2013/14 Student Property Guide

liverpool

2014

STUDENT SURVIVAL

property guide

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CONTENTS

Step 1 - Install the layar app on your smartphone Step 2 - Find the pages with this layar logo

House Hunting 4

8 12 14 16 19 20

10 Minute Guide To Finding Your New Home Liverpool Student Homes House Hunting What type of property Where to live in liverpool Finding Your Dream Home Property check list

Step 3 - Open the app and press to view all the AR content

Housing rights advice 21 26

Contracts Moving out or staying on?

STUDENT SURVIVAL

Health and wellbeing 28 29

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Healthy Homes Bedbugs / Controlling Condensation & Mould Becoming part of your community Moving in

PROPERTY GUIDE Publishers

Safety 34 36 37 38

fire safety Home Security Police Guide: How to stay safe gas safety

Property LISTINGS 39

Survival Media Limited Bulloch House 10 Rumford Place Liverpool L3 9DG Telephone: 0151 203 9132

Properties To Let

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1O MINUTE GUIDE TO FINDING A NEW HOME

Over the next three pages we are going to give you a handy, ten minute guide to finding your new student home. >>>>

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Use The Liverpool Student Homes Free Service.

Probably the best and easiest way to start your house hunt. LSH have over 16,000 registered bed spaces available every year in a wide range of properties. All registered landlords adhere to a Code of Practice Standard, which means that accommodation on offer will be safe, good quality, and managed appropriately.

You can log on to the website www.lsh.liv.ac.uk to view all vacant accommodation.

lsh have over 15,500 registered bed spaces available every year

Numbers Of Properties In Liverpool There is an abundance of student properties in Liverpool. There are far more properties than students so you will always find a place to live. Never jump in and take the first property on offer because you believe you will be left homeless.

Types Of Property Liverpool offers a wide range of properties from large city centre developments to student halls and smaller private houses. Consider what type of property interests you before you start your search.

What Do You Want?

Work out what you want. What do you want to spend? Where do you want to live? Bills included? Parking?

Then try to match properties that fit closely with your criteria.

When On Your House Hunt Take a pen and paper – don’t try to remember all the details especially if you are viewing several properties.

Make sure you view properties during the day and never go alone.

Areas The majority of student accommodation is situated in Liverpool city centre or in the south of the city in L7, L8, L15, L17 and L18. Consider where you would like to live before you start your search.

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1O MINUTE GUIDE TO FINDING A NEW HOME Landlords Choosing a property through LSH means your landlord has signed our code of practice. The Code covers a wide variety of matters including the provision of adequate space and equipment, as well as repairs and retention of deposits. If your landlord breaches any aspect of the Code during the course of your tenancy, then your complaint can be investigated by us, and if necessary pursued formally through an agreed complaints procedure. Landlords who breach the Code risk being removed from the LSH register.

Tenancy Agreements It is important to remember that a tenancy agreement is a legal document so ensure you are fully satisfied with the accommodation and conditions of the agreement before you sign it.

Shared House, Shared Decision If you are sharing a house with others make sure everyone views it and agrees before signing the agreement.

Retainers A retainer is a non-refundable charge a landlord may request over the summer. Sometimes a landlord may request this for the summer before you even move in especially if you have booked well in advance.

I Dont Want To Pay A Retainer Not all landlords charge retainers.

The only way around retainers is to choose one that doesn’t charge or arrange your accommodation in late August.

Deposits A deposit is an up front payment you may pay at the start of a tenancy agreement.

Bills Some landlords offer an all-inclusive price, which will include all bills and maybe even internet. If it isn’t allinclusive and you are sharing with others make sure that all the utility bills don’t end up in your name.

Make sure the property is well insulated (double glazing etc) and contains a modern efficient boiler (if possible). These will help keep bills to a minimum.

Healthy Homes The condition of your home plays a big part in your health and wellbeing. Visit www.liverpool. gov.uk/healthyhomes for more information on the standards landlords need to adhere to.

Surrounding Streets Make sure the area is well lit.

Maybe visit the property at night to get a feel for the area – check that you would feel comfortable walking alone.

Home Security

It’s a sad but not entirely surprising fact that student homes are some of the most common targets for burglars. Consider security when you view your potential new home.

Are the front and back doors solid – do they have good locks? Is the property alarmed? Does it have alley gates?

Fire Safety Every year 400 people in the UK die from fire. Make sure the property you view has smoke alarms. All LSH registered properties not only have smoke alarms but are required to have a hand held fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in the kitchen.

Home Safety Make sure your property has a gas safety certificate and an electrical periodic inspection report. In addition to the obvious smoke alarms it would be sensible to check whether the property has a carbon monoxide detector.

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The condition of your home plays a big part in your health and wellbeing.

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LSH

LSH CAN HELP

What Is It And How Do I Use It? Who we are LSH is the only official service which helps students to find good quality private accommodation in Liverpool.

The service is funded by UoL, LJMU and Hope and is endorsed by the students’ unions.

LSH advertise the largest choice of private student accommodation in Liverpool.

Is LSH the same as a letting agent?

No. The service is not-for-profit and also offers free, confidential housingrelated advice and support to all students.

Properties that are advertised by LSH have been registered by private landlords and have met quality standards set out in the LSH Code of Practice. The Code is in place to protect students from poor housing conditions and raise the standard of student accommodation across Liverpool.

What properties do you have?

There is a wide choice available including private halls, studio flats, shared houses of all sizes, homestay properties (living with the owner) and individual rooms in properties.

You can search the property database quickly and easily on our website www.liverpoolstudenthomes. org

What are the LSH Standards?

The LSH Standards are there to make sure that registered landlords and agents manage and maintain their properties to a good, safe standard for student tenants. As a minimum, all properties must have: • An up-to-date gas safety certificate • A current electrical safety certificate • A carbon monoxide monitor is there is gas supplied to the property • Smoke detection system • Fire safety equipment When you live in an LSH registered property, you are protected by the LSH Standards. So should you have a complaint about your landlord or you think that they are in breach of the Standards, you can make a formal complaint, which is then investigated by us. LSH works with students and landlords to help resolve disputes.

Do you offer advice even if the property is not registered with LSH? Yes. LSH has a Private Sector Housing Rights Advice Worker, who has drop-in sessions at each of the campuses. You can get advice on matters such as contracts, property disrepair, getting your deposit back and disputes with your landlord.

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LSH Gold Standard Properties The Gold Standard Property Mark is awarded to registered properties that are of an exceptionally high standard and can be recognised by the Gold Standard Mark on the property advert. These properties are in excellent decorative order, have modern furnishings and fittings throughout.

Homestay properties This is when the property owner rents out rooms within their home, but continues to live there. These properties offer a supportive, family environment and can be on more flexible terms. So meals may or may not be included and the length of tenancy can be short or long term. It depends on what your requirements are and what the landlord has to offer.

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LSH

Happy customers!

Events

My reason for contacting Liverpool Student Homes was because I decided that I did not want to be in a house share with the people I had chosen in December. I firstly contacted the Accommodation Office who referred me onto LSH. LSH always responded to my emails promptly and efficiently, giving me so much advice and guidance. They were always so helpful, easy to talk to and friendly.

I would recommend anybody who finds themselves in a similar situation to what I was in to contact LSH as they unbiased, helpful people that are there for students. I am so grateful for everything that they did for me.

Housing Fairs Thursday 28th November 10am-3pm – Liverpool Hope University, Hope Park, Childwall Tuesday 3rd December 10am-3pm – University of Liverpool, Sports & Fitness Centre Every year LSH host two housing fairs, one on campus in the City Centre and the other at Hope University in Childwall. All students are welcome at both.

LSH registered landlords are invited to exhibit and it’s your chance to meet with them and see what properties they have to offer. LSH staff are also on-hand to give advice and answer any questions.

Look out for information about the Housing Fairs around campus and follow us on twitter and facebook for updates.

(Zoe, UoL student)

It’s been a while since I’ve been in contact with you all, but just wanted to say a massive thank you for all of your help, whilst I’ve been going through this dispute.

Without all your guidance on the do’s and don’ts I wouldn’t be at the stage I am at with the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) and I wouldn’t have known what information I should have been giving.

Thank you all again. I could not have asked for anything more from any of you - you all do a wonderful job.

Find a Housemate If you need to find others to live with, come along to our Find a Housemate meet ups. These take place a number of times during the year, check our website, facebook or twitter for details.

