LSH - Your Community Guide 2016

YOUR COMMUNITY GUIDE

WELCOME

Know your neighbours COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT VOTING Recycling & bins Gas safety Moving in/out checklists Safety LOCK THE DOOR! Your housing journey AREA GUIDE HOUSING ADVICE Volunteering

to your new home! We hope you’re settled in and have a great year Liverpool Student Homes and your Students’ Unions have produced this handy guide to help you to get to know your local community.

LSH

HELLO from your Students’ Union officers

is the official university-funded service for private student accommodation in Liverpool.

www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org

Hi! We are your elected Student officers.

We'll be campaigning and working for your rights as students, ensuring that you feel safe and happy as part of your community.

Ayo

Daniel

Ananda

We want all students to feel welcomed in their community, and that they have affordable rent and good standards of living.

We will be running 'Don't Let Yet' housing campaign, 'Rate Your Landlord' Survey and lots of community events that you can be part of.

Throughout the year you will get the chance to meet your local community reps , so make sure you say hi and come along to your local residents' group meetings.

Liverpool Student Homes, 140 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5SR

0151 794 3296 @LivStudentHomes

lsh@liverpool.ac.uk LiverpoolStudentHomes

MOVING IN CHECKLIST DEPOSITS Your landlord must put your deposit in a tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days.

More info can be found on www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org/Pages/Deposits.

TAKE METER READINGS Give these to the energy suppliers and landlord to ensure you aren't charged for the previous occupants' usage.

KNOW HOW TO TURN THE GAS OFF & WHERE THE ELECTRIC FUSE BOARD IS Find out how to switch off the gas in an emergency and know where the electricity fuse board is should the fuses trip.

KNOW WHERE THE STOPCOCK IS Your mains water tap or stopcock is the off switch for all the water in your home. If you don't know where it is and a pipe bursts, you'll be powerless to stop it flooding your home. If you can’t find it, ask your landlord.

CHECK THE INVENTORY Make an inventory/condition report of all the furniture, fixtures and fittings. You should do this even if the landlord does not request an inventory or provide one.

We also recommend that you take dated photographs of any disrepair or damage, however minor you might consider it to be.

READ THE BOILER & APPLIANCE MANUALS Ensure that you know how to use them correctly and to prevent damage.

TV LICENCE Whether you rent an entire property or a room in a shared property, you must be covered by a valid TV licence to watch or record live television programmes, whether that’s online, on a TV, or on any other device. See www.tvlicensing.co.uk.

FIRE SAFETY Know your escape route and make sure exits are kept clear. Also, have a second escape route should the normal route be blocked and keep keys where everyone can find them, but not left in doors as this can attract burglars. Make sure you have working smoke alarms on each level of your home.

BE A TOP TENANT! Introduce yourself to your neighbours

Park vehicles safely and within parking restrictions

Go along to community meetings

Keep parties and noise under control

Contact the police if you experience any offensive behaviour

Be considerate, avoid offensive, loud or unruly behaviour 2

PARTY! We are all part of the community in which we live and we need to respect our neighbours. Noise works two ways. You don’t want to be kept up late when you’ve got an exam or a deadline approaching. Be considerate to those around you and they will do the same.

IF YOU DO HAVE A PARTY...

Make sure you have enough room Agree what time it will finish and let your neighbours know and maybe invite them Keep the party to yourselves! Keep the windows closed and don’t take it into the street Clean up afterwards and ask your guests to leave quietly.

When heading home from a night out, be quiet and considerate After 11pm, make sure your TV and music volume is low or use headphones

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REDUCE THE NOISE!

The amount you can be fined if you are persistently noisy.

Close windows and doors at night so noise doesn’t carry Position speakers away from adjoining walls.

Your music equipment could also be seized, Liverpool City Council may prosecute you and you may be subject to action by your University.

BOOKING TAXIS Remember when you are ordering taxi's to your home address to ensure that the house still looks like its occupied when you have all left, don't advertise to the outside world that you are all leaving at the same time. Large numbers of taxi's coming and going throughout the night and sounding horns can be a form of noise to the surrounding neighbours.

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REMEMBER TO...

PUT THE BIN OUT AND RECYCLE All non-recyclable waste should be placed in the purple bin.

Recyclable items including paper, glass, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins and cans should be put in the blue bin.

If you live in an apartment block then waste should be disposed of in the large black bins in the communal bin area.

