These helpful tips can help make sure that your student living experience is an adventure, not a nightmare!

Council Tax

Council Tax is charged by Lancaster City Council and pays for your bins to be emptied, roads swept and all the other council services you couldn’t do without. Usually Council Tax needs to be paid by the tenant but full time students are exempt.

It’s up to you therefore to make sure the Lancaster City Council are aware of your student status and that an exemption is applied to your property for the duration of your tenancy. If you are in a LUSU Lets property the housing office can help facilitate this as your landlord.

Deposits

Landlords or their agent tend to ask for a deposit which they hold until your tenancy ends. These monies should be held in a secure tenancy deposit scheme – you will need to check which scheme your landlord is using prior to accepting a lease and making any payments.

Remember LUSU Housing do not charge any deposit, retainer or set up fees. However, we do reserve the right to invoice you for any outstanding rent balances, any damages and any cleaning costs incurred at the end of your tenancy.

Utilities

Usually the tenants are responsible for their own gas, electricity and water bills. However, a number of landlords in Lancaster now provide inclusive rent packages – just like on campus – it’s important therefore that you read any tenancy agreements you are given before you sign for a property so you may know what is and what’s not included.

For example, LUSU’s inclusive rent package includes an energy allocation, water, a telephone package, wireless broadband and personal contents insurance.

If your landlord does not provide an inclusive rent package you’ll need to take meter readings, then contact the gas, electricity and water suppliers to arrange for the accounts to be put in your name(s) as soon as you move in. You’ll avoid a lot of hassle later on if you (or the first tenant to move in) does this straightaway and names of all tenants are put on the accounts.

Most inclusive rent packages provide for a fair use policy in respect of energy. Consequently, you are well advised to take opening meter reads for both gas and electric when you first move in. These readings should be forwarded to your landlord in order your usage may be monitored to prevent any over spend on your energy allocation.

When you move out, take meter readings again and let the suppliers/your landlord know that it’s the last day of occupancy.

Landlord Relations

Remember to do everything in writing. It might sound bureaucratic but if you’ve got anything at all to communicate to your landlord, whether it’s a problem with the house or a request for repairs, put it down in writing and keep dated copies for yourself. This makes it a lot easier to sort out problems if they happen.

Reporting hints:

* Don’t waffle
* Be polite
* Give a reply-by date

When Things Go Wrong

LUSU Housing, LUSU Advice and Student Support will all do their very best to advise you if you have problems with your landlord. Should you need any advice make sure you bring any letters you’ve sent to your landlord and/or they’ve sent to you and your contract.

Dos and Don’ts

Do:

* Take meter readings the day you move in and provide the utilities companies with your households names
* Get an inventory/take your own inventory and report any problems to your landlord
* Get a council tax exemption form and send it to Lancaster City Council
* Always get a receipt for your deposit and be sure who is holding it
* Communicate with your landlord in writing when things go wrong and record an response
* Seek advice and support if you feel a situation is escalating
* Get contents insurance for your personal belongings

Don’t:

* Withhold rent, no matter what kind of problems you’re having- it’s illegal

Guarantors

LUSU understand you’re an adult, even more so now that you’re looking for your first rented property. You’ve moved away to University, you may be working to top up your loan, so do your parents really have to be involved in your housing arrangements? Unfortunately, some landlords still require that student tenants provide a guarantor!

If you are interested in a property where the Landlord requires a guarantors you will need to seek the support (financial) of your parents before signing any lease.

Your guarantor will be asked to sign to guarantee your rent and obligations. If you’re signing a jointly and severally liable tenancy agreement, it’s likely that your guarantor is signing to guarantee rent and obligations for your whole group. This means that it’s legal for your landlord to demand payment from your guarantor for any damages or unpaid rent, whether they’re caused by you or one of your housemates!!

Is there any way around this, we hear you cry?!

LUSU Housing don’t ask our tenants to provide guarantors.