessing your Council Tax certificate, contact the Student Information Zone.

If you are renting your property as a group it is a good idea to ask your housemates to download their exemption certificates and attach them all to one email. This email should be sent to revenues@norwich.gov.uk and you should confirm the full property address and the start and end dates of your tenancy.

You can read more about this in our Students and Council Tax guide including information for part-time students and those who live with non-students.

The landlord/agent should have insurance to cover the building and contents they provide but you will need to research and purchase contents insurance for your own personal possessions.

Meters

Ask your landlord/agent to show you where the meters, fuse box and stop cock are. The fuse box and stop cock are extremely important as you may need to access these if there is a plumbing issue or a loss of power.

Safety Certificates

Ask for a copy of the latest Gas Safety Certificate, Electrical Installation Condition Report and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

Alarms

Ask your landlord/agent to show you where your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are located and how to test them.

Contact Details

Make sure you have the landlord/agent's contact details and know who to call in an emergency. It is a good idea to save these details on your mobile phone.

Make sure you purchase a TV licence if you would like to:

• watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel
• watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.)
• download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

If you have an individual tenancy agreement just for your room then you will need your own TV Licence. If you have signed the same agreement as your housemates then this is a joint tenancy and you will probably need one licence to cover the whole property.

If you are buying a new TV licence then this will start from the day you apply for it. Find out how to apply and the latest charges, visit the TV Licensing website.

Make sure you know which day of the week your bins will be collected. Ask your landlord/agent or check online at the Norwich City Council website. Norwich City Council operate a fortnightly rota collecting general household rubbish one week and recycling the next. Food waste bins are collected weekly.

It is also a good idea to label your bins with your house number/name. If your bin is lost during your tenancy then you may be liable to pay for a new one.

Not sure who your current suppliers are? You can ask your landlord/agent for this information or check using the details below:

• Anglian Water supply all properties in the local area
• Gas or call 0870 608 1524
• Electricity

Decide if you wish to remain with the current supplier or switch to a new one. You have the right to switch and take advantage of better energy deals. This is unless bills are included in your rent. If you decide to switch then make sure you share the names of your new suppliers with your landlord/agent.

Contact your chosen supplier. You will be asked to confirm:

• the date on which your tenancy started
• the date you moved in
• the full property address (including postcode)
• your contact details
• how you wish to pay
• the latest meter readings

Visit your neighbours to say hello and introduce yourselves. You never know, you might find your neighbours are students too!

We hope you have a great time in your rented accommodation but if you've moved in and renting is not working out as you'd hoped, advice(su) is here to support you.

In the sections below we've covered some common topics which can arise during a tenancy. If you've read the information below and would still like to chat with advice(su) then please request an appointment.

Landlords and tenants both have different responsibilities and expectations – check out our information sheet on rights and responsibilities.

Can I end my tenancy early?

Most student tenancy agreements are issued for a fixed term of 10, 11 or 12 months and do not contain a 'break clause' allowing you to give notice to end the tenancy early.

Your tenancy agreement is legally binding. If you are thinking about leaving before the end of your contract, whatever the reason, make sure you know what the legal implications are before you make any decisions. Start by reading advice(su)'s leaflet on leaving a housing contract early and checking if there is a break clause in your tenancy agreement. If you're not sure, contact us to get your tenancy agreement checked.

Some landlords and agents will allow you to leave early if you find a suitable replacement tenant. Note, if you and your housemates are all named on the same tenancy agreement then your housemates will also need to be happy to live with the replacement tenant.

How can I find a replacement tenant?

As long as you have permission from your landlord/agent, you can use our Home Run message board to advertise your room. The message board is split into different categories and we suggest posting within 'Accommodation Available' and 'Find a Flat Mate'. You can also check the posts within 'Accommodation Wanted' and reply to posts if you believe your room might be suitable.

Many students also use the uea(su) housing group on Facebook to advertise spare rooms. Request access to the group and you will be approved once your UEA affiliation has been confirmed.

If your landlord advertised their property on Home Run, they may be willing to advertise your room via the housing list. Please note, requests for advertising rooms via the housing list must come directly via the landlord or agent.

If a current or prospective UEA student contacts us to say they are searching for accommodation in the private sector then they will be referred to the Home Run housing list, message board and uea(su) housing group.

Which repairs is my landlord/agent responsible for?

advice(su)'s leaflet on repairs to your home looks at the responsibilities of the landlord/agent (and tenant) when it comes to different types of repair.

You can also look at your tenancy agreement to check the repairs your landlord/agent is responsible for. If you are in any doubt, contact us.

How should I let my landlord/agent know that a repair is required?

It’s fine to call to report a repair, but always follow it up with an email. It will help if you need to chase up the repair later. Landlords/agents should carry out repairs within a reasonable time.

What is reasonable? This depends on factors such as how major the repair is, whether there are safety implications, and whether there are any temporary fixes which could be used while you are waiting.

It’s a good idea to request repairs as soon as you notice something. If you leave it and it gets worse (and more expensive to repair) it could affect your deposit.

During the colder months and in rooms where we create extra moisture (bathrooms and kitchens), it is quite common to see the signs of condensation. It is extremely important to control condensation around your home as if not, you may start to see signs of mould growth, and trust us when we say that no one wants that!

Mould can damage paintwork and personal belongings and if you have not taken measures to prevent condensation and mould growth, you may find that money is deducted from your deposit to complete the necessary repairs at the end of your tenancy.

There are some quick things you can do to reduce the amount of moisture in your home:

• Cover pans and don’t leave kettles boiling
• Hang your washing to dry outside whenever you can, or put it in the bathroom with the door closed, window open or fan on. Avoid drying washing on radiators.
• Make sure you have extra ventilation in rooms that generate more condensation, like kitchens and bathrooms – open windows wider when it’s safe to do so, and use an extractor fan when it’s available.
• Leave space between the back of your wardrove and the wall to allow air flow.
• We know there’s a balance between staying warm and paying heating bills, but if you can, keep the heating on low during the day in cold weather. It also protects your home against burst pipes.

There are some simple things you can do to make yourself more secure in your home. They might seem obvious, but they are all important:

• always make sure your front and back doors are locked when you leave the property, are home on your own and before going to bed at night. If you are living with other people, it can be tempting to rely on housemates but a quick check before bed will take less than a minute! If you are burgled and it is determined that your house was left insecure, your contents insurance may not be valid.
• check with the landlord that previous tenants returned all their keys
• do not attach any identifiers on your keyring which could identify your property
• draw the curtains when it gets dark
• never leave cash or valuables on view in your room
• it's best not to leave a spare key in a hiding place outside as an intruder could find it
• keep a key inside the house where you can find it easily in the dark, so if there is an emergency (e.g a fire) during the night, you can leave the building quickly
• shred bank statements and other documents with personal details on when disposing of them