Our top tips for living in private and rented accommodation

Meet the neighbours
Pop round and say hello to your neighbours, they may be able to help out during your time living next door.

Noise
It’s absolutely fine to play music or have friends over, but be conscious of your noise levels, especially after 11pm. The walls can be very thin so consider letting your neighbours know if you’re going to have a party.

Safety
Make sure to close the windows and lock the door to keep your house safe. Turn off appliances if you’re away for a long period of time.

Insurance
Student houses can be targeted by thieves so don’t forget to insure your belongings. Ensure all your belongings are covered, including clothing, jewellery, electrical and computer equipment, and check what you are covered against, for example fire, flood and/or theft.
There are many companies offering insurance, including Endsleigh Insurance which has a branch on campus.

When you arrive at the University you will have signed a Regulations For Student Conduct which sets out expectations for living in the community to ensure you maintain positive relationships with your neighbours. Our Neighbourhood Guidance provides more information about this, including what to do if you are experiencing a problem.

International students
If you are an international student, you should make arrangements in your own country to cover yourself and your belongings while travelling to and from the University. Students staying for six months or less should be sure they are covered either by the European Union (EU) reciprocal arrangements (for EU students), by their home University or by private insurance arrangements made before they arrive in Britain.  International students may need to provide additional information when renting a property – speak to the Student Financial Support Team for advice.

The Reading Students' Union Advice Service also has plenty of useful information about finding a new home and things to consider when moving in including knowing your rights and responsibilities as a student tenant, deposits, repairs, bills and what you can expect from your landlord.  Check out the advice and speak to someone.

If you need to report a crime, or you would like advice about anti-social behaviour, you can contact the local Police by calling 101 or visiting the Thames Valley Police website.

Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council have a lot of useful advice about living in your neighbourhood, including housing and transport advice and how to resolve issues such as litter, crime and nuisance behaviour.

Support on campus
You can still access all the learning support, physical and mental health services, disability support and spiritual care available to you on-campus. Find out more about the mental health and wellbeing support available to you on Essentials. 

Reading Students' Union have an Advice Service if you’re facing any issues like problem housemates, tenancy deposits and ending your tenancy.

Safety and Security
It is your responsibility to ensure your home and belongings are safe and secure. Find out about insuring your belongings.

RSU and Thames Valley Police have advice to help you prevent theft and fire hazards. You can also sign up to Thames Valley Police’s alerts which keep you informed about crime in the area and tips on how to stay safe.

The University’s Security team also has guidance on personal safety.

Taking a stand against negative behaviours

Our University community does not tolerate problematic behaviours like bullying, hate crime, harassment or sexual misconduct, discrimination, and abuse. We expect students, staff and visitors to look out for each other and be able to call out these behaviours when they see them. 

Report and Support is an online tool for staff, students and visitors to report issues of harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct, hate crimes and other problematic behaviours. Users can either report with their name and details to receive support from an advisor, or they can report anonymously.

You can share with us information about an incident that has happened to you or someone else, and most importantly access any support you might need. 

How to get around Reading 

Check out our getting about webpage on Essentials to find out more about the sustainable transport options and student travel offers available to you.

Parking

If you are parking in your local neighbourhood, please be aware of the parking regulations which apply to each street. You must park with care and consideration and not block driveways or pedestrian access. Thames Valley Police have advice on parking infringements on their website.

You should not bring a car onto campus unless you have a permit. You can find out more about parking at the University on Essentials. 

Bins and recycling

You can check when your household bins and recycling are collected, and what you can put in your bins, by looking on your local council website, either Reading Council or Wokingham Council.

Anyone living within Reading Borough Council area can check the council's recycling guide as a reminder of what you can put in your recycling bin or box.

Our top tips:

• Your rubbish will only be collected if it’s all in the bin with the lid shut.
• Excess waste can be taken to the re3 Household Waste and Recycling Centre. You can book a free slot and use your student campus card for proof of ID.
• Keep your front garden clean and don’t leave your bin on the pavement.
• Red bins are for clean recycling only. Don’t use bags, keep all items loose, otherwise your bin won’t be collected.
• Glass won’t be collected – you need to take bottles and jars to the glass recycling banks.
• Batteries and vapes must go in a clear bag on top of your recycling bins.