If you are a student with spare rooms in your shared property (must be LSH registered), come along to these events to meet potential tenants.

(Cora, UoL student)

Thanks for the help. I can´t imagine how help can be better.

Thanks again for the fast, uncomplicated and competent help.

(Marc, LJMU student)

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0800 878 9028 Luxury houses for studentS throughout Liverpool

www.luxurystudenthouses.co.uk 5 Beds

6 Beds

61 Egerton Road

48 Grant Avenue

8 Beds

38a Bentley Road

7 Beds

60 Ampthill Road

9 Beds

213c Smithdown Road

10 Beds

51 Kempton Road

View 30 luxury properties ranging from 3 to 11 bedrooms at www.luxurystudenthouses.co.uk

All bills included

High quality bathrooms & kitchens

Full Virgin Media

Fully furnished

(inc. movies & sports)

Locations throughout L8, L15, L17 & L18

t’s that time of year when the seed has been planted about looking for a new house for next year. Is it best to look early or wait? This is the question posed by many. Those students who have been through the mill looking for accommodation in previous years and have the wisdom behind them of a couple of house hunting sessions will probably say wait.

The key to finding a good house is to take your time and look at a number of houses before deciding which one to rent. Owners will be keen to show you round and the more houses you look at with a number of different owners, the better chance you will have of ticking all the boxes for your ideal property.

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HOUSE HUNTING View With

How to look for your student home 12

FACT!

Facts About Property Searching In Liverpool

Unlike other university cities in the UK, Liverpool always has a surplus of private student accommodation – so there is no rush to find your next home!

Did you know?

FACT! FACT! The largest number of bedspaces in Liverpool are concentrated in Large City Developments (private halls).

With over 16,000 bedspaces, Liverpool Student Homes advertises the largest choice of private student accommodation in Liverpool and it is the only official service.

FACT! FACT! The average rent in the city centre is £106 per person per week. In traditional housing on the outside of the city, the average rent is £75.

Smithdown and Kensington are popular areas for choosing traditional student houses, with this type of accommodation being very limited in the city centre.

FACT! In a recent LSH student survey, 92% of respondents said they would be looking for accommodation with a group of friends.

FACT! In the same survey, respondents listed the following as either very important or important when looking for a new home; reliable landlord/owner, value for money, internet access, health/ safety of the property and quality of the property interior.

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What type of property?

Start your property search at www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org.

Large City Developments This is purpose built student accommodation, similar to university halls. This type of accommodation is self-catered and can be en-suite. Some rooms are in cluster flats, where there are a number of private bedrooms in one hall (cluster) that will share a kitchen, lounge and sometimes a bathroom. Other rooms may be selfcontained studios, where the room has an en-suite, kitchen and study area.

Shared houses and flats This type of accommodation is a traditional house or flat that is owned by a private landlord or agent. An agent is a company that manages a property on a landlord’s behalf. You can search for shared houses as a group of friends or you can search for individual rooms.

Homestay These are privately owned houses or flats where the owner resides within the building and rents out spare rooms. Some landlords may provide meals and offer more flexibility when it comes to the length of contract, so it may suit students who are in Liverpool for less than the full academic year. Homestay is also popular with international students who are looking for a family environment.

Family accommodation Some landlords or agents will advertise their property as being suitable for families.

You can search for these by clicking on advanced search link on the search box and selecting suitable for family.

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Deciding Where to Live Liverpool is a large city with a large selection of student accommodation dispersed in various locations across the city. The areas are classed by postal district, for example the city centre postal districts are: L1, L2, L3; some other postal districts such as L5, L6, L7 and L8 encroach onto the city centre borders.

Many of the larger private developments are located within a short walk to the city centre based universities. City centre accommodation is in high demand and rent levels are often higher than accommodation on the outskirts of the city. There are very few traditional houses available to rent in the city centre and again these tend to be offered at a higher premium.

The largest student location outside of the city centre is situated in the Smithdown Road area of Liverpool which is covered by the L15 postal districts. This area borders two other postal areas of L18, Mossley Hill / Allerton and L17, Aigburth and around Sefton Park.

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Why I chose to live in Kensington Hi I’m Dan and I live in Kensington. I’ve lived in the area for the past 2 years and this will be my 3rd year here. I live in a 4 bedroom house with friends I made in student halls in my 1st year. We chose Kensington as it’s going through regeneration with lots of work done to improve the houses and local area. As well, rent prices are amongst the cheapest in the city and it’s only around 25 minutes walk into the city centre. I think this is why more and more students are choosing to live here and it’s fast becoming one of the most popular student areas in Liverpool. It is ideally located for students going to LJMU and University of Liverpool as it’s only about a 20 minute walk to the city campuses and libraries, and only 30 mins to LJMU’s Byrom Street campus. Buses to and from the city centre are every few minutes and taxis are also very cheap.

Within Kensington itself there is plenty to do. There are Tesco, Lidl and Iceland supermarkets and if you don’t fancy cooking there’s plenty of take-aways ranging from McDonalds/Dominos/ Greggs etc. to Chinese/Indian/ Kebab Houses. Other amenities in the area including pharmacies, a library and a gym/leisure centre as well as plenty of other shops and pubs.

There are also a number of local parks and gardens, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the area. The local community centre provides volunteering opportunities and various classes throughout the day and in the evenings, as well as a bar with cheap drinks and they are always keen for students to get involved.

If I had to sum-up Kensington in 3 words, I would have to say it is vibrant, student-friendly and ideal.

the City's two larger universities, Liverpool John Moores and The University of Liverpool, have the bulk of their campusES centralised in city centre. LIPA are based in the city centre and Hope has a campus on the cusp of the city centre. >>>>

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House vs Halls

WHERE to Live In Liverpool 16

Other campus locationS include: LJMU IM Marsh This campus is located in L18 Mossley Hill. The campus in situated in a leafy residential area and serviced by many bus routes a short distance away. Students based at I M Marsh either live in city centre halls and commute every day or else look for houses in L17, L18 and parts of L19.

UofL Leahurst This is the Veterinary School of the UofL which is based on the Wirral, approximately 40 mins drive from the city centre. The school facilitates accommodation for students on campus and in the local community.

Hope Childwall Hope University has two campuses, with the main campus located approximately 4 miles from the city centre in Childwall L16.

Districts Of The City: City Centre: L1, L2, L3 City centre: walking distance There are many advantages to living in the city centre. Being close to your university campus and to the vibrant social scene can be the biggest draw into the city for students. The choice of larger private developments located on campus has increased two fold over the past five years and students now have an abundance of choice. Rent levels are of a premium in the city centre in all types of accommodation. Car parking is very limited and will incur additional costs.

Kensington/ Tuebrook: L6, L7

City centre: walking distance - 1.5 miles These postal districts are located on the cusp of the city centre with some parts of L7 located on the University of Liverpool campus.

Accommodation in this locality is largely traditional terraced houses

Why I chose to live in Smithdown I’m Helen and I’ve lived in Smithdown for the last two years.

I moved here after I moved out of halls with a group of four friends.

In third year I lived in a two bedroom flat, still in Smithdown but slightly closer into town.

Rent was pretty cheap for both places and we managed to get it including bills which made the whole thing a lot easier!

Smithdown is a huge student area with people who go to LJMU, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope all living there.

There’s a big student community so you can’t go far without bumping into someone you know.

I ended up living just around the corner from most of my friends so even the people I didn’t live with were pretty close by.

You can walk from Smithdown into town but it’s not the shortest walk so I got a bus pass, I also had my lectures at Byrom Street so it was on the opposite side of town. The student bus passes are really good value for money and you can use

and flats with mixed dwellings of local residents and students. The area is popular with students wishing to live within close proximity to the city centre at lower rent levels.

Toxteth: L8 City centre: walking distance - 1 mile This area of the city houses some of the finest Georgian terraces in the country. Accommodation for students in this area is limited and generally comprises of large shared dwellings and self contained flats.

The Catherine Street/Falkner Street area remains popular with students wishing to live in a traditional house share within close proximity to the city centre universities.

Wavertree/Picton: L15 City centre: 1.5 – 2.5 miles This is one of the most popular 17

them at any time. It was especially good for a night out as we would get the bus instead of spending money on a taxi. Saying that, taxis to Smithdown are only about £4 if you book one or about £6 if you jump in a black cab.

