Help and Advice

This section too many of you may just equate to boredom and you will just flick through it - if you've reached this far that is. You really do need to read this and more importantly take note. We know the feeling - you've found a house that's so close to your local that you can almost get served without leaving your living room. Your room's also got a double bed, and that's all that matters, so "let's get it". Be warned, without taking time to evaluate your potential new home properly, you may live to regret making any hasty decisions.

The guide attached will show you how to access the Housing List/featured properties with University/SU via Studentpad Access the Housing list

If you have any questions/query on Studentpad – please email private.sector@northampton.ac.uk or call 01604 892482

Find out about the key objectives, activities and contact details of Northampton Student Landlord Network (NSLN) by viewing our NSLN members information sheet.

Read the latest UoN Students' Guide 2021 to Private Sector Rented Accommodation FAQs (649kb docx word document)

Read our Student Housing Guidance Dos and Don'ts checklist - Student Housing Guidance (1.16mb pdf document)

The Exterior

• The roof looks sound, there aren't any tiles missing.
• The gutters and pipes aren't broken or leaking.
• The window frames aren't rotten.
• The windows aren't broken or cracked.

The Interior

• No signs of damp - e.g dark patches, peeling wallpaper or flaking paint.
• Few signs of condensation such as mould on the walls.
• There aren't any signs of pests, like slug trails and mouse droppings.

Gas & Electricity

• The plugs don't get hot when switched on. There are plenty of sockets.
• The wiring doesn't look old, there aren't any frayed cables.
• The gas fire heats up properly and isn't heat stained (if it is it may be dangerous). You know when it was last serviced and have been shown the valid Gas Safety Certificate.
• The cooker works!

Plumbing

• There is hot water.
• The taps all work properly.
• The bath and basins aren't cracked, and the toilet flushes properly.

Security

• The external doors are solid with five-bar mortice locks.
• The internal doors all have locks.
• The windows all have locks.
• Does it have a burglar alarm? Use your bargaining powers to get one. It is in the landlord's interest as well as your own.
• Does it have a smoke detector?

View our Private Sector Housing Information presentation slides (2.23mb ppt powerpoint document).

Gas Safety Certificates

From 1st April 2009, the law requires all agents/landlords to ensure all gas appliances in a property are safe and checked annually by a person registered with the Gas Safe Register and provide each tenant with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate. If you are a new tenant, then you should be issued with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate before you move in. Any gas safety record given to you after 1st April 2009 will only be valid if the engineer is registered with Gas Safe Register.

Click on the Gas Safe logo link for more info! The Health & Safety Executive has a Gas Safety Advice line on 0800 300363 In the event of an emergency call 0800 111999

Electricity

Many agents/landlords may hold a NICEIC certificate which proves that the property has had an electrical check within the last five years. Although this is recommended, it is not a legal requirement.

Fire Safety - Furniture and Furnishings

On 1 January 1997 the final phase of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 came into force. This means that furniture and furnishings supplied in let accommodation must comply with the fire and safety requirements in the Regulations. All residential premises including flats, bedsits and houses where furniture is supplied as part of the let are covered by these regulations. The type of furniture covered by the regulations are: any upholstered furniture including chairs, sofas, children's furniture, beds, head boards (if upholstered), mattresses, scatter cushions, seat pads, pillows and even garden furniture if it is upholstered and can be used in the dwelling. Carpets, curtains and duvets are not covered by the regulations.

Carbon Monoxide

If you have gas appliances in your house, Carbon Monoxide is a possible danger. It's invisible and odourless, but it can kill.

Watch out for.....

• Gas flames that burn orange or yellow rather than blue.
• Sooty stains on or around your appliances.
• Solid fuels that burn slowly or go out.

Know the symptoms....

• Unexplained drowsiness.
• Giddiness when standing up.
• Headaches.
• Sickness and Diarrhoea.
• Chest pains.
• Unexplained stomach pains.

Carbon Monoxide? Be Alarmed! Campaign

In October 2008, the Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance launched a new national campaign aimed at cutting the number of deaths and injuries caused by Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

Click here for more information on the Carbon Monoxide? Be Alarmed! Campaign

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Bills....

