If you’re a student, there’s always something cruel about having all your coursework and exam deadlines in May. It might be the busiest time of the year, but suddenly everyone wants to have a barbecue at the weekend – and it’s so warm that working in the library is almost impossible. That’s if you actually find a space in the first place.
We’ve been there. Plus, on top of all that, you’ll be moving out soon. And there’s that nasty deposit to think about too.
There’s a good chance you’ve got enough on your plate without us going on about it. So here’s a few hints and tips about how to get your deposit back, before you actually move out.
Make sure your flatmates have paid all their rent to date
If you’re sharing with flatmates, then you’ve probably collectively paid a deposit – meaning you’ll share joint responsibility for making sure your bills and payments are up to date.
If someone skipped a month, or accidentally cancelled a Direct Debit, then it’ll come out of your shared deposit. Worth double-checking, right?
Review your inventory
Hopefully you made sure this was spick and span before you settled in. Either way, it’s a good idea to check everything is in order and nothing’s gone amiss over the last couple semesters.
Word to the wise: if you’re missing a couple items, like a broken IKEA dinner plate, it’s probably worth just replacing it. Then your landlord won’t have any excuses to keep a portion of your deposit.
Think about professional cleaning
Another reason your landlord may deduct funds from your deposit is to cover cleaning costs.
If you have time, then there’s no reason you can’t splash out on bleach and get your hands dirty. But this is also the time of year where time is precious – so, you could also look into a professional cleaning service.
Sometimes even a few extra hours could make all the difference. And if you’re already flat-sharing, then splitting the costs can help to make it affordable for everyone. Plus – receipts from a professional cleaning service make it very hard for any landlord to dispute the state of the property on exit.
Be careful when you’re moving out
Students sometimes get an unfair reputation for leaving flats in a bit of a mess.
So it’s especially unfair if you’ve looked after your home all year, cleaned pretty regularly, and then accidentally scuffed a wall or damaged the floors when moving out. And, as you can probably guess, this can have a real impact on your deposit.
Student removal services are designed to be quick and simple, without breaking the budget. Schedule a time and place, in plenty of time before handing back your keys, and you’ll be in a better position with your landlord.
If you have any questions about our student removal services, let us know on Twitter or get in contact with us directly.
