FAQs

Whether you are about to move in, already living in one of our houses, or getting ready to move out, this page answers the questions we are asked most often. It covers moving in, rent, council tax, guests, safety, maintenance, rubbish, condensation, drains, and moving out.

If you are unsure about anything, please contact us as early as possible. It is always easier to deal with small issues before they become bigger ones.

Moving in

How do I arrange key collection?

Before your tenancy starts, please arrange your move in via this form so we can arrange key collection.

Please note that keys cannot be collected before your tenancy start date.

Where a property is let to a group on a joint tenancy, we will usually only attend once to provide access. Keys for individual rooms are generally left inside the rooms themselves, so once one tenant is inside the property, they should be able to let everyone else in. Please liaise with your housemates in advance about who will move in first.

Where a property is let room by room, multiple access visits may be possible where needed.

What should I do when I first move in?

When you arrive, you should check your room and shared areas carefully and let us know as soon as possible if you notice anything that needs attention. It is also a good idea to make sure you know how to contact us, where the bins are kept, and when collection day is.

The summer is the busiest time of year for property turnarounds and improvement works, so if anything still needs attention when you move in, please tell us promptly.

Should we set up a house WhatsApp group?

Yes. This is one of the easiest ways to communicate quickly about your house. We recommend that housemates create a WhatsApp group and add us so maintenance issues, questions, updates, and reminders can be shared easily.

Our WhatsApp number is 07586 702450.

Rent, council tax and parking

When is rent due?

Unless otherwise agreed, rent is normally due on the 1st of each month.

Can I pay rent by semester instead of monthly?

Some tenants prefer to pay rent in larger instalments when their student loan arrives, and many landlords are open to this. If you would like to request a semester payment arrangement instead of monthly payments, please contact us.

Is council tax included in the rent?

No. Council tax is not collected as part of your rent. Full-time students are usually exempt, but you must complete the council’s exemption process and provide any documents they require.

What do I need to do about council tax exemption?

You will need to send the council the required student exemption information, usually including a council tax exemption certificate from your university. Please complete any form and send it to the council promptly so your account can be credited correctly.

For more information, please see our guide:
https://gloucesterstudenthouses.co.uk/whats-the-deal-with-council-tax/

Do I need a parking permit?

If you are bringing a car, you may need to apply for a parking permit depending on the location of your house. In permitted areas, there is usually a limit on the number of permits available per property.

Before your tenancy starts, we send the council a list of our properties and tenants. The council will then issue a council tax bill with a council tax reference number. You can use this reference number to apply for a resident parking permit through the council’s website:

https://secure.mipermit.com/gloucestershire/Register/ProductRegister.aspx?PermitType=RESIDENT

Please note that you cannot usually apply for a parking permit before your tenancy starts, as the previous tenants may still hold the active permits for the property until their tenancy ends.

Parking permits are issued by the council, so applications must be made directly through their system.

You can check the city’s parking zone maps here: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/parking/permit-information/permit-zone-maps/gloucester-permit-zone-maps/

House rules and looking after your room

Can I put things on the walls in my room?

Please take care not to mark or damage the walls. Your tenancy agreement should be followed on this point. In particular, blue tack and white tack should not be used where the agreement says the walls must not be marked, as they can stain or damage the paintwork and may lead to redecoration costs.

If you are unsure whether something is suitable to use on the walls, please check with us first.

Can I decorate my room?

Not without permission. This includes painting, wallpaper, adhesive hooks, stickers, LED strips, nails, screws, or anything else that may mark or damage walls, ceilings, woodwork, or furniture.

Can I use a kettle, toaster, air fryer or fridge in my bedroom?

No. Fridges, air fryers, kettles, toasters, hot plates, and similar appliances should only be used in the kitchen.

Bedrooms are fitted with smoke detectors, while kitchens are fitted with heat detectors. Cooking or food-related appliances used in bedrooms create unnecessary fire risk and may trigger alarms in areas that are not designed for that type of use.

Using these appliances in bedrooms can also lead to overloaded sockets, spills and damage, food smells, waste build-up, and pest problems.

For safety, hygiene, and fire prevention, these appliances must only be used in the kitchen.

Can I store or charge an e-bike or e-scooter inside the property?

No. E-bikes and e-scooters should not be stored or charged inside the property due to the fire risk associated with their batteries. They should not be kept in bedrooms, hallways, shared rooms, or escape routes.

Can I tamper with smoke alarms or other safety equipment?