Bins need to be put out at the right time and place, and store them away between collection days to ensure they don't get lost or stolen.

£20 is how much you will pay to replace a purple bin Collection and waste info: www.liverpool.gov.uk/bins-andrecycling/

Some properties don’t have the space for a wheelie bin (e.g. narrow terraced housing), and you will need to put your waste into black plastic bin bags, and recyclables into a special box for collection.

REGISTER TO VOTE

FIND A GP & DENTIST

Register to vote in the local elections and have your say about key decisions that could affect you.

Make sure you’re registered with a local GP and dentist. It’s quick and easy to do online. Enter your postcode to find your nearest GP.

You must register each time you move into a new property.

The process to register is simple, and only takes 2 minutes online

www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/ LocationSearch/4

www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

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DID YOU KNOW

Even if you have registered since coming to Liverpool, you may have to register with a new GP if you move to a different area of the city, so it’s always best to check.

Students can register at both home and term time addresses.

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Safe AsHouses To find your local Police Officer visit the website below or call 101 www.merseyside.police.uk/your-area/liverpool

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“We welcome all students to the local area and hope that you have a safe and enjoyable time.”

Liverpool is one of the safest cities in the country. Sadly, becoming a victim of crime could ruin your experience of the city. Please take care to look after your property and your housemates by taking the simple steps as outlined.

Your local neighbourhood Police team is here to help and support you, however if issues arise from your property we will deal with these through the Liverpool Anti-Social Behaviour Unit and your University.

Finally, can I ask that you consider your security and ask the question ‘If I was a thief, how easy would it be to get into my house?’

Don’t leave valuables on display.

Upon entering your home, lock the door behind you.

Lock all doors and windows when you go out.

When out, pay attention to your surroundings, travel together in the evening and use well lit paths.

Love your phone. Log it. This website helps the Police to identify the owners of lost and stolen property.

Please respect your neighbours.

Don’t cause annoyance to other people by leaving rubbish outside your property or causing anti-social behaviour.

INSPECTOR GRAEME ROONEY, MERSEYSIDE POLICE

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Burglars are known to try door handles to check if they are unlocked.

LOCK ALL EXTERNAL DOORS, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE IN, TO REDUCE THE RISK OF THEFT.

NOW SECURE THE WINDOW! DON'T INVITE UNWANTED GUESTS INTO YOUR HOME

BY LEAVING YOUR WINDOWS UNSECURED THIEVES OPERATE DAY AND NIGHT Opening the windows to ventilate your home is important to prevent mould and damp.

Secure your UPVC window by only opening to the first stage locking point. If you leave the room or the house, secure fully by locking the window with the key.

Speak to your landlord or agent if you are unsure about how to use the first stage locking point, or if keys are missing.

MENINGITIS & SEPTICAEMIA Often happen together. Be aware of all the signs and symptoms, which can appear in any order or may not appear at all:

HEADACHE CONFUSION SEIZURES STIFF NECK VOMITING SEVERE MUSCLE PAIN DROWSINESS PALE BLOTCHY SKIN DISLIKE OF LIGHTS SPOTS/RASH (Does not fade under pressure with a glass)

FEVER WITH COLD HANDS & FEET Someone with meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly. Keep checking them. Trust your instincts, get medical help immediately, do not wait for a rash

All LSH registered landlords must install carbon monoxide detectors, when there is a gas supply to the property.

www.meningitisnow.org

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FIRE, FIRE! For more information www.merseyfire.gov.uk Free fire safety advice 0800 731 5958 Hello, and welcome back to Merseyside.

Many of you will be in your second or third year of your courses at University, but please take the time to read our top tips to help to keep you safe from fire in your homes while you are here.

Have smoke alarms on each level of your home and test them each week by pressing the test button.

Don't leave food cooking unattended, particularly if you are cooking after or during drinking alcohol. Cooking fires can spread quickly and produce a lot of smoke.

Fire and smoke from fires can cause you to become disorientated in your homes so make sure you have working smoke alarms and you know how to escape a fire.

Make sure you know how to escape if a fire were to start in your property.

If you use hair straighteners or hair dryers don't put any clothes or other items on top of them after use and let them cool in a safe place, not on your bed. If you have a tumble dryer, always follow the manufacturers' guidance and clear the filter after each use as a build-up of combustibles in the filter can lead to a fire starting.

Don't leave electrical items such as laptops or phones charging overnight or unattended.