Bulk waste

Large waste items will not be collected with your regular bin waste. 

You will need to arrange for the Council to remove bulky waste items, such as furniture, large kitchen equipment and small electrical equipment. Don’t wait until the end of the year, as you can be fined for leaving excess waste outside. 

It is your landlord’s responsibility to remove bulky waste left behind by the previous tenants.

If you’re living in private rented accommodation this year, you may well find yourself paying for gas, electricity and water bills for the first time. This can eat into your finances, so here are some tips to keep your costs down:

Saving energy
• Landlords are only legally allowed to rent out buildings which achieve at least an ‘E’ rating Energy Performance Certificate (A being most efficient, G being least efficient). Ask your landlord for a copy of the EPC to check they are complying.
• Switch off! The easiest and most obvious way to save energy is by not leaving stuff on you aren’t using – whether that’s lights, TV, computers or chargers – it’s the simplest way of saving money. And nag your housemates to do the same!
• Control your heating! Turning your heating down 1˚C can save 8% on your energy usage. Understand how your heating is controlled and agree with your housemates when the heating needs to run. It is usually cheaper to turn the heating off than leaving it running on low (but if you’re away for a while in cold weather, it’s recommended to have it running on low to ensure your pipes don’t freeze!)
• Make sure your hot water is set at 60˚C – this should not be set any lower due to health/hygiene reasons, but higher temperatures will waste energy.
• Check if you can control your hot water separately – and if you can, set it for a few hours each morning and evening. A good guide is 30 mins per person in the morning and again in the evening (but this will depend on our system and might take a bit of trial and error!)
• Check your light bulbs are LED – which are usually much more efficient than other alternatives – and 5W – 6W bulbs usually give plenty of light.
• Cook together, and then wash up together
• Only boil the water you need. Kettles are very energy hungry and boiling too much water unnecessary can waste a lot of energy.
• Use your washing machine efficiently – avoid half loads, wash at 30˚C and dry your clothes naturally if possible
• Check how much insulation is in your loft and speak to your landlord if it is lacking. 27cm of insulation is the recommended standard for houses.

Saving water
Showers are often thought to save water compared to baths, but that really depends on how long you run them and whether they are power showers.

• Shower for no more than 5 minutes – use a timer
• Don’t leave taps running unnecessarily, for example when brushing your teeth
• Don’t run your washing machine until you have a full load
• Wash up together

Maximising your contract
Utility bills seem designed to confuse! Here’s a few tips to keep costs in check:

• Take a meter reading the day you move in and the day you move out (with photos!) – otherwise you may end up paying someone else’s bills!
• Suppliers often estimate your readings. Take a reading every time you get a bill and submit it to your supplier, so you only pay for what you’ve actually used.
• Suppliers are keen to install ‘smart meters’ which allow them to read meters remotely. This is usually free, but it is recommended you speak to your landlord before doing this.
• Shop around – some suppliers charge more than others (try a comparison website such as U Switch) – but be careful to check if there is a minimum length of contract. Suppliers often offer discounts for paying by direct debit and for ‘dual fuel’ supplies covering electricity and gas together.
• Consider paying a fixed monthly amount and create a monthly kitty for your household. Consider using a bill splitting app!
These are just a few ideas to help keep your costs down, and of course, saving energy will also help to reduce your carbon footprint and do your bit towards saving the planet.

Take a few simple steps to keep your belonging safe when you’re away for a weekend or a longer break so that you can enjoy your time away without worrying about what’s left behind.

- Lock all your windows and doors before leaving.

- A dark, empty house is like a neon "vacancy" sign to burglars. Invest in a light timer or use an Alexa plug to turn lights on and off automatically and give the impression someone is in the house.

- Make sure any valuables (jewellery, gadgets and laptops) are out of sight, or take them home with you as it might be attractive for burglars if they spot them through a window 

- To ensure your water pipes don’t freeze, keep the heating on low to make sure water can continue flowing without being blocked because of the cold. Sure, heating costs money, but a burst pipe is a nightmare (and perhaps a costly one)!

- Make sure that everyone in the house know who is the last person to leave.

With these simple, practical steps, you can rest easy knowing that your home and belongings are protected while you're away. Safe travels!

