Life-Ready Society · Teacher and parent pack · Environmental dimension

Finding and Setting Up Your First Home

Choose, view and move into your first place, and get your deposit back.

8 lessons, about 1.5 hours of reading. Free lessons, videos and full sources: https://lifereadysociety.com/first-home/

How to use this pack. Ask your teen or class to read one lesson online (about ten minutes), talk through the key points together, choose one practice task to try this week, then use the quiz to check what stuck. The answer key is on the last page. Free to print for home and classroom use.

The lessons at a glance

1. Halls, private halls or a shared house: choosing your first student home

Where you live in your first year shapes your friendships, your budget and even how easily you get to lectures. Here is how the main options compare, and the questions that help you pick the one that suits you.

Key points

Halls suit most first years: bills included, staff nearby and housemates allocated.
Compare total cost, not just rent.
Hall contracts usually run for the academic year and you pay for all of it.
Private tenancies vary by country: read the contract and local official guidance.
Visit, in person or virtually, before you commit.

2. Viewing a property: a room-by-room checklist

A viewing is your one chance to spot problems before you are locked into a contract. With a checklist, a friend and a phone camera, you can see far more than the agent wants to show you.

Key points

Take a friend and a checklist to every viewing.
Look closely for damp, mould, pests and leaks.
Check locks, smoke alarms and safety certificates.
Ask about bills, repairs and the deposit scheme.
Get any promised repairs in writing before you sign.

3. Rental scams and red flags

Rental scams target students because they are often searching from another country, in a hurry and unfamiliar with local prices. Learn the warning signs, the checks that stop a scam, and what to do if something feels wrong.

Key points

Never pay before viewing and signing a proper contract.
Too cheap to be true usually is.
Never pay by money transfer service, gift card or crypto.
In Dubai, check the Trakheesi permit and the broker in the Dubai REST app.
If it goes wrong, call your bank and report it quickly.

4. Move-in day: inventory, photos, meters and keys

The first 48 hours in a new place decide whether you get your deposit back a year later. A careful inventory, dated photos and a few written emails protect you from paying for damage you did not cause.

Key points

Find your inventory deadline: it can be as short as 48 hours.
Record shared areas as well as your room.
Dated photos and meter readings are your best evidence.
Report faults as repair requests too, in writing.
Count and record every key.

5. Furnishing on a budget: what you actually need

It is tempting to buy everything before you arrive. Most students end up with gadgets they never use and gaps they did not expect. Here is how to work out what you really need, what is already provided and how to buy second-hand safely.

Key points

Check what is provided before buying anything.
Spend first on what you use every day: bed, bathroom, cooking basics.
Coordinate kitchen items with flatmates.
Buy decoration after you have lived there a while.
Check fire safety labels on second-hand upholstered furniture.

6. Moving day plan and your first-night box

Moving day is long, tiring and usually more chaotic than expected. A simple plan, labelled boxes and one box of first-night essentials turn it from stressful to manageable.

Key points

Pack the first-night box last and open it first.
Keep documents, medicines and valuables with you.
Label every box.
Photograph meters and the room before unpacking.
Make your bed early and tell family you have arrived.

7. Setting up your room to study and sleep well

In a student room, your bed, desk and wardrobe often share one small space. A few deliberate choices about layout, light and noise help your brain switch between study mode and sleep mode.

Key points

Keep your bed for sleep and your desk for study.
Top of the screen at eye level, about an arm's length away.
Quiet, dark and cool helps sleep.
No screens for an hour before bed if you can.
Do not charge devices overnight or overload sockets.

8. Moving out and getting your deposit back

Your deposit is often one of the largest sums of money you will have handed over. Getting it back is mostly about paperwork and preparation: start a month before you leave, not the night before.

