Moving into a new flat? Here’s everything you need to know

Some tips and tricks to avoid a new flat nightmare


It’s a tale old as time. Moving student flats is never easy, and after five months of living in lockdown it just hits differently this year. After escaping the fam and finding freedom again, you’re suddenly faced with being a proper adult (with all the joys that come with it like broken boilers and council tax exemption).

As I moved my life a whole whopping 0.8 miles, I found myself questioning if it has always been this much of a stress. Is it like childbirth? Do you just forget in time for the next one? Maybe 2020 just continues to make everything worse. If you’ve moved recently you’ll sympathise with the absolute mayhem that is moving. If you haven’t moved yet, read on, take notes and good luck.

You own more than you think

Do yourself a favour and overestimate your hoarding ability. When I contemplated how many bags for life I’d need to steal from mum, I for sure did not guess 15. This was of course in addition to the boxes and suitcases I already had. Top tip: Uber drivers don’t like it when you order an XL for just you and your bags. Mine stopped to have a cig as I loaded the car, and I ended up tipping him twice the cost of the trip because I felt so bad.

Thanks to Chris for not driving away when he saw this

Stairs are always more work

“Third floor is fine, it’s good exercise,” you said. “I won’t need a gym membership, haha,” you said. Now you need a lie down and possibly a doctor because lugging your life up three flights of stairs is no joke. That free sofa off Meadows Share was a great idea at the time but after the twentieth “Pivot!” joke, it honestly doesn’t seem worth it anymore. Who the hell decided to make student flats with spiral staircases?

That post workout feeling

Check your new flat when it’s empty

It’s common knowledge that estate agents are dodgy when it comes to student renting. If you don’t want to get ripped off, PLEASE do your inventory before you unpack. Go round every single room and compare it to what your inventory says. I promise you, that PDF document is about as truthful as Trump. Note all the details and take pictures like you’re studying a crime scene. Otherwise, your agents will rob you at the end of tenancy and try to charge you £120 for a mark on the wall.

Minor cosmetic damage, functionality not impaired – excuse me?!

Don’t stop bothering your agents

It’s the renter’s reality – you will have issues that need to be sorted, and your agents are paid to sort them. So, why is it so hard to get help from your estate agents? What do they do all day, watch us suffer and bin our numerous emails? Moving into my current flat, my flatmate and I logged 25 maintenance requests in one afternoon. This did the trick, and we finally got someone to read our emails. I encourage you to be as petty as we were. You will eventually get a response. Just because we’re students does not mean we should expect to live in sub-standard accommodation. We pay extortionate rates and deserve to be treated like adults.

It will all be better with Wi-Fi (promise) 

The difference it makes to have your wifi and bills sorted ASAP is astounding. It makes communicating with your agents or landlord so much easier. It also means at the end of the day you can sit down, watch Twilight and reminisce about simpler times. Research if your flat is already set up with a provider, and check which cables are left from the previous tenancy. This makes a huge difference to the turnaround on starting a new contract, and I’ve had a two day wait and a ten day wait, I’m sure you can guess which one was better for my sanity.

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No better feeling

Moving flats is a lot to deal with, but it can also be a laugh as long as you keep a sense of humour and take all the ups and downs in your stride. Make sure you have a few banging playlists, treat yourself to a takeaway and remember you’re about to spend another year with some of your best mates. It’ll be worth it.

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