There’s a big Asda in Smithdown, a small Tesco and an Aldi.

There’s loads of take-aways in the area along with a Subway and Dominos. There are plenty of places to go for a drink, the Brookhouse is the main student pub which has just been renovated and puts on really cheap student nights. Smithdown surrounds Sefton Park which always has things going on or is a good place just to go with friends.

A few minutes’ walk from the main student area there’s a Lifestyles gym which you can get free membership at if you’re a student at LJMU. There is a doctors and pharmacy just next to Asda, which is on the bus route, so everything is really convenient.

I really enjoyed my time living in Smithdown and would say that it was a great place to be a student and really helped me get everything out of uni that I possibly could. student districts in the city outside of the city centre. The main corridor of Smithdown Road has a concentration of student properties.

Properties located in this area tend to be traditional terraced dwellings with multiple rooms for occupation.

There are limited number of self contained one and two bedroom flats in this area. The location is serviced by excellent local amenities and transport links into the city centre.

L15 has good links to out of town campuses and to Hope University at Childwall. Rent levels in this area are often significantly lower in comparison to city centre dwellings.

Childwall: L16 City centre: 3 - 4 miles Childwall in the main is a leafy residential suburb with limited student accommodation.

Accommodation available in this

The Lark Lane area has attracted students with local amenities such as Sefton Park, rail links and shopping facilities. postal district tends to be within walking distance of Hope University in Childwall. The area is within close proximity to Allerton Road and is serviced by numerous bus routes into the city centre.

Aigburth: L17 City centre: 2.5 - 3 miles This area remains popular for students studying at LJMU IM Marsh and Hope University. Traditionally the Lark Lane area has attracted students with local amenities such as Sefton Park, rail links and shopping facilities.

Some areas of Aigburth are within walking distance to IM Marsh campus and a regular bus link from Aigburth Vale takes students to Hope University in Childwall.

Why I chose to live in the City Centre I’m Elliot and I have lived in the city centre for the past three years.

I first moved out of halls and lived on Mount Pleasant; I found Mount Pleasant a very enjoyable area to live in. It was lively, close to town and university and a safe place to be. I lived in a two bedroom apartment which unfortunately did not come with bills included however after making the effort in turning everything off when it wasn’t being used we managed to bills very low and didn’t find it too difficult to pay for them.

Parking was included which was a massive help as getting a parking space in the city centre is expensive and hard to come by.

I then lived above Scream Bar on South Maryland Street, the location was great it was close to all the library and university buildings, near enough to town and close enough to Byrom Street that getting to lectures on time didn’t mean an early start. However for a city centre location you do pay a bit more therefore the standard of the accommodation didn’t necessarily mirror the price. Parking again was an issue due to only on the

Allerton/Mossley Hill: L18 City centre: 2.5 - 3 miles Allerton and Mossley Hill are located close to the Smithdown Road area. A popular location with students the area offers a mix of residential and student dwellings.

This area is serviced by excellent local amenities including shopping, cafes and bars, all close to the University of Liverpool halls and only walking distance from Liverpool John Moores Campus at IM Marsh.

A short bus ride will take you Hope University at Childwall and some areas of L18 will be within walking distance.

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street parking. Throughout the town centre there are shopping facilities for day to day food or the large Tesco at the bottom of Seel Street should you want to do a massive shop. Transport links are also great as you’re close to all the major bus routes up to I.M Marsh and Smithdown and close to Lime Street and Grand Central Station.

In my last year I moved towards Byrom Street to be closer to university and the library. I found living down near Byrom Street to be great in relation to studies however a bit further out of town should I need to pop to the shops. There was also no large supermarket nearby which made doing large shops more difficult. Transport links were less accessible but still within walking distance. It was ideal for studying as the area was quieter being further away from town. The price of the accommodation was also cheaper allowing for money to be spent elsewhere.

Although many students choose to move out of town after their first year of uni I found that living in town was much easier when travelling to lectures and visiting the library and much more appealing from a sociable aspect as everything was on my doorstep.

So, you’re thinking about where you’re going to live next year.

Everyone’s talking houses.

You’re starting to get a bit worried. Don’t Panic!

There are two things you need to know about finding your dream house or flat.

FINDING YOUR DREAM HOME

• There’s plenty of time to get a property – if you really think about it you’ve got the next nine months to look properly. Remember the phrase only fools rush in!

• There are plenty of properties to go round. Consider yourself to be in a very fortunate place living in Liverpool, where unlike most cities, there is ample accommodation in the private sector.

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Here are some practical things that you may want to ask about when you go to view properties.

Property check list The area outside the property:

Security: • Is there a working burglar alarm?

• Is the house easy to secure?

• Are the external doors solid?

• Is there double glazing?

• Do the external doors have fivelever mortice locks • Do the downstairs windows have locks?

• Is there good street lighting?

• Are there good transport links?

• What is the local area like? Quiet or noisy?

• Is the outside of the property in good repair?

• Are the doors and windows secure?

Furniture:

Utilities:

• Has the property got enough furniture for the number of tenants?

• Does any of the furniture belong to existing tenants?

• Is all the furniture in good condition?

• Do the bedrooms have a bed, desk and appropriate storage space?

• Does the property have blinds or curtains throughout?

• Are the carpets in good condition?

• Ask the current tenants how much the bills are and if the property is easy to heat • Do the electric or gas fires work?

• Does the property have gas and electricity or just electricity?

• Are there enough plug sockets in each room?

• Is there internet access and is this included in the rent?

Kitchen:

Plumbing: • • • •

• Is the kitchen appropriate for the number of tenants?

• Is there enough fridge/freezer space for the number of tenants?

• Is the kitchen clean and hygienic?

• Do the appliances work properly?

Does the shower work properly?

Try the taps, do they all work?

Do all the sinks drain?

Does the toilet flush or leak?

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What to look for

tenancy agreement is a contract between you and a landlord, although many agreements will also include the details of a managing agent as well.

It may be written or oral.

The tenancy agreement gives certain rights to both you and your landlord, for example, your right to occupy the accommodation and your landlord’s right to receive rent for letting the accommodation. It lets you live in a property as long as you pay rent and follow the rules. It also sets out the legal terms and conditions of your tenancy.

A tenancy can either be: • fixed-term (running for a set period of time) • periodic (running on a week-byweek or month-by-month basis) The most common form of tenancy is an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST). Most new tenancies are automatically this type.

A tenancy can be an AST if all of the following apply: • the property you rent is private • your tenancy started on or after 15 January 1989 • the property is your main accommodation • your landlord doesn’t live in the property

A

Other tenancies There are other tenancies that aren’t as common as ASTs, such as excluded tenancies or licences, which are used by Homestay landlords. You are considered to be an excluded occupier (tenant) if: • you share accommodation with your landlord, or • you live in the same building as your landlord and share accommodation with a member of your landlord’s family.

You will only have limited protection from eviction with this type of agreement.

As an excluded occupier your only right is to stay until your landlord asks you to go, or for as long as your written agreement says. Your landlord can evict you by giving you reasonable notice (which can be verbal) and doesn’t need a court order.

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CONTRACTS 21

What if things go wrong?

Is it a joint or individual tenancy agreement?

replacement tenant and continue to pay the rent until you do so.

Generally if one of the other tenants in the house leaves and you are on an individual tenancy, you will have no say in who the replacement tenant should be, whereas if you are on a joint tenancy all the remaining tenants must agree on the replacement tenant.

Liverpool Student Homes offers a contract checking service throughout the year so if you are unsure of something in a contract you are about to sign, get in touch and we will advise.

Joint tenancy

If you and your housemates are all listed on one tenancy agreement with a landlord, then you will have a joint tenancy. This means that you will all have exactly the same rights and responsibilities.

Joint tenants are all jointly and individually responsible for paying the rent. If one tenant moves out without giving notice or is not paying their share, the others can be held responsible for paying it for them. If none of you pay your rent, your landlord can pursue any one of you and ask you to pay the full amount.

Under a joint tenancy then any damage that is caused is usually split equally amongst all the tenants.

However it is the landlord’s decision to pursue any one or combination of the tenants for costs incurred under the tenancy.

If you want to leave a joint tenancy, it is usually best to discuss it with the other joint tenant(s) and the landlord before you take any action.

If the other joint tenant(s) don’t want to move out, they can try to negotiate a new agreement with the landlord.

