The mad stress for securing a house for next year has been well underway. In Exeter, the house hunting season begins as soon as term one starts. You have to be quick and hot on it before the house you want is stolen by someone else.

Everyone fights for the student houses on Penny Road and settles for Pinhoe Road. You make a promise to live with people you’ve only known for two weeks (a canon event) and relentlessly trek around the whole of Exeter for a semi decent house that isn’t riddled in mould.

Housing can be a major stress for all uni students, especially if it’s your first time living in a student house. So, as someone who lives in a house nicknamed “The Dungeon”, here are the things I wish I had known before living in a student house in Exeter.

1. Don’t rush

In Exeter, house hunting and securing a house begins in the first week of term one (shocking, I know). You are led to believe that if you don’t get a house by the end of September, you’ll be sleeping on the streets – which is obviously not the case.

Don’t be pressured by agencies and private landlords who make you believe that everyone in Exeter is looking at their house and if you don’t sign up immediately, you’ll be doomed. Instead, book viewings and try to see at least four houses before you choose. This way, you can make a more informed decision about what to expect. Also, do NOT hand over your deposit before you see the contract.

2. View the house before you sign

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Sounds like common sense, but you would be surprised at the number who sign the contract without seeing the house and then get a nasty surprise on move-in day – like a friend of mine who moved in having not viewed the house and was greeted by a human poo in her sink. Nasty…

3. Billing

Some houses come with such amenities as gas, water and Wi-Fi included in the weekly rent – for others this is not included. Obviously, this is up to individuals, but as someone who sorted the bills for her house this year, it can be a stress and a faff.

That said, if you do decide to go bills not-included, there are service providers who for a monthly fee provide a package deal and sort out the admin. This can be a good idea if there are lots of you and no one is keen on having everything put in their name. Look for ones that offer individual liability contracts, so that if one of your mates default on payment, you won’t bear the cost as a group.

4. Take. Photos.

Unfortunately, unless you are one of a lucky few (looking at you, Penny Road), student houses are usually a bit grim. What you shouldn’t have to put up with, however, is damage and/or health and safety breaches.

When you come to move in, take photos of everything (especially anything broken/missing/extremely dirty) and keep these in a separate album, so that when your landlord inevitably tries to withhold your deposit, you can whip out the evidence that, actually, it was like that when you moved in.

5. Argue

As young adults, it can be hard to stand up for yourself and your rights as tenants. Try your best to fight back against your people-pleasing instincts and insist on getting what it is you’re paying for. If something is missing or broken and it’s listed in your contract, challenge it. If your landlord is refusing to fix an issue, do what my housemate did and politely inform them that you’re potentially going to take some legal advice (surprise, her aggressive mould problem suddenly got fixed). Check HMO regulations and safety certificates.

Don’t be afraid to be difficult if something isn’t right. Some landlords are notorious for trying to rip students off – don’t let them.