Key points

Give notice properly and in writing, and keep proof.
Use your move-in inventory and photos as the baseline.
Clean to the move-in standard, take final photos and meter readings.
Return every key and get a receipt.
Challenge unfair deductions in writing using the free dispute service.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

Halls, private halls or a shared house: choosing your first student home
- Pick two accommodation options at a university you are interested in. For each, write the total yearly cost including bills, the contract length and the journey time to the main campus.
- Write your top five must-haves (for example: catered, en-suite, prayer room nearby, under 20 minutes to campus) and rank them.
- Find the accommodation office page of one university you are considering and note its application deadline.
Viewing a property: a room-by-room checklist
- Download Shelter's viewing checklist and use it to 'view' your own home or a relative's flat. Count how many items you could not answer.
- Write your own short list of ten viewing questions on your phone so it is ready for a real viewing.
- Practise the 'write it down within an hour' habit: after visiting any new place this week, note three things you liked and three concerns.
Rental scams and red flags
- Find three rental adverts for the same area online and compare their prices. Note anything that would make you suspicious.
- Do a reverse image search on one rental photo to see if it appears on other listings.
- Save the official reporting details for Dubai Police (app, e-Crime, 901) and Report Fraud (UK) in your phone contacts.
Move-in day: inventory, photos, meters and keys
- Do a practice inventory of your bedroom today: list every item and its condition, and take a dated walk-through video.
- Create a 'Home' folder in your cloud storage with subfolders for Contract, Inventory, Photos, Meters and Repairs.
- Write a short template email you could send on move-in day to report three faults, with space for photos and a request for a reference number.
Furnishing on a budget: what you actually need
- Find the room description for one accommodation you are considering and list what is provided and what you would need to bring.
- Draft a three-tier budget for furnishing your first room using the 60/30/10 split as a starting point.
- Write down the serial numbers of your laptop and phone and save them in a secure note.
Moving day plan and your first-night box
- Write a list of everything that would go in your first-night box and check whether you already own each item.
- Make a document folder (paper and digital) with copies of your passport, acceptance letter and any accommodation contract.
- Plan your moving day as a timeline from waking up to going to sleep, including travel, key collection and the first supermarket trip.
Setting up your room to study and sleep well
- Measure your current desk set-up against the HSE checklist: screen height, distance, keyboard and chair. Change one thing today.
- Move your phone charger away from your bed for one week and note any change in how quickly you fall asleep.
- Draw a simple floor plan of a typical student room (about 3 by 4 metres) and decide where you would put the desk and bed.
Moving out and getting your deposit back
- Write a moving-out timeline for an imaginary tenancy ending on 30 June, with dates for giving notice, cleaning, final readings and the check-out inspection.
- Draft a polite email asking a landlord to confirm your leaving date and when your deposit will be returned.
- List the five places in a flat you think are most often missed in a final clean, and how you would clean each.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

1. According to UCAS, how long do university hall contracts usually last?

They usually last two full years, keeping you in one room until third year
They usually run week by week, so you can leave whenever you like
They usually run from January to December, matching the calendar year
They usually match the academic year, for example September to June

2. Which is a common difference between halls and private shared houses?

Private houses usually have staff on site, while halls rarely have anyone nearby
Halls usually let you pick your housemates, while private houses allocate them
Halls usually include bills in the rent, while private houses may not
Private houses usually include catering, while halls leave you to cook

3. Which is a sign of damp that Shelter suggests looking for at a viewing?

Peeling or bubbling paint and fresh patches of paint
Bright ceiling lights and freshly washed curtains
A freshly vacuumed carpet and recently cleaned windows
Warm radiators and a dry, slightly dusty windowsill

4. Why does Shelter warn you to be wary of a rushed viewing?

A short viewing usually means the rent will be lower
Long viewings can damage the flat, so agents keep them brief
A quick viewing shows the landlord is organised
Agents may rush you to hide problems they do not want you to see

5. A 'landlord' abroad asks for a deposit by money transfer before you can view the flat. What should you do?

Pay quickly so nobody else takes the flat first
Pay half the deposit now and the rest once you arrive
Refuse to pay until you or someone you trust has viewed it
Send a passport scan first so they know you are serious