The remaining tenants may be able to: • find another person to take on the tenancy of the person who wants to leave (the landlord would have to agree to this), or • agree with the other joint tenants to stay on and pay the extra rent themselves.

However if neither of these options is possible you may still be held liable for the rent whether you live in the property or not.

Your landlord may decide to: • give the other tenants a new tenancy agreement, listing the new tenants (in practice, your landlord might not bother to do this) • accept the rent from the new tenant – in which case the new tenant should have the same rights as a tenant whose name is actually on the tenancy agreement.

Under a joint tenancy your landlord cannot evict one joint tenant without evicting all the others.

Remember Your Landlord Or Agent Is There For You To Speak To.

Alternatively, a landlord may be able to end the tenancy (using appropriate eviction procedures) and offer a new one to the remaining tenants. If you are in this situation and you want to stay, it is essential that you talk to your landlord as soon as possible.

Individual tenancy

If each of you signed a separate agreement with the landlord, then you will have individual tenancies.

Individual tenants are only responsible for paying their rent.

If one tenant moves out without giving notice or is not paying their rent, the others cannot be held responsible for paying it for them.

Under an individual tenancy you will be responsible for paying for any damage within your own room and an appropriate share of any damage in communal areas (unless another tenant accepts responsibility for this).

If you want to leave with an individual tenancy then you should discuss this with the landlord before you take any action. The landlord may, in certain circumstances, release you from the tenancy but more likely you will need to find a 22

What should be included in my tenancy agreement?

We recommend that you get a written tenancy agreement from your landlord or agent and it should be signed by both you and your landlord. The landlord should provide you with a copy of the agreement. If there are joint tenants on your contract, then it is recommended that each of you should receive a copy of the agreement.

Checklist • your landlord is obliged by law to give you their name and address, regardless of whether or not you have a written tenancy agreement.

• your name, your landlord’s name and address and the address of the property which is being let • the date the tenancy begins • if a joint tenancy then the names of all people involved • if an individual tenancy then the room you have sole use of and which communal rooms you have access to • the start and end date of the tenancy • the rent amount, how often and when it should be paid • how often and when the rent can be increased • what the rent includes, for example, council tax or utility charges • the deposit amount and which deposit scheme is used to protect it • additional services you landlord will provide for example, laundry,

maintenance of common parts or meals and whether there are service charges for these The agreement may also contain details of your landlord’s obligations to repair the property, although your landlord’s obligations to repair depend on the type of tenancy.

What is a guarantor?

As well as signing a tenancy agreement, usually landlords and managing agents will ask that you provide them with the contact details of someone you know (with money), who lives in the UK. This person is acting as your guarantor and is responsible for any unpaid rent or payments to the landlord for damage to the property, should you not be able to pay.

Many landlords and agents will not allow a tenancy to proceed until all prospective tenants have provided an acceptable guarantor.

It is likely that the guarantor will need to be a home owner in the UK - the reason being that it’s much easier to recover money from someone who owns a property in the UK.

What does your guarantor need to do?

There are two ways to become a guarantor: • On the tenancy agreement there may be a clause at the bottom that sets out the liability of the guarantor, which the guarantor will sign.

• There may be a separate form for the guarantor to sign - a ‘special deed of guarantee’. In which case, a copy of the tenancy agreement must be supplied to the guarantor so they know what they are guaranteeing.

When would a landlord contact the guarantor?

If you have rent arrears or you have breached your contract, the landlord or agent will attempt to retrieve the money from you or the other tenants. If you do not respond and issues cannot be resolved, then the

landlord or agent can contact your guarantor.

This is normally done by letter and includes details of the tenancy agreement and what the landlord or agent is claiming money for. This could be rent arrears or damage to the property. A copy of invoices or quotes to repair the damage should also be supplied. If the guarantor does not pay, then the landlord or agent may bring a claim to the County Court.

What are guarantors responsible for in joint tenancies?

In joint tenancies (where all tenants in the property are named on one contract), each tenant is liable for the rent for the whole property and condition of the whole property.

Each tenant will also have a guarantor, so in theory, each of the guarantors is jointly liable for money owed to the landlord, should the any of tenants or other guarantors not pay.

Unfortunately, some guarantors may not realise this. They may only think they are liable for the one tenant that they know and are guaranteeing, however, in a joint tenancy this is not the case.

When things go wrong!

For instance one of the housemates drops a bottle of red wine on the carpet and ruins it. The landlord has every right to pursue your guarantor for the cost of replacing the carpet, even if it was not you that caused the damage. It may be tough on you and your guarantor but a landlord or agent will, in most circumstances, try to obtain money they believe is owed to them under the contract, in the easiest way possible. You should always discuss any situations such as this with your landlord and try to negotiate to come to an agreement.

Tenancy deposits Many private landlord and letting agents will ask you to pay a tenancy deposit. The tenancy deposit will often amount to around one month’s 23

worth of rent. It is important to be clear at the outset whether you are paying a tenancy deposit or rent in advance. This should be made clear in the tenancy agreement.

What is a tenancy deposit?

A tenancy deposit is a returnable payment taken by the landlord or agent. The tenancy deposit is taken to compensate the landlord if there are any arrears on the rent at the end of the tenancy or to pay for the cost of repairing unreasonable damage or cleaning at the end of the tenancy.

The deposit should not be used to cover the cost of reasonable fair wear and tear

Deposit Protection Any tenancy deposit taken in relation to Assured Shorthold Tenancies created after 6th April 2007 must be protected with a government authorised protection scheme. Schemes protect the deposit and offer a means to resolve disputes between landlords/agents and tenants in the event of any dispute.

The landlord/letting agent must protect the deposit with an authorised scheme within 30 days of the deposit being paid to them.

There are currently 6 government authorised schemes; www.depositprotection.com www.depositprotection.com www.mydepsoits.co.uk www.tds.gb.com www.capita-tdp.co.uk www.depositguard.co.uk In addition to protecting the deposit the landlord/agent must also provide you with the details of the scheme within 30 days of deposit being paid to them.

If the landlord/agent fails to protect the deposit with one of the schemes or to provide the Prescribed information within 30 days of receiving the deposit then you can apply to the County Court for the deposit to be protected or returned to you.

The court also has discretion to award you compensation of between 1 and 3 times the amount of the deposit.

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Moving out or staying on?

Don’t be rushed into making a decision! Some landlords or agents will ask if you want to stay for the following year, within the first few weeks of moving in, but do not feel pressured into this. It’s important for you to give it time with your current housemates to see if you want to live with them for another year.

Don’t forget there is a surplus of good quality student accommodation in Liverpool so there is no need to rush.

Getting your deposit back When it comes to checking your property at the end of your stay, landlords will check everything so here are a few tips to make sure you get the full amount back: • Check your contract. Dig this out and give it another read. Does it say the carpets need to be deep cleaned, or that all picture hooks need to be removed and filled in? If so, make sure these are sorted.

• Patch up any damage. Fix it properly - covering up a hole in the wall with a picture may seem like a good idea at the time, but leaving it like this when you move out is practically asking for your deposit to be docked.

• Ensure nothing’s missing or broken. Check the inventory thoroughly to make sure everything’s as it should be, and replace or fix as needed.

• Take photos as proof you’ve left it in good order. These could be useful evidence later if a dispute arises over your deposit.

• Have a proper deep clean. Get a scrupulous friend or family member to check the place over to check there’s nothing you’ve missed, and remove all rubbish.

• Take final meter readings. To make sure that you only for what you have used while you were living in the property.

• Return the keys to the landlord and ask for a receipt or return the keys in the way the tenancy agreement asks you to do.

If your tenancy agreement states you must get the property professionally cleaned, you may have to provide receipts to prove you’ve done it.

But if it states you need to have it cleaned to a professional standard, you could do this carefully yourself and take photos as proof.

How long should it take?

At the end of your tenancy you and your landlord/agent should agree how much of the deposit should be returned to you. If you and your landlord agree you should get the deposit back within 10 days of agreement.

What if the landlord wants to withhold some or all of the deposit?

Landlords may want to take some of the deposit to pay for rent arrears or damage to the property during the tenancy. You will be given the opportunity to say if you agree or disagree with this through the deposit protection scheme.

If there is a dispute between you and the landlord/agent as to how much deposit should be returned, then you can use the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process operated by the tenancy deposit scheme. They will look at the evidence provided by the tenants and landlord and then make a final decision.

