Moving out of home for the first time advice

SuaveStar

I'm still a student, but I'll be moving into a shared flat in a few weeks probably.

I was just wondering if anyone had any first home advice.

I'm also planning on getting a rescue cat for the flat, and the landlord is ok with it. I asked first, and was told to just sign a pet declaration, and pay for any pet damages.

To be honest, I'm scared. I'm scared about the financial responsibility I'll have to take on, and all the bills I'll be facing. I'm also really worried about just leaving home, and the chances that if something went wrong, I'd not be able to go back home. I'm really worried that if things fall apart, I'll be left nowhere :eek:

Also, my friend has already paid the deposit, and I've paid for a credit check, but I'm still worried.

Can someone offer any advice on first time bills, and just getting the courage to go through with this.

Thanks for any answers.

Lokolo

Are you both students or not? (you are, is your friend?)

SuaveStar

Lokolo wrote: »

Are you both students or not? (you are, is your friend?)

Yes, we both are students. Sorry for not actually saying that originally.

McKneff

Give over, its part of growing up and being mature. You'll learn loads, you'll have the time of your life.
Scary isn't it, but dont you think its a nice scary.

You said that the landlord is okay with the pet, but is your friend. Cat hairs all over the place are a pain in the wotsits.

Put the idea of a cat on a back burner (so to speak lol) for the moment and wait to see how things go.
Animals take a lot of looking after and i personally feel its not fair to leave an animal along all day.

Is there any reason why you couldnt go home if things didnt turn out well, although there really isnt any reason why they shouldnt
apart from you worrying so much.

Get excited about going out into the big wide world and enjoy......

Good luck.

Lokolo

OK then theres one less bill you have to think about.

You need to find out your local council, and send a letter to say you are both fulltime (I am hoping you're both fulltime now!) students and this means you are exempty from council tax.
Date the letter on the date you move in.

---

Bills
- Gas
- Electric
- Water
- Broadband/Phone/TV
- TV Licence

Think thats all!

Gas and Electric you tend to get with the same supplier. There are 2 main ways to pay; Direct Debit Monthly or Quarterly Billing. I prefer DD Monthly as the payments are spread across the year. With quarter billing you tend to get bigger costs in Winter because of gas costs of heating.

When you move in you'll want to read the meter readings. Electric is usually a 5 digit number, Gas usually a 4 digit.

TV licence, simple enough, go on website and buy a licence. Costs £125.

Water, you'll have a water supplier and you can do same as Gas and Electric, pay quarterly or monthly DD. There are 2 types of water, unlimited water rate or rated. One means you can use as much as you want and pay the same amount. One is a "PAYG" water. As your first house you might want to go unlimited (theres a proper word for it, forgot at the moment), so you know what you're paying.

Phone/Broadband/TV. Sort it out with housemate, obviously you should know suppliers of these! (Sky/O2/Virgin) Simple of signing up, you get someone round to install it (which costs money!) and pay monthly DD.

---

Also, I love living away, but it is nice to go back and get everything done for you (washing, dinner etc.) every now and aain!

SuaveStar

Thanks for the answers. Yes we are both full time students. I'm thinking we should just hold off on the pet for a few weeks/months, so that everything is settled at least.

I've got my old student overdraft account, which is ending this August, I think I'm just going to make that the bills account. My main account is with the same bank, so I can transfer money online in minutes.

I think monthly bills for Gas and Electric would work better, even though it's monthly, it means that we are not getting smaller bills over the same amount of time(Better to get 12 affordable bills, than 4 big bills) TV license should be hopefully easy to sort out online.

I'm actually trying to pay about £100 up front for BB and Phone, that way, I can be a few months ahead with bills. I don't know if O2 does it, which is the best offer IMO, but it would be nice to make sure I'm not owing them money, it's better to be owed money, than owing it I guess.

Thanks for your help McKneff and Lokolo!

Lokolo

You say you want to pay £100 upfront, why don't you just put £100 into the bills account and leave it like that?

Also don't forget Quidco:

http://www.quidco.com/virgin-media/?ac
http://www.quidco.com/sky/?ac
http://www.quidco.com/bt-total-broadband/?ac
etc.

SuaveStar

Lokolo wrote: »

You say you want to pay £100 upfront, why don't you just put £100 into the bills account and leave it like that?

Also don't forget Quidco:

http://www.quidco.com/virgin-media/?ac
http://www.quidco.com/sky/?ac
http://www.quidco.com/bt-total-broadband/?ac
etc.

Yeah, that makes sense as well, I may just put the money in my bank account. Thanks for the links!

Indie_Kid

Lokolo wrote: »

OK then theres one less bill you have to think about.

You need to find out your local council, and send a letter to say you are both fulltime (I am hoping you're both fulltime now!) students and this means you are exempty from council tax.
Date the letter on the date you move in.

---

Bills
- Gas
- Electric
- Water
- Broadband/Phone/TV
- TV Licence

Think thats all!

Some of these might be included in rent - check with landlord.

Oldernotwiser

I have 5 rescue cats but I certainly wouldn't get one in your situation, particularly when you're already worrying about managing financially. It'll cost you over a fiver a week for food and cat litter and then you have to budget for vaccinations, flea treatment and vets bills. Wait until you're financially stable, for the sake of the cat.

Indie_Kid

TV licence can be paid in installemtns. (can't remember whether it's 10 or 12 monthlies)