6. According to the Dubai Land Department, what should a legitimate real estate advert in Dubai include?

The landlord's personal phone number and home address
A handwritten signature from the property owner
A QR code linking to the landlord's social media page
A permit number issued through the Trakheesi system

7. Keele University asks students to complete their room inventory within what time of moving in?

1 month
24 hours
48 hours
2 weeks

8. Why should you report a broken chair as a repair request and not only on the inventory?

Halls do not allow any furniture repairs during term
Inventory issues may only be logged, not fixed
It is quicker and cheaper to glue it back yourself
The inventory is only used for fire safety checks

9. Why does Unite Students advise not bringing a kettle, toaster or microwave to its flats?

They are cheaper to rent from the accommodation
They use too much electricity for student flats
Students in Unite flats eat in a dining hall
They are standard in the flats already

10. When buying a second-hand sofa in the UK, what should you look for?

A receipt showing it cost more than a set amount
A tag showing it was made from natural fabric
A permanent fire safety label, ideally stitched in
A sticker saying it has been professionally cleaned

11. What does Unite Students recommend packing for your arrival?

Every item you own, in case the flat lacks something
A full set of furniture to save buying it later
A 'first night' bag with overnight essentials
A box of decorations to make the room feel like home

12. Where should you keep your passport, medicines and chargers while moving?

In your checked hold luggage
In a bag that stays with you
With whoever is driving the van
At the bottom of the largest box

13. According to the HSE, where should the top of your screen be?

Slightly above your head, so you look upwards
Level with your eyes, about an arm's length away
At chest height, about a hand's width from your face
On your lap, angled up towards your face

14. What kind of room does NHS Every Mind Matters say may make sleep easier?

Bright, cool and lively
Quiet, dark and cool
Quiet, bright and warm
Dark, warm and humid

15. In England, if your assured periodic tenancy agreement does not say how much notice you must give, what does GOV.UK say?

At least 2 months, in writing
At least 6 months, by letter
At least 1 week, by phone call
One day, told to the landlord in person

16. What does Shelter say about normal wear and tear?

It is charged at a reduced rate
The landlord can deduct half the cost
Your landlord should not take money for it
You pay for it at the end, through deductions from your deposit

Answer key

D: UCAS: hall tenancies usually match the academic year, while private tenancies vary and may run for a full year.
C: Advancing Access: halls usually include bills, while in private housing bills are not necessarily included.
A: Shelter England: look for peeling or bubbling paint, newly painted areas and damp patches or condensation.
D: Shelter England: make sure you have time to check every room, as some landlords and agents rush viewings to hide problems.
C: UCL and Action Fraud (via Get Safe Online): never pay before viewing, and be wary of money transfer services, which are often untraceable.
D: Dubai Land Department (2020): companies must obtain a permit through Trakheesi and include the permit number in all real estate ads.
C: Keele University: complete the inventory within 48 hours of your moving in date, or you may be held responsible for damage.
B: Keele: inventory issues are not fixed proactively, only logged; Kent asks students to report broken furniture separately so it can be fixed.
D: Unite Students: do not bring a toaster, kettle or microwave, since these are standard in flats.
C: Pembrokeshire Trading Standards: upholstered furniture should carry a permanent label; stitched-in labels are the best sign it is original.
C: Unite Students: pack a 'first night' bag with overnight essentials.
B: Prospects advises keeping documents together in one marked folder; keeping essentials on you means they cannot be lost in a box.
B: HSE: top of screen level with eyes, about an arm's length away.
B: NHS Every Mind Matters: you may find it easier to sleep in a room that is quiet, dark and cool.
A: GOV.UK: if the agreement does not state the notice, you must give at least 2 months, in writing.
C: Shelter England: your landlord should not take money for normal wear and tear.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/first-home/