If you or your landlord do not agree to use the ADR process then the dispute must usually be resolved by the county court.

If the landlord/agent fails to protect the deposit with one of the schemes or to provide the Prescribed information within 30 days of receiving the deposit then you can apply to the County Court for the deposit to be protected or returned to you.

The court also has discretion to award you compensation of between 1 and 3 times the amount of the deposit.

Liverpool Student Homes, Housing 26

Rights Advice offers free advice on the tenancy deposit scheme and court processes.

Packing up your stuff? Recycle unwanted items Leave Liverpool Tidy Campaign The Leave Liverpool Tidy is a hugely successful campaign run collectively between, Liverpool Guild of Students, Liverpool SU, Liverpool City Council, Your Place, Bulky Bobs and The Whitechapel Centre.

Leave Liverpool Tidy is a reduce, reuse, recycle student led volunteering project which aims to limit the amount of reusable items going to landfill during the summer months when student move out of their accommodation. It is also present a great opportunity for you to volunteer and get involved in a really productive campaign.

For more information on The Leave Liverpool Tidy campaign in your area log onto: leaveliverpooltidy.org email: livtidy@liv.ac.uk telephone: 0151 794 6868

Disputes Disputes with your landlord/agent Unfortunately disagreements do arise between tenants and landlords.

Here are a few tips to try and avoid this: • Communicate! – make sure you report any disrepair or problems with the property immediately to the landlord.

• Follow up any telephone conversations with an email so that you have a record and confirmation of what has been agreed.

• Keep your side of the bargain - keep to the terms of the tenancy agreement. If you are unsure of something in your contract, ask!

• Do basic maintenance eg. change lightbulbs • Check your inventory carefully and return the property and its contents in the same condition as when you moved in.

• Take dated photos of the property when you vacate to prove that all is in order.

If you are still having problems or communications have broken down with your landlord or agent, please get in touch with LSH, as we offer a mediation service to try and help resolve issues.

HealthY HOMES iving in a student house doesn’t mean that you have to be living in disrepair. You should be aware that there are certain standards that your landlord has to maintain. Here are a few hazards that can occur in your house. If you notice any of these, or similar hazards, Healthy Homes can assist you in getting your landlord to improve the quality of your housing conditions.

L

Excess Cold Is your house warm enough? If your rooms fall below 16 degrees celsius than it’s not warm enough and your home may need to be insulated.

Damp & Mould Have you noticed black markings on your walls? This could be a sign of damp and mould which can lead to various illnesses.

Falling On Stairs Carpet loose on your stairs, and in need of repair? Falling on stairs is one of the most common accidents with most severe injuries.

Falling On Level Surfaces Have you noticed that floors in your home are uneven or there are loose wires causing you to trip? Resulting falls can cause serious injuries.

Flames & Hot Surfaces Is your cooker positioned close to a door? If it is you should have this checked as the door opening and closing is a potential hazard.

12,000 people visit A & E with scalds and burns every year.

Visit www.liverpool.gov.uk/ healthyhomes or call 0151 225 4864

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How to treat an infestation

Bedbugs While not a public health pest, Bedbugs can be an unpleasant and persistent nuisance. Infestations are on the rise, mainly due to the increase of world-wide travel. It is mainly places where people are very transient such as hotels and hostels that tend to report repeat infestations.

Bedbugs draw blood from their hosts and some people could have an allergic reaction which is a concern for those at risk of anaphylaxis.

Signs of bedbugs: • Sightings - adult bedbugs are roughly apple pip size and may appear red / purple (after feeding) or opaque. Common sightings are in mattress seams, corners and buttons, sockets, cracks and crevices, curtains or along skirting boards and carpet edges • Bites - bedbugs feed when humans are asleep at night. Bites will be red, slightly swollen, itchy and may appear in clusters • Staining – bedbug faeces will appear as dark brown stains on bedding especially around the edges of mattresses and bed frames • Blood - spots of blood may be found in bedding caused from the bedbugs feeding or from the crushing of the insect These tips may prevent an infestation: • Store any suitcases and bags off the ground and away from your bed when staying in public accomodation abroad or in the UK. • If you have stayed in public accommodation, store your suitcase in an isolated area until you or a qualified pest technician can thoroughly inspect it.

• When buying second hand furniture inspect it thoroughly looking for insects within the seams, cracks and crevices.

• Vacuuming the mattress and fabrics of the infested areas may help. The vacuum must be emptied outside into a sealed bag and disposed of in an outside bin. This will not prevent bedbugs but will help control numbers.

Notoriously difficult to eradicate, the treatment of bedbugs can take from 2 weeks to 2 months and sometimes longer in severe cases. Treatments often have to be tried and varied to ensure success.

We recommend that you seek an experienced expert in bedbug control. They should be a member of the British Pest Control Association.

Contact them on 01332 294 288 or visit www.bpca.org.uk or the National Pest Technician Association.

Call 01949 81133 or visit www. npta.org.uk.

Always ask the contractor for a fixed charged. Otherwise they may charge you per visit.

Controlling Condensation & Mould Condensation is the tiny droplets of water on cold surfaces such as windows, walls, baths and mirrors, formed when moisture in the air becomes cold. It generally forms in cold weather and where there is little air circulation.

Damp caused by excessive condensation can lead to: • Mould on walls and furniture • Mildew on clothes and fabrics • Wooden window frames rotting • Rise in the number of dust mites First steps in reducing condensation: • Dry windows, windowsills and kitchen and bathroom surfaces that have become wet.

First steps against mould growth To kill and remove mould, wipe down or spray walls with a fungicidal wash that carries a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) approval number (often available at local supermarkets).

After treatment, redecorate using good-quality fungicidal paint and fungicidal resistant wall paper paste to help prevent mould recurring.

Please note: the only lasting cure for severe mould is to prevent dampness.

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Controlling condensation

• Hang washing out to dry if possible, or in the bathroom with the door closed and the window open.

Avoid putting washing on radiators or heaters.

• Always cook with pan lids on.

• When filling the bath, run the cold water first then add the hot – it reduces steam by 90%.

• Make sure your tumble drier is vented to the outside • Try to avoid bottled gas heaters; they produce 8 pints of moisture from an average gas cylinder.

• Don’t use your gas cooker to heat your kitchen (it produced moisture when burning gas).

Improve the ventilation

• Crossventilate your home – open small windows up and downstairs and interior doors to allow air to circulate for about 30 minutes a day.

A window slightly open is as good as an open one. Please be security conscious!

• Ventilate your kitchen, bathroom and bedroom by opening a small top window. Use extractor fans which are cheap and effective.

• Keep kitchen and bathroom doors closed to prevent moisture escaping.

• Reduce the risk of mildew on clothes by allowing air to circulate round them. For example, use false backs on wardrobes or drill breather holes in them.

• Reduce the number of cold surfaces in your home.

• Insulation and draughtproofing keeps the house warmer, cuts fuel bills and makes condensation less likely. Loft and wall isulation are the most effective forms of insulation.

Maintaining an adequate temperature It is better to have a medium to low level of heat throughout the house.

Keeping the heat on at low all day in cold weather will help control condensation, but check your meters to keep an eye on costs!

Contact the Energy Saving Trust for advice on how to control your heating: FREEPHONE 0800 512 012

Here are some really simple tips that will help you become part of your community and make your life and your neighbours lives a lot easier!

Introducing yourselves and saying hello It’s not always top of your list to do when you move in but can be the best ice breaker and a good welcoming touch if you show the first initiative. Just knock on the door and introduce yourself or say hello when you spot each other on the street or in the garden.

Many of the communities in Liverpool will have community meetings which are attended by residence, local councillors, student reps and community police. This is a fantastic way to get to know people living in and around you and for you to get a better understanding of some of the issues in the community.

Moving away from halls or your family home and into a house share will probably be the first time you will be living as part of a residential community. All student areas are populated with a mixture of students, home owners and property rentals.

Becoming part of your community can be both rewarding and helpful for your stay in a rented house or flat. >>>>

Parties

Becoming Part of the community 30

Make it an enjoyable evening for everyone by: • Try and let your neighbours know of your party plans well in advance.

• Set a reasonable finishing timing and stick to it.

• Think about the number of parties you’re having and could they be spread out amongst friends.

• Avoid shouting about it on social media, there’s nothing worse than unwanted guests.