Where possible keep your wheelie bins away from doors and windows.

GROUP MANAGER , GARY OAKFORD, MERSEYSIDE FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

VOLUNTEERING LIVERPOOL Rate Your Landlord is an annual survey conducted by the three Students’ Unions.

Volunteering Liverpool is an online portal run by a partnership of education institutions in Liverpool, working together to offer volunteering opportunities with a range of charities across Merseyside.

It gives all students living in private rented accommodation the chance to say what is good and not so good about their accommodation.

It’s quick and simple to sign up, just register your details by visiting

Look out for information from your students’ union and have your say!

www.liverpoolguild.org/volunteering

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LIVERPOOL STUDENT HOMES YOUR HOUSING JOURNEY SEPTEMBER Start of term and welcome events. Register to vote.

OCTOBER

LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT STUDENT HOME? LSH CAN HELP

Settling in and making friends.

NOVEMBER

LSH is the official place to go to look for private accommodation in Liverpool

Don't be pressured into looking for accommodation. The majority of second and third year students will tell you the best time to look is after Christmas.

The largest choice of flats, houses and private halls with over 21,000 bedspaces advertised

DECEMBER Begin to think about accommodation. Attend LSH talks and Housing Fairs at the beginning of December. There is plenty of accommodation in Liverpool so there is no need to rush into decisions.

To advertise with us, landlords and agents must commit to meeting the quality and safety criteria in the LSH Standards

JANUARY Decide who you are going to live with, where you want to live and type of accommodation. Start your search at www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org. Register to receive property alerts to your inbox and follow us on social media.

Free, expert housing advice and support.

FEBRUARY Continue your accommodation search. Contact landlords/agents to arrange viewings. If you have formed a group, try and all go together.

MARCH FREE housing rights advice service for all students in Liverpool living in private accommodation.

Continue searching. Landlords will still have plenty of accommodation available and will be keen to secure a tenancy. If you have already chosen a property, we can check your contract before you sign it. Sort out who is going to be your guarantor.

LSH has a Private Sector Housing Rights Advisor, who has drop-in sessions at each of the campuses.

Disrepair Deposits

APRIL Staying in Liverpool over the summer? Check out the summer lets on our website.

Contracts

MAY Getting ready to move out. Have a good clear out, remember to recycle; check out the Leave Liverpool Tidy Campaign. Don't panic if you haven’t found the perfect place for September, there will be lots still available right up to the start of term.

Damp

Landlord disputes

JUNE

Rights & responsibilities

Move into your summer let.

JULY

Service available Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm

Enjoy the summer!

07970 247 209 advice2u@liverpool.ac.uk

AUGUST Prepare to move into your new place in September.

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THE LEGAL STUFF LANDLORD/AGENT RESPONSIBILITIES LETTING AGENT REDRESS SCHEMES If you are renting private accommodation from a letting agent and they have failed to resolve a complaint that you have raised, you can complain to an independent letting agent redress scheme.

You can complain to a letting agent redress scheme about: lack of transparency about fees for tenants inaccurate property descriptions

It's a criminal offence for a letting agent not to be a member of one of the three government-approved schemes:

disputes about holding deposits taken to reserve a property inaccurate charging

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) The Property Redress Scheme Ombudsman Services Property

not passing rent onto the landlord slow or poor service

Both tenants and landlords can use the scheme to resolve disputes and the end decision made by the scheme is legally binding for all involved.

DEPOSIT PROTECTION SCHEMES A tenancy deposit is a returnable payment taken by the landlord or agent, which must be placed in a Government authorised deposit protection scheme. The schemes protect the deposit and offer a means to resolve disputes between landlords/agents and tenants. £

£

£

£

£

£

Government authorised schemes: www.depositprotection.com www.tds.gb.com www.mydeposits.co.uk

30

days

is the time your landlord/agent has to secure your deposit in a scheme and inform you of the scheme details.

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RIGHT TO RENT This is a pre-tenancy check that all landlords/ agents (except those that own or manage purpose built or halls type accommodation) should do before a tenancy agreement is offered to you. You will need to supply forms of ID. If this a problem, your university may issue you with a 'Nomination Agreement Letter’. For more details on what forms of ID can be used please visit

LIVERPOOL’S LANDLORD LICENSING SCHEME All private landlords must apply for a 5 year license for properties that they rent. Properties that have 5 or more tenants across 3 floors do not need to be covered by this scheme as they should already be covered by a HMO license.