No. Smoke detectors, heat detectors, fire doors, closers, and any other safety equipment must not be covered, disabled, removed, or interfered with.

Why do bedrooms have smoke detectors and kitchens have heat detectors?

Bedrooms and living areas are fitted with smoke detectors so smoke can be detected quickly where people are sleeping or living. Kitchens use heat detectors because normal cooking fumes and steam would regularly trigger smoke alarms there.

That is one of the reasons kitchen appliances must stay in the kitchen.

Can I smoke or vape inside the property?

You should not smoke or vape indoors where your tenancy or house rules prohibit this. Even where vaping is not specifically mentioned, it is sensible not to do so inside because it can trigger alarms, leave residue, and cause nuisance.

Guests and occupancy

Can two people share one bedroom?

No. Bedrooms cannot be shared where the property licence only allows single occupation of each room. This is a licence and safety requirement and must be followed.

Only approved tenants should be living at the property.

Can I have guests to stay?

Reasonable short visits from guests are usually fine, as long as they do not cause nuisance, overcrowding, damage, or disruption to other occupiers or neighbours.

You are responsible for your guests while they are at the property.

When does a guest become more than just a guest?

A guest becomes a concern if they appear to be living at the property rather than just visiting occasionally. This may be the case if they stay very frequently or for extended periods, keep their belongings at the house, sleep there most nights, use the address as their main base, or cause overcrowding or complaints.

If someone is effectively living at the property without permission, that is not allowed and can create tenancy, licensing, and safety issues.

Can my partner stay over regularly?

Occasional stays are one thing, but someone staying so often that they are effectively living in the house is not permitted unless specifically agreed in writing.

Rubbish, recycling and bin collections

How should we deal with rubbish properly?

Please bag rubbish properly and put it in the correct bins. Do not leave loose rubbish inside the property, outside the front of the house, in the garden, or beside the bins.

If rubbish is not managed properly, it can quickly lead to smells, overflowing bins, and pest issues.

Why is recycling important?

Recycling is important not only for environmental reasons but also because it helps reduce the amount of general waste building up at the property. We often see problems arise when tenants do not recycle correctly and then run out of space in the general waste bins.

If the black bin lid will not close, it may not be collected. This can leave waste building up at the property, which can then attract pests.

For more information, please see our guide:
https://gloucesterstudenthouses.co.uk/how-can-i-recycle-more/

How do I find out when bin day is?

Please check the council website for your property’s collection day and bin arrangements. It is the tenants’ responsibility to make sure bins are put out correctly and managed properly. You can check your bin day on the Council’s website here.

Pests and rodents

How do we avoid rodents?

The main causes of mice and rats are accessible food and badly managed rubbish. To reduce the risk, do not leave food out, store dry goods in sealed containers, clean up crumbs and spills quickly, empty bins regularly, keep outside bin lids shut, avoid leaving rubbish bags outside the bins, and do not keep food or use kitchen appliances in bedrooms.

Most pest issues become much harder to deal with if they are ignored, so please report signs of pests early.

What should we do if we see signs of pests?

Please tell us as soon as possible. Signs may include droppings, scratching noises, gnawed food packaging, or repeated sightings. While the issue is being looked at, make sure food is stored properly and rubbish is under control.

Condensation, damp and mould

How can we help prevent condensation?

Condensation is caused by moisture created in the house not being able to escape outside. This usually comes from showering, cooking, and drying clothes indoors.

The best way to reduce it is to keep the house adequately heated and ventilated, especially during colder months. Open windows when needed, use extractor fans where provided, and avoid allowing moisture to build up.

Can drying clothes indoors cause mould?

Yes. Drying clothes in bedrooms or other rooms with the windows closed can lead to mould growth. If you need to dry clothes indoors, make sure there is good ventilation.

What should we do if mould starts to appear?

Please wipe it off as soon as possible to stop it spreading and contact us for further advice, especially if it keeps returning or appears to be linked to a defect or leak.

For more information, please see our guide:
https://gloucesterstudenthouses.co.uk/whats-the-deal-with-condensation/

Drains, toilets and showers

How can we avoid blocking the drains?

Blocked drains are one of the most common and frustrating house issues. Please do not put the wrong things down sinks, showers, or toilets.

You should not pour fat, oil, or grease down the sink, wash large amounts of food waste into the drain, flush wipes, sanitary products, cotton pads, or paper towels, or allow hair to build up in shower traps.

Putting the wrong things down the drain can leave you without proper facilities until the blockage is cleared and can be expensive to put right.