• Clarify what is included in your rent. For instance, some agents/landlords include water rates, others don't.
• If possible, ask the previous tenants the rough cost of gas, electricity and water.
• Take readings of the relevant meters as soon as you can once the last tenants have left.
• Change the bills to your name with the relevant suppliers from the time you move in.....decide whether joint names will be put on the bills or if the responsibility will be divided.

Insurance

• Don't think of doing without it - the number of burglaries and thefts in student houses is rising!
• Shop around to find the right insurance package for your requirements.
• Make sure that you're covered over the vacations.

Council Tax

• Properties where all the occupants are full-time students will be exempt. You may be asked to produce a certificate giving evidence of your student status; this certificate will be obtainable from your faculty office after you have registered on your course.
• If one or more of the occupants of your house is not a student the house becomes taxable so you must clarify whether you are expected to pay anything towards the cost.
• If you are unsure about your status with regard to Council Tax then seek advice from your Student Advice Centre.

TV Licence

If you do get a knock on the door you'll no doubt have discussed the fait accompli. "I'll just say I thought that you'd got one", or "We don't need one cos we're students" or "We only watch ITV". The response will, of course, be "Oh, sorry Sir/Madam I didn't realise. I apologise for disturbing you. I'll let you get back to EastEnders". If you want the lowdown on the real facts, they are as follows. Students are covered by the same licensing requirements as the rest of the population. A licence will be needed by a student living in halls, a bedsit or a flat. If you live in a shared house one licence is needed per house as long as you have a joint tenancy agreement. If you have separate agreements with the agent/landlord you will need separate licences. If you want more information then contact www.tv-l.co.uk.

Tenancy Agreements

You can now view a copy of our Sample tenancy agreement (233kb pdf opens in new window) .

Your Agent/Landlord is responsible for........

• Keeping in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling house, including drains, gutters, and external pipes.
• Keeping in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas, and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences, and for heating rooms and heating water.
• Providing a rent book if statute so requires (e.g. where the rent is paid weekly).
• Providing you with the agents/landlords full name and address.
• Providing you with a copy of the valid current Gas Safety Certificate (see Standards).
• Allowing you to "peacefully enjoy" your accommodation (unless there is an emergency).
• Agents/Landlords have the right to enter the property at reasonable times to carry out the repairs for which they are responsible and to inspect the condition and the state of repair of the property. They must give at least 24 hours notice in writing of an inspection. It would be helpful to set out the arrangements for access and procedures for getting repairs done in the tenancy agreement.
• Providing you with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

You are responsible for.........

• Acting in a "Tenant-like manner". This means you should perform the smaller tasks around the house such as mending the electric light when a fuse blows; unblocking the sink when clogged with waste, cleaning the windows when necessary.
• Not damaging the house, if you do then you and your guests are responsible for the repairs.
• Refuse collection! Remember to find out the collection day from your local council. Put the wheelie bin out - and bring it back in again - it's illegal to leave it on the street.
• Securing the property when you go away - lock all the doors and windows!
• Being reasonable about noise and parties - weekends are better and let your neighbours know in advance.
• Reporting all repairs needed to the agent/landlord (preferably in writing). The agent's/landlord's responsibility to repair begins only when they are aware of the problem. If the fault is not corrected within a reasonable period of time (dependent upon the nature of the disrepair) then seek advice from the Students Union Advice Centre/ Accommodation Office or Citizen's Advice.

Harassment and Unlawful Eviction

If your agent/landlord wants you to leave your house then a legal process must be complied with before you can be evicted. This will include a written notice and applying to the Court for a possession order. If you are evicted without the Agent/Landlord following the correct procedure then the agent/landlord is committing a criminal offence. In addition, if the agent/landlord (or someone acting on their behalf) interferes with your peace or comfort either with unannounced visits, by not fulfilling his/her responsibilities for basic repairs (as listed above), disconnecting utility supplies etc. then this may amount to harassment which is a criminal offence.

If you are in danger of eviction or suffering from harassment by your agent/landlord then contact the Student Union Advice Centre, your local Council's Housing Advice Team, or your Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Citizen's Advice also produce a booklet entitled "Protection Against Harassment and Unlawful Eviction".

