If you think you don't have enough money to pay the rent, contact your landlord as soon as possible to explain the situation.
It may be helpful to indicate when you can pay the rent, or to offer to pay as much rent as possible, even if not the full amount.
Once your landlord receives your security deposit, they are legally required to deposit it into a security deposit protection scheme within 30 days.
This guarantees you will get your deposit back, provided you adhere to the terms of the rental agreement, pay all rent and bills, and do not damage the property.
There are three government approved deposit protection schemes. You need to know where your deposit is held.
To get your deposit back at the end of the rental period, you must contact your landlord or letting agent.
Your landlord can make deductions from your security deposit if he/she has reason to do so. This usually happens if you have not paid part of your rent, damaged the property in some way, or lost or broken an item of his/hers.
However, your landlord is cannot charge you for coverage of “reasonable” wear and tear.
According to Save The Student, one in five students report having problems getting their full deposit back, so take good care of your belongings and try to prevent damage.
If you disagree with a deduction from your security deposit that your landlord has made, you should first speak to him/her directly and discuss the issue.
If you can't figure it out, you can use the deposit protection scheme where your money is held and use their dispute resolution service to resolve the issue.
If you study full-time, then you are exempt from paying municipal taxesYour municipality may ask you for proof that you are a student. You can request this proof from your university.
However, if you share a house with someone who is not studying full-time, you will pay municipal tax on the house and receive a bill.
Whether the non-student housemate pays the entire bill or you decide to split it is up to you. If only one member of your household is not a student, they can apply for a 25% discount on the municipal tax for single people.
If you have to interrupt your studies, you may have to pay council tax for the time you are not studying. You should inform your local council of any changes in your circumstances and ask your university or student union for advice, to avoid getting a surprise bill.