• Make an effort to ensure you know who is coming and going in the property, keep the front door closed and reduce outside noise by making sure windows are closed.

• Not the easiest of tasks after a few sherbets, but try and encourage everyone to leave quietly.

• Do a quick tidy up to ensure that rubbish hasn’t been left outside.

• Taking the party into the street, drinking, dancing, cone collecting,

road sign gathering and plucking neighours flowers and plants really doesn’t go down well! It’s you that your neighbours will want to talk to.

Inside and Outside Noise

Music tastes are a variety of life, what one person enjoys is not always enjoyed by the next. Try and keep music levels to a minimum. If you like to share your music think about moving the speakers away from adjoining walls.

Noise especially at night is less tolerated in a community, try and avoid shouting in the street, slamming car doors or front doors.

DJ decks and strobe lighting don’t always go down well in a four bedroom house, if you want to party on that scale think about cheap venue hire.

Offensive Behaviour • Think carefully about what you display in your window, not everyone will share your views and may take offense to what is being displayed.

• Please use the toilet provided by your landlord and not front doors or public areas.

• Respect the property of others, particularly fences, walls, street furniture and parked cars.

• Think about you’re general behaviour there will be young families and elderly people living around you. Other people can be left feeling intimidated by behaviour which loud and unruly.

• If you feel someone is being offensive towards you and you feel threatened, always call the police and give a full account of the circumstances.

Parking Parking in all residential areas is limited, especially in traditional terraced roads where there is just about enough space for one vehicle per household. Some areas will require you to apply for a residents parking permit which will limit the number of vehicles per household.

Check with your landlord to see if this applies to your house.

Think about how you park your car

Some areas will require you to apply for a residents parking permit which will limit the number of vehicles per household. as well as where – think about the emergency services and deliveries – can they get past?

Dont draw attention to your home It’s really important not to have your home stick out as the only student digs in the road. Try and make sure your valuables are always out of view from the road and where you can, draw blinds and curtains to avoid potential thieves taking a fancy to your belongings.

Don’t leave lights on and curtains open so everyone can see what’s in your house, easy thing to do when the dark nights are here, but the simplest of things like drawing your curtains may prevent unwanted attention.

Keep your garden and any surrounding areas free of rubbish apart from aesthetically looking better it helps deter four legged fury friends from paying a visit.

The collection of traffic cones and building signs always looks best in the location you found them, not in your front window or garden!

Putting the Trash Out!!

It’s not the most pleasurable of household chores but is the most necessary!! In Liverpool the bins in operation come in a fantastic shade of purple with go faster wheels you 31

may also have a garden waste bin and a recycling bin, each colour coordinated! There are set days when your bins will be collected to find out your exact date is really easy by visiting the Liverpool Direct website and typing in your postcode: http://liverpool.gov.uk/bins-andrecycling/bin-collection-dates-andtimes/ • Rubbish: Weekly • Recycling: Every two weeks • Garden waste: Every two weeks Recycling in Liverpool is a big part of what we do in the community.

We have designated blue bins for recycling and the vast majority of households utilise the recycling service provided.

Registering to Vote Moving into your new student home also means you can register to vote in the city’s local elections. It’s really important as one of the largest student communities that you have your say while you’re here.

Annual canvass Between 1st October 2013 and February 2014 Liverpool City Council carry out a canvass of all the addresses in the city and a canvass registration form will be sent to every household in Liverpool.

When you receive the form you should complete any changes and return it as soon as possible.

Changes may include adding voters at your address or updating your details. If there are no changes you can register by telephone or the internet using the details and security codes printed on your form.

Why should I register?

• The information is required by law.

• If you are not registered, you cannot vote in elections.

• You may find it difficult to get credit, loans, a mortgage or bank account as the register is used by credit reference agencies.

For more information go to the Liverpool Direct Website: http:// liverpool.gov.uk - type in ‘Register to Vote’ in the search area.

Telephone number: 0151 233 3028

Take meter readings It’s easy to forget this, but do a meter reading for your gas and electricity when you move in. This way, you can pass this on to the suppliers to ensure you aren’t charged for the previous occupants’ usage.

If you have the cost of the bills included in your rent payment, the landlord will either keep the utility bills in their name and pay them on your behalf or request that the bills are put in the tenants’ names and the paper bills be passed to the landlord for payment.

Either way, it’s important that you keep track of how much fuel you are using. We recommend you take meter readings on a monthly basis. You may want to supply this information to the energy supplier and landlord, to ensure that the bills are not estimated. Energy providers usually over-estimate usage, so you could end up paying more than what you should.

Know where the stopcock is Your mains water tap, or stopcock, is the off-switch for all the water in your home. Hopefully you’ll never need to use it. But if you don’t know where it is and a pipe bursts, you’ll be powerless to stop it flooding your home.

If you don’t know where yours is,

check NOW. It could be under the kitchen sink, by the boiler, in the airing cupboard or elsewhere in the property. If you don’t know where it is, ask your landlord to show you.

Check the inventory When you move into the property make an inventory/condition report of all the furniture and the condition of all the fixtures and fittings. The landlord/agent may provide a pro forma to you. You should do this even if the landlord does not request an inventory.

We also recommend that you take dated photographs of any disrepair or damage, however minor you might consider it to be.

We recommend that you sign the inventory and email or post this to the landlord/agent. This will mean that there is a written record of the landlord being informed of the condition of the property at the very beginning of the tenancy.

Towards the end of the tenancy you should arrange for the landlord to inspect the property or alternatively if this is not possible complete another inventory/condition report and send this to the landlord again.

Boiler and appliance manuals

provided use manuals for the use of the boiler and other appliances as it’s important that you know how to use them correctly to prevent damage. If not, request them from the landlord or download them from the internet.

TV Licence If you rent, whether an entire property or a room in a shared property, you must be covered by a valid TV licence to watch or record television programmes as they’re being shown on TV, whether that’s online, on a TV, or on any other device such as a laptop.

If there’s a joint tenancy agreement for the whole house, you may only need one licence. However, you may need your own licence if your accommodation is self-contained – i.e. you have exclusive access to washing facilities or you have your own entrance to the property.

If you have an individual tenancy agreement for your room, you’ll need to be covered by a separate licence.

Usually you’ll have to organise this yourself (or between yourselves if in a shared house). But speak to the landlord first, as they may already have a licence for the property.

Contact TV Licensing for more information http://www.tvlicensing. co.uk

Check to see if the landlord has

Moving in

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House Hunting For Next Year?

Here Are A Few Tips To Keep You Safe From Fire.

It’s never going to happen? Every year over 400 people in the UK think that and subsequently die from fire. 10% of those became trapped before they had time to escape.

A Few Simple Things To Consider When Viewing Your Future Property.

Smoke detectors should be provided.

If you don’t have any call 0800731 5958 and quote 222, it won’t cost you anything and the fire service will give free advice on site.

As most fires start due to the actions of people, let’s look at the common factors and how to avoid them.

• Don’t use a chip pan. Buy a thermostatically controlled fat fryer.

• Don’t leave a pan or grill unattended when cooking.

• Never pour water onto a fat fire,or attempt to carry a hot or burning pan.

• Portable heaters should be at least 1 metre away from furnishings.

If you suspect a faulty gas or electrical appliance don’t use it.

Contact National Grid for gas and your landlord for electrical. Always report faults to the landlord.

• Don’t cook after a night out, get a takeaway.

• Cigarettes result in more household fire deaths and injuries than any other cause. If you smoke, ensure your cigarettes are properly extinguished and disposed of. Never smoke in bed.

If You Do Have A Fire Don’t Panic!

Rouse every one in the property, leave by the safest route closing the doors behind you. Dial 999 ask for the fire service; speak clearly to the fire service operator, give your address and what is on fire. Inform them if everyone is accounted for.

If you don’t have immediate access to a phone make as much noise as

FIRE SAFETY possible and get a neighbour to call. DO NOT re-enter the premises for any reason, the Fire service will attend in a matter of minutes.

Did You Know?

• People living in rented or shared accommodation are seven times more likely to suffer a fire.

• Over half of home fires are caused by cooking accidents. Not having a working smoke alarm doubles your risk of death.

• Faulty electrics cause around 7,000 house fires a year.

What You Should Know…

Landlords have an obligation to keep your home safe from fire.

If you live in privately rented accommodation, your landlord has to meet certain safety obligations under the law, including ensuring all gas and electric appliances are safe and in good working order.

