Insurance
Student houses are often 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.

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.

Right to rent checks
All private landlords in England have to make ‘right to rent’ checks. This means checking that tenants have the right to be in the UK.  Students with tenancy agreements for privately rented accommodation will be checked by a landlord or letting agent to make sure they have the right to rent. Landlords will need to see certain documents, which prove that the tenant has the right to be in the UK.A right to rent check cannot be carried out more than 28 days before you enter into a tenancy agreement with your landlord.  A right to rent request can be made by the Landlord by completing this online form.

Tenants who sub-let their room will also need t  o make right to rent checks.  If you have an ongoing in-country visa application with the Home Office, or your documents are with the Home Office, an email from the Landlords Checking Service providing a "yes" response to a right to rent request is acceptable.

The RUSU 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.

Pop round and introduce yourself to your neighbours! They may be able to help if you need advice on your recycling, directions to the bus stop or someone to take in a package. Having a good relationship with your neighbours can help you feel part of the community and make it easier to handle any issues that may crop up over the next year. 

When you arrive at the University you will have signed a Regulations For Student Conduct which sets out how you are expected to behave in the community, including respecting your neighbours and ensuring any house guests behave considerately.

It is the joint responsibility of you and your housemates to ensure the regulations are followed. Penalties apply to students who break the rules.

Noise & Parties
Remember that lots of your neighbours will be getting up early to go to work, or may have young children. Try to keep the noise down between 11pm and 7am and let your neighbours know in advance if you are planning a party. Think about your noise levels when you are going on a night out and heading back home.

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 support and wellbeing services and a round-up of the support available to you on campus..

RUSU 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.

RUSU 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
#NeverOk is a joint University of Reading and Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU) campaign

We take a stand against negative behaviours, including Abuse, Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment of any kind including sexual violence, Hate crime, Racism and Violence.
We are committed to ensuring that our campuses are inclusive, supportive and respectful places of work and study for all of our students and staff. Report incidents and support your fellow students.

How to get around Reading 

There is a lot of advice on how to get around Reading in Essentials, including bus and cycle route information.

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.

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 this useful guide as a reminder of what you can put in your recycling bin or box.

Remember:

• The council will not take away excess waste or recycling which does not fit into your bins or recycling banks.
• Don’t leave rubbish bags on the street or in the garden as they look unsightly, smell and attract rats.
• You must store your bins in your front garden where possible – don’t leave them on the street blocking the pavement.

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.
The University of Reading is rewarding its students for making sustainable choices through the Doing #UoR Bit app and online platform. Record your sustainable actions, earn Green Points and every month there are 75 prizes to be given away! 

Plan your move
RUSU 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? Fill out this form and a member of the RUSU Advice Team will contact you.

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. 

Excess 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.

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

Glass and textiles
Glass bottles and jars need to be taken to your nearest glass recycling bank, on Erleigh Road (by the Pharmacy or 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.

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.

Bulky waste
If you need to dispose of large items, such as electrical appliances or furniture that are too big for your bins, please take it to the re3 Recycling Centre, or organise for it to be collected by the council.
 
Food
If you have any unopened food items within their best before date, consider donating them to the Whitley Community Development Association Food Surplus Project.