Protect Your Deposit
Most student tenancies are protected under a government-backed scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS). To avoid a dispute over what you get back:
- Compare the room and communal areas against your original check-in inventory report, and photograph anything you're unsure about before you leave.
- Deep clean as you go: oven, fridge, bathroom mould, and carpets are the most common reasons landlords make deductions.
- Take final meter readings (gas, electricity, water) on the day you leave, separate from any readings taken when you first moved in.
- Return every key and fob you were given, including bin store or post room keys, and get written confirmation from your landlord or agent that they've all been handed back.
Sort Your Belongings: Home, Storage or Sell
If your tenancy ends before you need everything back at your family home, or you're returning to the same city in September, moving everything twice rarely makes sense. Decide early which of these fits:
- Take it all home in one man and van trip, ideal if you're finishing university for good.
- Use self storage or container storage over the summer if you're coming back to the same city, so you're not paying for a full move twice.
- Sell or donate anything you won't need again, bulky furniture especially, before booking your van so you're only paying to move what's left.
If you do go the storage route, our guide on how to pack items for long-term storage covers what to box, what to leave out, and how to stop damp getting to your things over summer.
Final Admin Checklist
- Notify your university, bank, GP and any subscriptions of your new address.
- Set up mail redirection if you won't be at the same address for a while.
- Confirm your move-out date and time with your landlord or halls office in writing.
- Book your van a couple of weeks ahead, end of June is the busiest week of the year for student moves and last-minute slots get scarce.
Once your move-out is planned, the last step is getting everything there. At URemovals, you can compare instant quotes from vetted local movers and choose your own driver on our Student Moving Services page.