Your landlord must show you safety certificates so you can see when gas and electrical appliances were last tested. Your landlord should supply a carbon monoxide detector and test it regularly.

You can’t see, feel or smell carbon monoxide, but it can be fatal if you breathe enough of it.

If you are worried your landlord isn’t doing enough to ensure your safety, contact the Environmental Health Officer at your local council.

Smoke Alarms Save Lives!

Test your alarm once a week. Strobe light and vibrating pad alarms are available for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Contact Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for further details. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service will come to your accommodation free of charge 34

and give you free fire awareness advice and where necessary, fit new alarms.

Plan An Escape Route Make sure everyone knows how to escape – it could save your life.

Keep all fire exits clear and keep all fire doors closed. They help to slow down the spread of fire and will give you extra time to escape.

Call 0800 731 5958 or go to www.merseyfire.gov.uk/hsa

EMERGENCY PLANNING Ensure that you have the appropriate household insurance, and that important documents are kept in a secure place - e.g. safe from fire and flood.

Remember if you, or a member of your household have a medical condition which requires the permanent supply of a specific utility - i.e. electricity for dialysis purposes - you can contact the relevant utility company and register your special requirements.

Loss Of Power In an emergency, your gas, electricity, or water should keep you informed of any service disruptions.

In addition to the general advice given so far about being prepared here are a few things to think about in case of a power cut.

Have Your Neighbours Lost Power And Have The Street Lights Gone Out too?

If Not It May Be Just A Problem With Your Property Supply.

Check the trip switch near the fuse box or meter in your house.

Has it flicked down? Turn off all electrical equipment such as room heaters,ovens, computer equipment, TV, etc. Keep your freezer shut. Food should stay frozen for 12 hours. Do you have health related equipment which requires electricity? Can it

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Listen to local radio to get updates on the situation: • Radio Merseyside 95.8FM • Radio City 96.7FM • Juice FM 107.6FM work on a battery?

If you have to evacuate your home remember your grab & go bag!

A good idea is to keep some key essentials in an easy to carry bag, in an accessible place, ready to go when you have to.

Here Are Just Some Things You Could Put In Your Bag Passport, driving licence, emergency contact list, personal medication, battery/wind-up torch/radio, first aid kit, mobile phone/charger, money & cash cards, toiletries, glasses/contact lenses, spare keys.

Useful Contacts Liverpool Student Homes 140 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5SR Tel: 0151 794 3296 Email: lsh@liv.ac.uk www.lsh.liv.ac.uk Liverpool Healthy Homes Tel: 0151 225 4864 www.liverpool.gov.uk/healthyhomes Merseyside Fire Safety Information Tel: 0800 731 5958 www.merseyfire.gov.uk/hsa Merseytravel Tel: 0871 200 22 33 www.merseytravel.gov.uk Oxfam Furniture Store 609 Smithdown Road, Wavertree Liverpool LI5 5AG Tel: 0151 733 6641

HOME SECURITY Put simply, your home represents far richer pickings than a suburban family house even though you have less money. Students own more small, expensive and easily sold consumer items like phones, MP3 players, cameras and laptops, and a student house of five is likely to contain five of each.

If you’re careful you won’t be an easy target. For a start, you don’t have to bring everything to your new dwelling – leave some stuff behind.

Keeping windows and doors secure is an absolute must. In 3 out of 10 burglaries, thieves don’t have to use force, they get in through an open door or window. If you live in halls lock your door whenever you leave your room, even if you’re only going down the corridor. It doesn’t take long to run in and pick up a mobile phone or MP3 player.

If you live on the ground floor of student halls you have to be extra careful about windows; a burglar might not have been planning a robbery but anyone walking past can casually climb in and help themselves to your stuff, even if you’ve just gone to the kitchen for a pot noodle.

Friends and acquaintances will be coming and going at all hours of the day so don’t forget to check that all doors and windows are shut

It’s a sad, though not entirely surprising, fact that student homes are often targeted by burglars. Here’s how to make sure yours isn’t one of them and locked, especially if you have been drinking or are going out. If your accommodation has shared access, be careful who you let in to the communal areas and always be wary of people following you in. Never let strangers in without checking they are who they say they are. Reputable trades people will carry ID and won’t mind being asked to show it. If you are in any doubt, don’t let them in.

If renting a house, check the locks before you move in. Pay equal attention to both front and back doors.

A high percentage of break-ins are through back doors as they are often less secure. If you aren’t totally confident in their security, you’re within your rights to ask your landlord to install some deadbolts.

If you don’t have adequate security, tell your landlord – you are entitled to decent home security. If you have outside space make sure fences and gates are secure before you move in.

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Keep Expensive Stuff Out Of Sight And Shut Your Curtains When You Go Out. If you buy new expensive items break the packaging down and take it to the tip, don’t leave it in or by your bin as an advert to potential thieves. If you are buying expensive equipment make a note of serial numbers and keep receipts in case you need to make a claim.

Expensive or valuable items should be kept well hidden in a safe place if you don’t want to risk losing them.

If there are alleyways to the rear of your property make sure they are kept locked. You need to take extra care during holidays as student areas are often targeted during these times. If you can, take all of your valuables home with you and leave as little as possible in the house.

It’s also worth leaving lights or a radio on a timer so it seems like you are in.

Finally, always make sure your possessions are insured. If the worst happens you’ll need to replace your stuff. Many insurance companies offer student rates so shop around.

Police guide: How to stay safe

Liverpool is a very safe metropolitan city. You are very unlikely to become a victim of crime whilst you are here. To further reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime there are simple steps that you can take: -

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• Always lock your doors and windows before you go out or go to bed.

• Check the security of your property; if your doors or windows are insecure then get the landlord to fix them. If they refuse, contact Liverpool Student Homes.

• Never leave valuables on show.

Consider net curtains as a way of obscuring what a thief can see from outside.

• If you are going out, try to leave discreetly. There is no reason to advertise the fact you are going on a night out and won’t be back for several hours.

• Whilst out try to remember that there is safety in numbers. If you get separated from your group, avoid walking home alone - get a taxi.

• If you have to walk home, avoid using your phone en route. The phone will draw attention to you, it may indicate that you are not local to the area whilst you are speaking and it may provide enough motivation to a thief to steal it from you.

• Register your valuables on Immobilise.com. This database is free, simple to use and records the serial numbers of your goods. If they are stolen, the Police will work with 2nd hand stores to try and retrieve your belongings by searching the database. This has worked very well so far and as a result we are now retrieving more property than ever before. It takes a matter of minutes to register your possessions.

And one final message, please be mindful of your neighbours.

Introduce yourselves to them, if you are going to be having a party let them know prior to the event so they can make necessary arrangements.

You may be living next door to a family with young children or the elderly. They won’t appreciate excessive noise and will probably call the Police. We will visit you if we receive a complaint and this could result in Police action being taken against you.

If you need to contact the Police for a non-emergency please call 101.

If you require immediate Police assistance call 999.

Why bovver keeping your home Smoke Free?

• To stop it smelling like an ashtray!

• To save lives - Over a third of house fire deaths are caused by smoking • Because there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.

- At least 69 chemicals in secondhand smoke are known to cause cancer.

- Second-hand smoke causes lung cancer in non-smokers.

- Second-hand smoke has also been associated with heart disease in adults and sudden infant death syndrome, ear infections, and asthma attacks in children.

For further information please contact Helen Casstles, Smoke Free Liverpool Co-ordinator, Liverpool Community Health (NHS Trust) on 0151 285 4980.

Is there a silent killer in your home?

Carbon monoxide is known as the Silent Killer. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it and it can kill quickly with no warning. Every year the Silent Killer attacks over 4,000 people in the UK. Badly fitted or maintained gas appliances can put you at risk. You may not have even thought about gas safety in your home and assume your landlord keeps your gas appliances safe, but when it’s your life at risk are you willing to rely on someone else?

If you rent your home, by law

your landlord must have each gas appliance they provide safety checked once a year. To prove this has been done, your landlord must give you a copy of the Landlord’s Gas Safety Record. By law, all gas engineers must be on the Gas Safe Register (formerly CORGI) which is the official list of gas engineers who are qualified to work safely and legally on gas appliances.

Is there a Silent Killer in your home?

