Have you just moved to Edinburgh?

Whether you stay on campus or in town, we strongly advise you to register with a medical practice. To find your nearest practice, go on the NHS website http://www.nhs24.com/FindLocal. It is also recommended to register with a dentist; the full list of NHS dental practice is on the same NHS website. International and EU students can also access free NHS services. Always remember, in case of emergency call 999! For more information on health services, consult the University Website.

 

Living in Halls

Whether you are a Fresher, an international student or continuing student, living in Halls can makes life a bit easier. If anything goes wrong during your stay, speak to the accommodation team first. In the event things can’t get resolved, come and speak to us, we’ll help you find a resolution.

You can find all the information needed regarding QMU Halls of Residence here: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/campus-life/accommodation/ 

 

Living outside campus

Moving to a flat outside campus brings its own excitements, like living with friends and potentially having more of your own space. But finding the perfect flat can be challenging. You have to think about who you want to live with, where you want to live, where to look for a flat, and deal with all the paper work when you are moving in.

You can check the Student Pad website for help with finding accommodation: https://www.edinburghstudentpad.co.uk

For most students, life in the new flat will settle but some of you may face issues with agencies or landlord.

 

Shelter Scotland provides advice to people renting from an agency or private landlord.

You can check their website for information by following the above link or get in touch with one of their trained advisors on 0808 800 4444.

Click on the image below to see a useful document that Shelter Scotland has prepared on The House Rules for the new Private Residential Tenancy in Scotland.

 

LANDLORDS – WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR!

We know of landlords in the area that we would NOT recommend. If you take a room in a house where your landlord/landlady is living, you have far fewer rights and they don’t have to be registered. We would never recommend using an unregistered landlord.

The landlord

Is the landlord registered?

Before you agree to move into a new property, you should always check that the landlord is registered with the council. Most private landlords should be registered with the council and when a landlord advertises their property, they have to include their registration number in all adverts.

Is the landlord a member of an accreditation scheme?

If possible, try to rent from a landlord who's a member of Landlord Accreditation Scotland or an accreditation scheme run by the council. In order to join an accreditation scheme, your landlord has to show that their letting policies and their properties meet the standards required by the scheme. For example, they will need to prove that they fulfil all their legal duties, that they don't discriminate against certain groups of people and that they care about their tenants - in short, that they are a 'good landlord'.

It can be tempting to go for the cheapest option but this sometimes will cost you more in the end if you need to terminate a contract early or your landlord has not deposited your deposit to one of the three approved Tenancy Deposit Schemes in Scotland - MyDeposits Scotland, Safe Deposits Scotland and Letting Protection Service Scotland

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice

 

FLAT-HUNTING CHECKLIST

Use this checklist to make sure you know what you’re doing when renting privately. The rules in Scotland differ from other countries, including those in the rest of the UK. Be aware of scams and your rights.

1. We would always recommend using a landlord who is registered. Some don’t have to be (e.g., if you are renting a room in the house they are living in) but you will have fewer rights if you enter into an agreement like that.
2. Get to know the market. Look around at a wide variety of websites and Letting Agencies. In Scotland, tenants only need to give 28 days’ notice of leaving so most flats will only be advertised for entry immediately or around 1 months’ time.
3. Watch out for scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never pay cash up front without seeing the property or meeting the landlord or agent and checking their ID.
4. Don’t pay illegal fees. There should be no charges for anything other than the rent and a refundable deposit of no more than 2 months’ rent. They also cannot ask you to use a third-party service which charges you. Here are some examples of fees which letting agents MUST NOT charge when renting to you

 

• Credit Checks
• Reference checks
• Inventory fees
• Renewal fees
• Holding fees
• Copies of the lease
• Transfer fees

 

They also can’t charge you inflated prices for energy and utilities.

5. Holding deposits should be refundable. If you back out of the contract BEFORE signing the lease, the holding deposit should be returned in full.
6. Check if you need a Guarantor. Most Letting Agents will require proof of salary or a guarantor.
7. Make sure you view the property. If this has to be online, make sure to ask questions about damp and ask to see close-ups of anything that looks suspicious. If you have the chance to speak to the current tenants it’s a good way to find out about any issues with the agent, landlord, neighbours or the area.
8. Check that your landlord is registered and ask to see their HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy) Licence if appropriate. All landlords in Scotland must be registered with the local council (unless they are living in the house and the tenant is a lodger). We would not recommend renting from someone who is not registered. You can check the national database to make sure. https://www.landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk/ The landlord must also have an HMO Licence if there are three or more unrelated adults living in the property.
9. Read the lease. Ask questions if there’s any part you don’t understand.
10. Complete an inventory. This is a list of the items in the flat when you took it over, and the condition of the flat. Record any existing damage to furniture, walls, appliances etc. and take dated photographs too. If the landlord doesn’t provide an inventory, make one of your own and get the landlord or a witness to sign it.
11. Where should you live? This is very much down to personal choice but make sure to check out the local amenities, transport links, and whether or not you would feel safe going back late at night. Also, can you register with a local GP or dentist? If you are unfamiliar with the area when you arrive at university, it might be worth looking for temporary accommodation such as Airbnb for a couple of weeks while you check out the areas you might be interested in.

Finally, we are aware of some local landlords with whom some of our students have had some problems. If you’re not sure about your lease, landlord etc., you can ask us first. Appointments can be made through the HelpZone booking system;

https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/StudentUnionQMU@qmu.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

 

Shelter Scotland have fantastic resources to help you navigate all of this. Check out these links;

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/guides/renting_privately

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/guides/students

https://scotland.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice

Downloadable checklist - file:///G:/SRV%20-%20SU%20-%20Welfare/Shelter%20Scotland%20links/Shelter%20Private-renting-checklist2016.pdf