Accommodation

Find out what's expected of you and what you can expect from your landlord when it comes to student accommodation.

We've put together a range of topics to help you get the most out of your accommodation. Don’t forget if you need any more help or advice you can visit the Advice Hub, Student Accommodation Services or go online to www.shelter.org.uk/getadvicescot

Shelter Scotland

Shelter Scotland is a housing and homelessness charity. They believe everyone should have a home and they help people find and keep a home. They provide housing advice for both homeowners and tenants across Scotland through our free-phone helpline 0808 800 4444 and online advice at www.shelter.org.uk/getadvicescot

The advice below is a good starting point and the links will take you to more detailed information on the Shelter Scotland website. Whether you have rented before or this is your first experience of living in a rented property, do take a look and pass this on!

Before you move in🔑

Once you've found a suitable place to rent, you will need to agree terms with your landlord, sign a tenancy agreement and pay your deposit and rent in advance. You may also be asked to provide references.

Before you agree to move into a new property, you should always check that the landlord is registered with the council. If you're not sure if the landlord is registered, contact your local council to find out. You can do this by checking the online register:

www.shelter.org.uk/landlordregistration

Whatever the landlord or letting agent says, it’s against the law for them to make you pay any fees or premiums on top of your rent and deposit. Check out Shelter Scotland’s campaign about unlawful fees at www.reclaimyourfees.com for more information. You can even claim up to five years past fees!

Be aware that an advert for a property may not always be legitimate. If a property seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Always do your research, use reputable property sites, check out the landlord or letting agent, speak to the university accommodation service if you are unsure about anything, and make sure the address exists by using Google Maps or an internet search.

House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO)

Most students live in property which is called a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO). An HMO is a property that is shared by three or more tenants who aren't members of the same family. HMO landlords must have a licence from the council. This license is in addition to being registered with the council as a landlord and your landlord must have a HMO license for each HMO property. This ensures that the property is managed properly and meets certain safety standards. For more details on HMOs see: www.shelter.org.uk/hmos

Signing a lease

Make sure you get a written agreement from your landlord. Tenancy agreements have to include:

• landlord’s name
• tenant/s name
• address of the rented property
• how much and when the rent is to be paid
• length of the lease (if this isn't specified it will be assumed to be one year).

Even if you don’t have a written agreement you will still have rights, our page on tenancy agreements gives you more information:

www.shelter.org.uk/tenancyagreements

Making an inventory

An inventory is a list of the contents of a property and their condition. Having an inventory is very important and can help to get your deposit back, as it proves what state the property and contents were in when you moved in. Check Shelter's page on making an inventory or some tips. www.shelter.org.uk/makinganinventory

You can also download Shelter Scotland’s free HouseMate Inventory app for iPhones.

www.shelter.org.uk/housemate

When you move in make sure you take plenty of photographs (especially of anything damaged) as evidence of the condition of your property.

Tenancy deposit schemes

Your landlord must put your deposit into a tenancy deposit scheme. Tenancy deposit schemes will end practices such as deposits being withheld unfairly by landlords. Our page on tenancy deposit schemes tells you how you get your deposit back and what you can do if there are any disputes: www.shelter.org.uk/depositprotect

Some landlords are not taking a deposit to avoid using a TDS. If this happens, and you are charged for repairs after you leave and you think these are unfair, remember you can still contest them.

Getting repairs done

You should always report any problems to your landlord, as soon as you become aware of them. Even if the repair is minor and you're not that bothered about getting it fixed, you should always let your landlord know about it.

Your landlord has a legal responsibility to keep your home up to a certain standard of repair. See our guide to repairs: www.shelter.org.uk/prsrepairs

Ending your tenancy properly

It’s very important to carry out the correct steps before you move out – you must let your landlord know in advance that you wish to end your tenancy. The amount of notice you have to give will depend on the kind of tenancy you have. Your tenancy agreement should state how much notice you need to give before moving out. See our page on ending a tenancy: www.shelter.org.uk/endingatenancy

Your rights if you have a disability

Your landlord has a duty to make reasonable adjustments to your accommodation if you have a disability - see our online information on disabled people’s rights in private rented: www.shelter.org.uk/rentingifyouaredisabled

Getting on with your flatmates and neighbours

Getting on with flatmates is not always easy. You might want to have a couple of ground rules about cleaning to help stop it always being one flatmate’s turn! The first step if you do have a problem is to talk about the situation, and do it before the problem gets too much of a drama.

Make the effort to get on with your neighbours. Introduce yourself when you move in and say hello. Here are some examples of what you can do to make things easier:

• Keep the outside of your home clean and tidy.
• Be considerate when you’re thinking about where you store your bike so it doesn’t block access for your neighbours.
• Give them some notice if you’re having a party and keep noise to a minimum between 23:00-07:00. 
• If you can avoid running the washing machine too late at night they will be very grateful!

You might find our section on renting shared accommodation helpful: www.shelter.org.uk/sharingaccommodation

Find someone to live with you

If you are looking for a flat, make sure to check out our Find a Flatmate page on Facebook! 

Council tax

Council Tax is a charge made by the local authority to pay for local services, however some people are exempt from paying council tax including full time students.

At the start of each academic year the University sends a list of registered full time students to the council however sometimes due to various reasons you may be missed off the list and receive a bill from the council. You can pick up a form from the Student Service Centre in the Hugh Nisbit building and send it off to the council to confirm you are a registered student.

You are only exempt from council tax if you are registered as a full time student or doing over 21 hours per week. Part–time students are generally not exempt from council tax.

www.shelter.org.uk/counciltax

I live with a non student – am I still exempt?

Yes you are. The non student can apply for a 25% reduction in council tax as they are they still need to pay council tax.

If you are having problems with council tax or the council then pop into the Advice Hub. Don't ignore the bill.