We would always recommend viewing a property in person, rather than relying on the information on the web. You will need to check that the landlord and the property are bona fide. We would never recommend transferring any monies to anyone before doing so in person.  For your own personal safety, it is always advisable for you to view a property accompanied and try to arrange the appointment at a reasonable hour. However, there are advantages to viewing it after dark so that you can get an idea of how you will feel when walking home at night. It is important that you contact your University advice centre if you feel that you were in any way subjected to sexism or harassment during the appointment.

Security:

Here are a few pointers in checking the security of the property.

• Is the property in a 'good' area?
• Is the property set back from the road? Is the street lighting sufficient?
• Are the front and rear doors solid?
• Have the doors got five lever mortice locks?
• Is there a chain on the door? If not, can the agent/landlord fit one?
• Are the curtains of your room see-through? Insist on thicker ones if they are.

Understanding Damp & Mould

Fire Advice for Student Accommodation

What if I paid a deposit before April 2007?

Unfortunately, agents/landlords don't have to use a tenancy deposit protection scheme if you paid your deposit to them before 6 April 2007. If you have a disagreement with them about returning your deposit, try to come to an agreement. If that doesn’t work, you may have to take legal action. But remember, before you take your agent/landlord to court, you should get some expert advice.

If you’d like to find out more about the new Tenancy Deposit Law, Click here

What is an EPC?

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives home owners, tenants and buyers information on the energy efficiency of their property. It gives the building a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, where ‘A’ is the most efficient and with the average to date being D.

In addition to the rating for your buildings current energy performance, part of the EPC report will list the potential rating that the building could achieve (using the same ‘A’ to ‘G’ scale), if the recommendations that are provided within the report were to be made. It is not mandatory for anyone to act on the report’s recommendations. However, doing so may cut your energy bills and reduce your carbon emissions.

Who needs an EPC?

As a tenant moving into a property, or as a buyer looking to purchase, it is the legal requirement of the existing owner to provide you with a full Energy Performance Certificate, free of charge. This law comes into effect after 1st October 2008.

Agents/Landlords and owners are only required to produce an EPC for a property that is self-contained, and the certificate is then valid for 10 years. However, an EPC isn’t required when a tenant rents a room and shares facilities.

A group of friends rent a property and there is a single contract between the agent/landlord and the group as the contract is for the rental of a whole dwelling. An EPC is required for the whole dwelling.

For further information, please visit the government EPC website here.

What is an inventory?

It is not uncommon for tenants not to receive a copy of inventory from their landlords when first moving into their new house.

An inventory can be extremely useful evidence of the condition of the property when you first move in. It provides a full inspection of the property’s contents and their condition.

If you aren’t supplied with an inventory by your Landlord or Letting Agent, don't hesitate to ask for one. If you still don’t receive one, provide them with your own. You do this by making a list of the contents room by room, and then take photos or use video evidence to record the property contents and condition as back up.

The Landlord/Agent and tenant(s) should both sign the Inventory and initial every page to indicate that you agree to the condition of the property contents and condition.

If at all possible, the final inventory check should be done on move out day and checked against the original inventory. This should ensure that there aren't any disputes about the extent of any damage, should there be some, as the landlord may need to take monies out of the deposit to pay for these.

When compiling an inventory it is essential that you:

• Describe the condition of every item within the property.
• Back it up with photographic/video evidence.
• Take a note of the gas and electric meter readings.
• Get the landlord/agent to agree to, and sign the inventory.
• Keep a safe copy of the signed inventory to check against when moving out.

Are you in Arrears- 6 Steps to follow

Private Tenancies- Your rights if you are renting your home from a Private landlord

The 29 Housing Hazards

Planet Too

Student Housing - Using a Guarantor

To obtain a Housing Guarantor in UK visit the Housing Hand website.

Student Essentials Delivered Direct to Your University

If you are looking for accommodation for you and a non-student partner or family whilst you’re studying, it’s worth checking out Local letting Agent in Northampton” for suitable family let properties.

Housing Hand are available to assist students that need a UK guarantor. Getting a guarantor is sometimes needed if you are not able to pay the full rent in advance to secure your accommodation, and occasionally you may still need a guarantor even if you do pay your rent in advance.

For more information, visit the https://housinghand.co.uk