International Student Handbook - International Student Office
International Student Handbook - International Student Office
International Student Handbook - International Student Office
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<strong>International</strong> <strong>Student</strong> <strong>Handbook</strong> 2013-14<br />
In your accommodation<br />
18<br />
Do this as soon as you move into<br />
University or private-sector<br />
accommodation:<br />
Take out insurance/additional insurance<br />
Insurance is included in the rent for University<br />
accommodation. Most of your belongings will be<br />
covered by this policy but if you have expensive<br />
items, or a bicycle or musical instrument check<br />
the conditions of the insurance policy.<br />
You may need to arrange extra cover. Visit the<br />
Cover4<strong>Student</strong>s website for further information.<br />
If you are living in private-sector<br />
accommodation and you have a computer or<br />
other valuable possessions it is important to<br />
buy possessions insurance as burglaries are<br />
fairly common in areas of student housing. You<br />
can buy insurance from banks and specialist<br />
insurance companies such as Cover4students<br />
and Endsleigh.<br />
www.cover4students.com<br />
www.endsleigh.co.uk<br />
Follow security advice<br />
Make security part of your daily routine in and<br />
around your accommodation. Read pages 46-48<br />
of this handbook and follow the advice in the<br />
Safety section of the <strong>International</strong> <strong>Student</strong><br />
<strong>Office</strong> website:<br />
www.internationalstudentsupport.leeds.ac.uk/<br />
living_in_the_uk/safety<br />
Buy a television licence<br />
If you have a television in the UK or you use the<br />
University’s IPTV or internet services to watch<br />
live television, you must, by law, have a TV<br />
licence. The Television Licensing Authority can<br />
easily check if you have a licence and if you are<br />
caught without one you can receive a criminal<br />
conviction and a fine of £1,000.<br />
A colour licence costs £145.50 for the year. You<br />
can pay in instalments by direct debit and if you<br />
leave the UK 3 months or more before the end<br />
of the licence, you can reclaim some of the cost.<br />
You must cancel your direct debit before you<br />
leave, to stop the payments.<br />
www.tvlicensing.co.uk<br />
Arrange the payment of bills<br />
If you are sharing private-sector accommodation<br />
with housemates, make sure that all your names<br />
are on each bill - for example each tenant is on<br />
the electricity, gas, and water bills. Contact the<br />
utility companies letting them know all your<br />
names and when you are moving in and out. You<br />
will also need to get final bills from them to<br />
prove you have paid before your landlord will<br />
return your deposit.<br />
Only one person is allowed to have their name<br />
on some types of bill, so work out who this will<br />
be and how everyone will pay. This will protect<br />
you from having to pay more than your fair share<br />
if you and your housemates have a<br />
disagreement.<br />
Check your rights and responsibilities<br />
• Landlords are bound by law to maintain the<br />
property to a decent level and to ensure it is<br />
safe.<br />
• They must also treat it as your home and give<br />
at least 24 hours notice before they visit you.<br />
• You, the tenant, are responsible for treating<br />
the property well, keeping it clean and tidy<br />
and doing minor maintenance like changing<br />
light bulbs.
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