Check if your property is licensed at www.liverpool.gov.uk

www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rentdocuments/who-to-check 9

AREA GUIDE Visit the Merseytravel homepage or mobile app to use the Journey Planner tool www.merseytravel.gov.uk

CITY CENTRE

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Home to around 20,000 students including first years living in student halls, many students continue to live here due to its vibrant atmosphere and convenience of being close to campus.

The choice of large purpose-built student developments located in the city has increased rapidly over the last few years. Rent levels are a premium in the city centre in all types of accommodation, starting from around ÂŁ100 per person per week. Car parking is very limited and may come at an additional cost.

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Traditional housing in the city is in short supply and mostly consists of 1 or 2 bedroom flats.

Scan for map

TRANSPORT LINKS As Liverpool city centre is compact, most places including the main university campuses are within a short walking distance.

The Hunts Cross train from Liverpool Central station to Aigburth.

IM MARSH

Liverpool One Bus Station: 82, 82A and 82D Liverpool One Bus Station: 75 Queens Drive Bus Station: 14,78 79 and 79C.

CHILDWALL CAMPUS

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KENSINGTON

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This is an extremely popular and vibrant student area as a result of its cheaper rents and prime location. Kensington Fields is a short walk from the city centre and ideally located for the LJMU and University of Liverpool city campuses and Liverpool Hope creative campus.

Kensington is served by a number of bus routes, meaning there’s a bus into the city centre every 5 minutes.

Accommodation in this area is largely traditional terraced housing and flats with mixed dwellings of local residents and students. The area is popular with students wishing to live within close proximity to the city centre at lower rent levels, which average £75 per person per week.

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TRANSPORT LINKS From Mount Vernon Road bus stop: 7, 14, 14A, 61, 79, 79C. From Kensington Low Hill bus stop: 8, 9, 10, 10A and 10B

WAVERTREE

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Better known as Smithdown amongst students, this is the largest student area outside the city centre and a popular choice due to its cheaper rents and student friendly community.

This area is a short bus ride to the city centre and the main corridor of Smithdown Road has a high concentration of student properties, which tend to be traditional terraced houses. There are plenty of shared dwellings but a limited number of self-contained one and two bedroom flats. Rent levels in this area are significantly lower in comparison with the city centre and average £75 per person per week.

Transport links to the city centre and out of town campuses are excellent and there are plenty of local amenities.

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TRANSPORT LINKS Wavertree is ideally located on main bus routes into the city centre for the LJMU and University of Liverpool city campuses and Liverpool Hope creative campus. Buses into the city centre are frequent and take around 20 minutes.

From Sefton Park Medical Centre (next to Asda): 86, 86A and 86C. From Nicander bus stop: 75, 76, 80 and 80A. CHILDWALL CAMPUS

75 or 86C to Hope Park.

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MOVING OUT CHECKLIST TENANCY AGREEMENT Check to see if the landlord has included an end of tenancy procedure and follow it.

Arrange the return of your keys to the landlord/agent as instructed to do so.

CLEANING Most contracts state that the property must be returned or left in the same condition it was let, taking into account fair wear and tear. Make sure you give your house a good, thorough clean before you leave.

DEPOSITS Your deposit should be protected and kept in a tenancy deposit scheme. Find out more information on deposits and how to get your deposit back at the end of your tenancy on our website www.liverpoolstudenthomes.org/Pages/Deposits.

BILLS/CONTRACTS If you pay for your bills separately, contact the utility companies to make sure these are all paid in full. Set a date where you move out and inform these companies so that your name will be removed from the bills for the property. To ensure you only pay for what you have used, take final meter readings.

TV LICENCE If you have purchased a TV licence you can get a refund for the summer months.

For further information and to arrange a refund, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk or call 0300 790611.

UNWANTED ITEMS You can donate unwanted items to the Leave Liverpool Tidy scheme, which is very popular with students. Donation bags are provided and you can drop off your items on campus. For more information visit www.liverpoolguild.org/llt. Liverpool City Council also provides a free service called Bulky Bobs for bulky household waste collection such as furniture, mattresses, electrical items and computers.

RUBBISH Clear out the property, including any items of food. This could stop you from receiving your full deposit, and you may be charged for cleaners to remove rubbish.

MAIL If you have mail that comes through to your property, you can contact Royal Mail to have this redirected to your new property or another address. This is particularly important for confidential items such as bank statements.

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