Visit www.silentkiller.co.uk to find out how safe your home is. Enter your postcode to find a Gas Map showing gas risks in your area plus top tips to keep you safe.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include: · Headaches · Nausea · Breathlessness · Collapse · Dizziness · Loss Of Consciousness

THE SILENT KILLER · coming soon

Breathless Films presents a CO production: The Silent Killer. The new term starts well when a young group moves into the perfect student house. The fun turns sour when mysterious events start occurring. Tensions arise as all trust between the house mates withers away. A party is planned to bring some fun back into the house.

It turns into a living nightmare and panic sets in. This season beware. Nobody is safe. Who is the Silent Killer? www.silentkillermovie.com

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L4

View With

Westminster Road, L4 4 bedroom house share £60 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

L7

Call 07807 027 623

Agnes Jones House, L7

Albany Road, L7

Albany Road, L7

310 apartments £97 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £80pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 07903 294 855

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Albert Edward Road, L7

Albert Edward Road, L7

33 Connaught Road, L7

4 bedroom house share £65 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

Call 0151 703 9355

Connaught Road, L7

Connaught Road, L7

Connaught Road, L7

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

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Edinburgh Road, L7

Edinburgh Road, L7

Empress Road, L7

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Empress Road, L7

Empress Road, L7

Guelph Street, L7

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

Call 0151 703 9355

Hall Lane, L7

Jubilee Drive, L7

Jubilee Drive, L7

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

Leopold Road, L7

Leopold Road, L7

Saxony Road, L7

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

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Waterworth Drive, L7 4 bedroom house share £56 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

L8

Call 07952 468 073

Bentley Road, L8 5 bedroom house share £95 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15 Call 0800 878 9028

Brampton Drive, L8

Egerton Road, L8

Wellesley Road, L8

3 bedroom house share £80pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £95 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £65 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07512 974 935

Call 07723 062 454

Alderson Road, L15

Alderson Road, L15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Arundel Avenue, L15

Blantyre Road, L15

Blantyre Road, L15

7 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £72 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07907 027 623

Call 0151 526 0655

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L15

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Brookdale Road, L15

Brookdale Road, L15

Claremont Road, L15

6 bedroom house share £82.50 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £79 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

6 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 07830 110 837

Call 07830 110 837

Call 07765 588 3496

Cranborne Road, L15

Egerton Road, L15

Egerton Road, L15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utiliites) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Egerton Road, L15

Egerton Road, L15

Egerton Road, L15

6 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Ferndale Road, L15

Ferndale Road, L15

Garmoyle Road, L15

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

7 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 07931 325 931

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Grant Avenue, L15

Grant Avenue, L15

Granville Road, L15

6 bedroom house share £57.70 pppw 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2013/14

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 07860 246 400

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Granville Road, L15

Grosvenor Road, L15

Harringey Avenue, L15

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Heathfield Road, L15

High Street, L15

Kempton Road, L15

5 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

10 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 428 1662

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0800 878 9028

Kenmare Road, L15

Kenmare Road, L15

Kenmare Road, L15

4 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0800 878 9028

43

Langdale Road, L15

Langdale Road, L15

Langton Road, L15

5 bedroom house share £79 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £75 pppw 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £70 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 07830 110 837

Call 07931 325 931

Call 0151 703 9355

Lawrence Road, L15

Lawrence Road, L15

Liberty Street, L15

6 bedroom house share £80 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

6 bedroom house share £75 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £70 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Call 0151 703 9355

Norwich Road, L15

Smithdown Road, L15

Smithdown Road, L15

8 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

3 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

9 bedroom house share £100 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Titherington Way, L15 3 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic year 2014/15

View With

L17

Call 0844 414 2738

Aigburth Road, L17 6 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15 Call 0800 878 9028

44

Ampthill Road, L17

Ampthill Road, L17

Ampthill Road, L17

7 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

7 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

7 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Ampthill Road, L17

Arundel Avenue, L17

Hawarden Avenue, L17

7 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

11 bedroom house share £100 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

7 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 07931 325 931

Lark Lane, L17 4 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

View With

L18

Call 0800 878 9028

Courtland Road, L18 4 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15 Call 0151 428 1662

Grant Avenue, L18

Oakdale Road, L18

Wyndcote Road, L18

5 bedroom house share £90 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

5 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

4 bedroom house share £85 pppw (inc utilities) 50% rent over summer Academic Year 2014/15

Call 0800 878 9028

Call 0151 428 1662

Call 0151 428 1662

45

We have a total of four 4/5 bedroom properties located in the popular Allerton Road district of South Liverpool.

Only 10 minutes to City Center Uni’s or Hope. All are prestigious properties with double beds and fully furnished to a high standard.

Modern kitchens with through morning room and some with separate lounges. Bathrooms with showers, combi boilers with instant hot water, fridges, washing machine and dryers.

Mostly double glazed and alarmed. High security standards and all are City Council ‘Class accredited’!

Rent: from £75 up to £85 pppw to include electricity/gch/water & broadband. Contact Helen or Lawrence on 0151-428 1662 or 07806 780 050 or email: LJefferies@hotmail.com

Norwich Road L15 7 beds 10 mins city centre close Allerton Road shops.

Prestigious double fronted property beautifully furnished and decorated throughout. No small bedrooms all bedrooms with quality double beds.

Separate lounge with leather suite and French doors onto garden with BBQ area. Large plasma t.v.White gloss kitchen with 2 6ft fridge freezers, new washing machine, new cooker and condenser tumble drier. 3 beautiful bathrooms 2 showers 1 bath, 2 toilets. DG, alarmed, GCH combi instant hot water.

Students may pick own colour schemes.

Rent £75/£85 PPPW to include water/electric/gas.

Tel. Sylvia on 07736246125 or 01704 568511

Wyndcote Road L18

Courtland Road L18

Heathfield Road L15

Oakdale Road L18

Queens Drive L18

Heathfield Road L15

7 Beds, 10 minutes city centre.

Magnificent Property close to Allerton Road Shops.

HMO Licensed. Beautifully decorated and furnished throughout. Large lounge with leather suite. All Large bedrooms with quality double beds. Wood floors, 2 Bathrooms, 2 showers, 1 bath, 2 toilets, Large white gloss kitchen, New Large gas cooker with eight ring two ovens and two grills, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, 2 6ft fridge freezers, Double glazed, Alarmed, GCH instant hot water, Garden with BBQ area.

Parking in drive. Students may pick own colour schemes.

Rent £75/85 PPPW to include water/electric/gas.

Tel. Sylvia on 07736246125 or 01704 568511

46

Wyndcote Road L18

6 beds off Allerton Road 10 mins city centre.

5 beds close to Allerton road shops 10 mins city centre.

Prestigious property with quality furnishings throughout.

No small bedrooms all bedrooms beautifully decorated and furnished with quality double beds. Large lounge, large fitted kitchen with 6ft freezer and sep large fridge, washing machine, condenser tumble drier. 2 beautiful bathrooms.New 42 inch Plasma TV. Alarmed. Students may pick own colour schemes.

New GCH combi boiler instant hot water. Alarmed .

Rent £75 to £85 PPPW to include water/electric/gas.

Beautiful property with stripped pine floors, beautifully furnished and decorated throughout. All quality double beds no small bedrooms.

Separate lounge with leather suite, large fitted kitchen with new 6FT 6 ins fridge freezer, dishwasher, separate utility room with washing machine and tumble drier. New GCH combi with instant hot water.

Large plasma TV. Garden with BBQ area. Alarmed. Students may pick own colour scheme.

Rent £75/£85 PPPW to include water/electric/gas.

Tel. Sylvia on 07736246125 or

Tel. Sylvia on 07736246125 or

01704 568511

01704 568511

0151 724 1000 hello@address-properties.co.uk www.address-properties.co.uk

L6 1 Ridley Road

£80 PWPP

Location: Kensington 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom.

Bills included.

L15 Flat 1, 7 Norwich Road

L15 7 Southdale Road

£80 PWPP

Location: Wavertree 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms.

Bills not included.

£83.50 PWPP

L15 16 Liscard Road

£80 PWPP

Location: Wavertree 10 Bedrooms. Broadband, TV in living room.

Bills included.

Location: Smithdown 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom. TV in living room.

Bills included.

L15 128 Cranborne Road

L18 33 Hillside Road

£85 PWPP

Location: Smithdown 4 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom. TV in living room.

Bills included.

£80 PWPP

Location: Allerton 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms. TV in living room.

Bills included.

48