STUDENT GUIDE
THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE
FOR COPING WITH FLATMATES
How long has the property been on
the market?
If the house/flat has been available for
a while, be on the ball in case there’s
something wrong with it. That said, the
longer it’s been advertised, the more
likely you are to negotiate a great deal.
How much is the deposit?
Generally, the deposit will cost between
one month’s rent and one month’s rent
plus £200.
What is the length of contract?
In highly student-populated areas, the
contract is most likely to be 12 months,
with half rent paid over the summer. In
non-student areas, it’ll probably be easier
to negotiate a shorter contract if you
wish, with a specific moving-in date.
STUDENT GUIDE
Will there be a break clause in
the contract?
These are increasingly being inserted into
Tenancy Agreements, particularly in the
London area. A break clause allows either
party to give two months’ notice to end
the tenancy after six months.
Is the property accredited?
Has the landlord signed up to the AFS/
Unipol code? This voluntary accreditation
scheme is an assessment that includes
a number of standards that a landlord
must achieve during a robust property
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inspection. Peace of mind: it’s
comforting to know that an accredited
property is tried, tested and safe for you
to live in.
Can they provide proof that the
property meets official standards?
If a landlord hasn’t opted into voluntary
accreditation, they should still meet
minimum standards. Firstly, landlords
have a legal obligation to provide a gas
safety certificate before you move in.
Also, check furniture is marked with
a label depict ing a triangle and a lit
cigarette; this marker denotes it has
passed fire safety regulations and is not
a fire hazard.
Equally, landlords must check all
electrical items between tenancies
for frayed wires or badly-fitted plugs
under the Electrical Equipment Safety
Regulations 1994. Finally, Houses in
Multiple Occupation (HMO) – that is,
houses shared by five or more people
from two of more families - must
meet minimum standards, including
a satisfactory number of bathrooms,
toilets, washbasins, cooking and laundry
facilities. If your landlord won’t satisfy
these requirements, speak to your local
authority. Note, different rules and
regulations apply in Scotland.