Plan your move
Reading Student's Union offers advice for student tenants who are moving out of their home, including how to pay final bills and ensure you get your housing deposit back. Need some advice? Complete the online form and a member of the Reading Student's Union Advice Team will contact you.

Glass and textiles
Glass bottles and jars need to be taken to your nearest glass recycling bank, on Erleigh Road by Monkey Lounge or at Palmer Park. There are also recycling points for textiles and shoes at most glass bank locations. Check the Recycling Bank Locator for information.

Bulky waste
You can dispose of large items too big for your bins at the re3 Household Waste and Recycling Centre or organise a free collection slot via the Council website.

Food waste
Any unopened food items within their best before date can be donated to the Whitley Food Surplus Project via the donation point at the Students’ Union Welcome Desk. Any out of date food must be unpackaged and put in your food waste bin.

Contaminated recycling bins
Don’t chuck things that can’t be recycled in your recycling bins. That’s a no to glass bottles and jars, plastic bags, clothes and textiles, polystyrene, or food waste. And don’t put recycling in black bin bags as the refuse crews will decline the collection and you could be fined. The Recycling Bank Locator offers details of locations.

Not sure what you can recycle and where? Download the Scrapp app.

Excess household waste
If your bin lid doesn’t close, or you pile bin liners full of waste next to your bins, it will not be collected. Take excess waste to the re3 Household Waste and Recycling Centre. And please make sure your front garden is left clean and bins aren’t left on the pavement.  Excess waste can be taken to the re3 Household Waste Recycling Centre - visits must be booked in advance. You can book a free slot and use your student campus card for proof of ID.

Reading Council and Wokingham Council provide more detailed information on getting rid of waste and recycling.

Batteries and vapes must go in a clear bag on top of your recycling bins.

Reusable items
If you have items which could be rehomed or reused, please donate them at your local charity shop. Unwanted furniture or electrical items can be collected, free of charge, by the British Heart Foundation. See bhf.org.uk to arrange a collection.  The British Heart Foundation also have donation points on campus, the nearest one to you will be Park Bar or Wessex Hall.

As a student you need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer. This could be on any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or games console.

A TV Licence is required for:

• Student halls - you’ll need to be covered by a licence to watch TV in your room.
• House or flat share with separate tenancy agreement – you’ll need to be covered by your own licence.
• Property with joint tenancy – you’ll need one licence to cover the whole place.

You can find out more about getting a TV license as a student, and how to pay for your TV license,  on the TV license website.

Your kitchen space also offers a great social hub, and a chance to connect with your housemates over a cup of tea, or maybe even sharing a meal together.

It’s also important to respect this shared space, and ensure it is a welcoming and tidy space for everyone: 

• Keep surfaces and utensils clean –  make sure the kitchen is left clean and tidy once you’ve finished using it. Although its tempting to leave the washing up until later, it’s important to ensure the sink is clean and ready for the next person using it. 
• Respect everyone ‘s space – it’s a good idea to decide in advance who gets to use which shelf on the fridge and kitchen cupboard, so everyone has a designated space when storing their food.
• Food safety – be mindful when storing foods such as raw meat. Check-in with your fellow housemates to see if anyone has any specific dietary requirements or allergies, and be considerate when storing and cooking these foods. The Food Standards Agency has lots of helpful advice on storing and cooking food at home.

If you’re looking for some cheap and warming recipe inspiration to make yourself, or with your housemates, check out the UoR Student Blog.

There are also nutritious food options available on campus, head to the Clever Cuisine website to find out more about the meal plan options available to you.

Whilst living in a shared house or accommodation its very likely you’ll be sharing spaces and amenities with fellow students and/or tenants. This can be a great opportunity to make friends, however it can also involve setting boundaries and balancing everyone’s different needs and daily schedules.

Here are some top tips for respecting your fellow housemates and setting boundaries: 

• Be respectful – everyone has different sleeping patterns so be mindful when making noise 
• Keep shared spaces clean – tidy up after yourself after you’ve used something, and try and make a cleaning rota for shared jobs 
• Communicate with your neighbours and housemates – set up a WhatsApp group to keep in touch with each other. Make an effort to find out more about the people you are living with, this is a great way to make friends at university, and also helps to create an environment where everyone is included and looked out for  

Check out the UoR Student Blog for more advice from a fellow student on how to live happily and harmoniously in shared accommodation.