This section explains some of the things you will need to consider while searching for your student accommodation. As well as offering a few tips along the way. We also give you information on the always popular tenacy agreements.

Also read our article on Searching for student accommodation in the UK.

Council Tax

Council Tax is charged by your local authority and pays for your bins to be emptied, roads swept and all the other council services you couldn't do without. Usually this needs to be paid by the tenant but full time students can apply for exemption. It's up to you to go to your relevant Uni or college department (usually Student Services Centre, Programme Office or Academic Department) to get an exemption letter. You then need to forward a copy of this to the Council Tax Unit and keep a copy for yourself.

Deposits

Your landlord or their agent will probably request the equivalent of up to 6 weeks' rent which they hold until your tenancy ends. They may make deductions for damage or unpaid rent. Non payment of rent is a breach of contract and the landlord could still sue you if you don't pay all rent due, even if they have the deposit.

Your landlord can withhold your deposit until all the final utility bills are paid on the house - but only you can pay your own bills.

If you don't receive your deposit back within 6 weeks of the end of your tenancy, write to your ex-landlord, asking when you can expect to receive it. Be polite, keep it short and make sure you keep a dated copy for yourself. Ask the landlord to give you a written breakdown of anything that's going to be taken from the deposit and ask them to respond to you by a certain date (about 10 working days is reasonable). If they don't reply by this date or you're not happy with their reply, drop in to see us and bring their letter, your letter and your contract.

Utilities

Usually gas, electricity and water. You're usually responsible for paying these - check the terms of your contract.

As soon as you move in, you'll need to take meter readings, then contact the gas, electricity and water suppliers to arrange for the accounts to be put in your name(s). You'll avoid a lot of hassle later on if you (or the first tenant to move in) does this straightaway and names of all tenants are put on the accounts.

When you move out, take meter readings again and let the suppliers know that it's the last day of your tenancy. It's up to you to replace light bulbs and fluorescent tubes.

Rental or upkeep of appliances

Gas and electric hobs need keeping clean and vacuum cleaner bags empty if you want them to carry on working. Hoovers are for picking up dust - not bottle tops, tins, coins, stones, food, pools of beer etc. etc.! Don't put oil, hair, rice, pasta down the sink - you'll be left with a blockage, a seriously unpleasant smell and, possibly, one hefty bill!

It's not that common these days for appliances to be rented - except TVs, DVDs etc. If you're interested in renting a TV, it's a good idea to do as much online research as you can.

Landlord Relations

Remember to do everything in writing. It might sound abit off putting but if you've got anything at all to communicate to your landlord, whether it's a problem with the house or a request for repairs, put it down in writing and keep dated copies for yourself. This makes it a lot easier to sort out problems if they happen.

A few tips:

• Don't waffle. You know that feeling when you're reading a long essay and your eyes are glazing over? That's how your landlord's going to feel if you wax lyrical for page after page - s/he's likely to miss the finer points of what you're saying

• Be polite - if you've been having problems you're bound to feel wound up but leave it out of your letter.

• Give a reply-by date. If you ask your landlord to reply to you by a certain date, e.g. by '25th September' or 'within 10 working days' you can refer to this if you don't get a response and want to take the matter up with us. Again, keep it polite - 'we would appreciate' is more diplomatic than 'we expect'.

Dos and Don'ts

Do:

• Take meter readings the day you move in and contact the utilities companies with the names of everyone in the house

• Get an inventory and tell your landlord about any discrepancies

• Get your council tax exemption form and send it to your Local Authority

• Get a receipt for your deposit Communicate with your landlord in writing

• Get contents insurance for your stuff

Don't:

• Withhold rent, no matter what kind of problems you're having- it's illegal

Nearly done, dont forget to check out our information on tenacy agreements.