Moving from student halls to your first flat – what to expect

Some of you will now be starting to think about where you will be living next semester and February is the perfect time to begin the flat hunt - especially if you want to make sure you have the pick of the best flats available. Many of you will be making the move from halls of residence to your first student flat so here are some tips on what to expect:

Bills, bills, bills

No one looks forward to this part of renting a flat but don’t fear, you’ll get used to budgeting for and paying bills fairly quickly. Your bills will usually have to be paid from one bank account so decide among your flatmates which bank account you will use, or simply set up a new one for the flat. Remember as students you are exempt from council tax. All you need to do is submit an online details of term time address form to the council to avoid unnecessary charges or the inevitable build-up of letters.

Less people

Moving into halls and meeting so many new people can be a daunting experience. You probably spent the first week asking every person you met what they study and where they’re from. However, moving into a flat is exciting as you’re moving in with your friends. You are inevitably going to move in with a smaller group than there was in halls but no one is going to live far away so you can still visit everyone!

It will be more homely

In halls you were only going to be there for one year but you could be in this flat for the next one to three years! This gives you the opportunity to put your own stamp on the flat and make it feel homely, although it’s always important to read through the lease and double check what the landlord allows.

Remember you’re not all students!

You will be moving into a block of flats which potentially will house non-students so it is important to respect your neighbours. If you plan on having friends over just knock on the doors of those flats around you and let them know in advance.

Enjoy your flat hunting! Click here to view our full list of available student properties and their viewing dates.