Moving Out

Moving out of your accommodation may be less exciting than moving in, but it’s also very important to get it right if you want your deposit back! Hopefully you will have looked after your accommodation all year and there won’t be any scuffs or chips anywhere.

When Do I have to Move Out?
This will depend on what you agreed to with the landlord and should be spelt out in your tenancy agreement. The most common date for the end of a student tenancy agreement in Sheffield is the 30^th June, but it could be any time on this day. If you can’t find your tenancy agreement, ask the landlord. You may be charged if you move out late, so be careful to follow the instructions.

What Do I Do With My Keys?
Again, this depends on your agreement with the landlord and should be spelt out in your tenancy agreement. Common examples are to leave the keys on the kitchen table when you leave, post them through the front door after you have locked it or return it to the letting agent (if there is one) but make sure you check your agreement or if you can’t find it, ask your landlord as you don’t want to be charged for not providing the keys to the landlord.

Cleaning
It may not be the most exciting thing to have to do, but if your accommodation isn’t left clean you could be charged for professional cleaners out of your deposit. Taking a few hours before you leave to clean could save you a lot of money in the long run. If your landlord hasn’t given you a list of what to clean when you move out, try and use a rule of thumb to clean it to the level of cleanliness that you found it in.

Donate, Don't Waste
Sheffield City Council often operate a scheme for clear sacks (they used to be red!) which you can use to dispose of excess refuse. The scheme changes slightly each year but usually runs towards the end of June until early July. Look out for information, or come and visit us in the Smart Move Sheffield office.

Storage
Have you thought about where you can keep your personal belongings over the summer if you can’t take them with you? If you’re moving into a house next year, you could ask the landlord if it would be possible to leave some of them in the new house – at your own risk! This will depend on whether the current tenants have already left the property, or whether the landlord is carrying out any major renovations.

The University is not able to store belongings for you as we just don’t have the space! So you might want to look at private companies where you can rent (for a fee!) some space in a secure facility. These include Big Yellow Storage and Armadillo Storage.