Live here - Die here (Private accommodation in general)

Member Name: rainy_18

Product:	Private accommodation in general
Date:	24/04/01 (163 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap, freedom and independence - learning lifes lessons

Disadvantages: depression, cold, illness and so on

You're more likely to die here than live....


Anyone who has ever been a student will probably have made the all time big mistake of moving into a shite house. The first house I ever moved into was a kip, not to mention a death-trap. When we first went round to see it, we didn’t really look at it properly at all.

It was cheap rent and that was all I needed to know. My room was downstairs with double doors leading into a barber shop at the front (the barber was the landlords brother) I was woken up every morning at 8am with music what a head wrecker.

Lots of stuff didn’t work when we moved in and we needed a variety of workmen (electrician, plumber, carpet fitter) Well surprise surprise these all turned out to be the same bloke. In fact one of the plumbers that came round said he hadn’t installed a boiler like ours since he was 17 (he was about 55) I won’t go into the details as I’m sure you all have stories of mould, slugs and broken down heating.

I finally moved out when the heating had been broken for 6 weeks and the washing machine for 4 weeks, then we had no hot-water and there was a burning smell coming from the shower.

The advice I can give is

When Looking For A House

Always look carefully – just ‘cos it’s cheap doesn’t mean it’s cheerful, a couple of quid extra a week is worth it in the long run

Look at the ceilings and walls for signs of damp

Check what kind of heating there is – if it’s plug-in electric heaters in every room, you can be guaranteed to be cold and faced with a huge electric bill – not to mention how dangerous they can be

While you’re there check that everything’s working i.e. heating, running water, alarm, check that that the toilet flushes (I’ve had a bad experience with that :o)

Also an important thing to remember is to look for power points
, there are often very few in old houses, sometimes the bedrooms won’t have any at all.

Consider how far away you are from the university and the kind of area you’re in. A nice house in a bad area isn’t going to be much comfort to you if you repeatedly get broken into.

Always ask for safety certificates you are legally entitled to them

Remember that your landlord has to give you 24 hours notice before coming round and walking in when s/he feels like it is completely out of order. You’re paying rent so it’s your house.

Check to see if the your gas and electric is on a meter, this may be handy if you’re moving in with people you don’t know or people you don’t trust to cough up for the bills. On the other hand it will work out more expensive in the long run

If you think your landlord is taking the piss – don’t stand for it. You can get environmental health to come round and check the house and tell you what you’re legally entitled to. For example I was within my rights to demand a window to be put in in the kitchen. (We didn’t have one!) somehow I thought moving out would be easier.

If you think your landlord will not give you back your bond then you are legally entitled to hold back this amount in rent if you believe s/he isn’t going to give it back.

Always ask who pays the water bill - the landlord does not have to do this, but if s/he says they will then make sure it’s in your contract.

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