Do sanitary products belong in the toilet?

No. Sanitary products must not be flushed down the toilet under any circumstances.

What about macerator toilets?

Some houses have macerator toilets, which are particularly sensitive and will usually have signage explaining what must not be flushed. If your property has one, please follow the instructions very carefully.

Should we clean the shower trap?

Yes. Hair and soap build-up can block the shower drain and may lead to the shower overflowing or leaking onto the bathroom floor. Cleaning out the shower trap regularly is a simple way to help prevent leaks and drainage problems.

How can we avoid the shower leaking?

Make sure the curtain or screen is properly closed when showering and keep the trap free from hair so the water can drain away. If the tray drains slowly, water may build up and overflow.

Please report damaged seals, cracked trays, or repeated leaking promptly.

For more information, please see our guide:
https://gloucesterstudenthouses.co.uk/whats-the-deal-with-drains/

Maintenance and reporting issues

How do we report maintenance issues?

Please report issues as soon as possible. The easiest way to do this is usually through your house WhatsApp group, so we can respond quickly and keep everyone updated.

Why should we report issues early?

Small problems can become much bigger if left too long. A slow drain can become a full blockage, a small leak can cause major water damage, and early condensation can develop into more serious mould problems.

The sooner we know about an issue, the easier it usually is to deal with it.

What kinds of issues should we report straight away?

Please report problems promptly, especially leaks, heating or hot water issues, electrical faults, damaged locks, broken appliances supplied with the property, blocked drains that do not clear, persistent damp or mould, and damage to windows, doors, or safety equipment.

What are common maintenance issues tenants can help prevent?

The most common avoidable issues include blocked drains from hair, grease, wipes, and food waste, shower leaks caused by blocked traps, pest issues caused by food and rubbish, condensation caused by poor heating and ventilation, and damage made worse by late reporting.

Living together in a shared house

What can we do to keep the house running smoothly?

Shared living is much easier if housemates communicate early and clearly. It helps to agree simple expectations between yourselves on cleaning, rubbish, visitors, quiet times, and who will deal with jobs such as putting bins out.

A house WhatsApp group is a very good way to stay organised.

Do shared areas matter even if my room is tidy?

Yes. Kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, gardens, and bin areas are just as important as bedrooms. In shared housing, communal areas affect everyone and poor upkeep there can lead to charges, maintenance issues, and complaints.

Moving out and joint tenancies

I am in a joint tenancy but leaving before my housemates. Am I still responsible?

Usually, yes. In a joint tenancy, responsibility for the property generally continues until the tenancy ends, not simply until you move your belongings out.

That means tenants remain jointly responsible for the condition of the house, particularly shared areas, until the tenancy is over.

What if my housemates leave a mess behind after I have moved out?

In a joint tenancy, shared areas remain a shared responsibility. Even if you leave earlier than the others, problems in communal parts of the house before the tenancy ends may still affect the whole group.

It is sensible to leave your room clean and empty, take dated photographs when you leave, keep a record of any arrangements made with your housemates, and stay in touch about end-of-tenancy cleaning and rubbish removal.

What should we do before moving out?

Before the end of the tenancy, tenants should remove all personal belongings, clear all rubbish, clean bedrooms and shared areas thoroughly, empty cupboards and fridges, avoid leaving unwanted items behind, return keys as instructed, and make sure the house is left in good condition.

What happens if rubbish or belongings are left behind?

Items left behind may need to be removed, stored, or disposed of, and this can lead to charges. Please do not leave unwanted furniture, bags, food, or kitchen equipment in the house, garden, shed, or bin area.

Ending the tenancy

How do I terminate my tenancy?

If your tenancy agreement allows notice to be served, notice must be given correctly and in line with the tenancy terms and the relevant rent period. Simply moving out does not end the tenancy.

Please contact us before serving notice so the correct process and dates can be confirmed.

How much notice do I need to give?

Notice should be given in accordance with the tenancy agreement and the rent period. If you are unsure, ask us first so that the correct notice position can be checked.

If I am in a joint tenancy, can I just end my own part of it?

Joint tenancies are more complex than individual room agreements. In many cases, a tenant cannot simply separate themselves from the tenancy without formal agreement or the correct legal process. Please contact us before assuming you can end only your part.

Useful guidance

Where can I find more help and advice?

We regularly publish tips and guidance on The Kitchen Table, our website blog, which is designed to answer frequently asked questions and help you look after your student home.

You can browse it here:
https://gloucesterstudenthouses.co.uk/the-kitchen-table/