Author: Student Communications

Coaching for Architecture and Environment students

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Need motivation? Want to get on track with your studies? Looking for help preparing for assessments and deadlines? Your Student Experience Coaches are here to support you.

Holly Adlem (L) and Hannah Embleton-Smith (R)

Your School of Architecture and Environment coaches are Holly Adlem and Hannah Embleton-Smith, and they offer tailored one-to-one coaching sessions designed to help you with the following:

  • Managing key transitions
  • Improving time management
  • Building confidence
  • Identifying strengths
  • Enhancing motivation
  • Reducing anxiety, stress, and overwhelm
  • Identifying tools and techniques to support progress and overcome barriers.

Each session is student-led, with goals defined by the individual.

Together, you explore your strengths, challenges, and emotions, and co-develop a practical and realistic action plan to support your personal, academic, and professional growth.

Please contact Holly or Hannah for further information by emailing experiencecoach@uwe.ac.uk or you can book an appointment on Infohub.

How does Ketamine affect your bladder?

Author Student Communications | Posted on

by Becky Risley

Ketamine – some people use it recreationally for fun, others are drawn to it to manage mental health and trauma.

But there’s something you may not have heard about, Ketamine Bladder Syndrome, also known as Ketamine Cystitis. It’s a serious condition that can sneak up on people who use Ketamine, even those who only use it occasionally.

So, let’s talk about what it is, how to spot it early and what you can do to protect yourself.

What is your bladder and why does Ketamine affect it?

Your bladder is a round, stretchy organ behind your pelvic bone that stores urine. Think of it like a balloon—it fills up and expands, and when it’s full, you go to the bathroom. But when Ketamine breakdowns to be excreted it passes through the bladder, this can damage the cells lining it.

These protective cells (called epithelial or “umbrella” cells) normally keep urine from irritating the bladder wall. If those cells get wrecked, urine can leak deeper into the bladder lining and start doing real damage.

Early symptoms of Ketamine bladder syndrome

Watch out for these signs—they often start gradually:

  • Needing to urinate more often than usual
  • Feeling a sudden, intense need to urinate
  • Pelvic pain or pressure
  • Waking up at night to urinate

If the damage keeps getting worse, you might also experience:

  • Incontinence – urine leaking out when you’re not trying to pee
  • Blood in your urine which might look brownish orange
  • Reduced bladder capacity where your bladder becomes stiff and holds less urine
  • Erectile dysfunction (in men)

Can the damage be reversed?

Yes—if you catch it early and stop using Ketamine. In many cases, quitting can significantly reduce or even eliminate symptoms. But if the damage continues unchecked, it can become permanent, leading to lifelong bladder problems that may require surgery.

How much Ketamine is too much?

This is the tricky part: there’s no guaranteed “safe” amount. Most studies focus on people using multiple grams per day, but even moderate users (1–4 times a month) have reported symptoms.

One large survey found that over 1 in 4 Ketamine users experienced bladder issues—and 70% of them weren’t using daily. The more often and the more you use, the higher your risk of bladder damage.

What should you do if you’re having symptoms?

  • Speak to your GP – the sooner they are involved the sooner a referral to Urology services can be made if needed.
  • Stop using Ketamine – we understand it may not be that easy but you don’t have to do it alone. Book an appointment with UWE’s Drug & Alcohol Practitioner or seek support from your local drug and alcohol service.

Even if it takes weeks to feel better, many people see improvement after quitting. But be careful – you may be drawn to using more Ketamine to deal with the pain, since it has pain-relieving properties. That only makes the situation worse.

If symptoms are severe or not going away, see a doctor. There are treatments that can help reduce pain and begin healing the bladder.

Can Ketamine damage anything else?

Yes. Long-term use has also been linked to damage in other organs like the gallbladder, and research is still uncovering more.

Septum and nasal passages will be irritated and can inflamed from regular snorting of any substance, but following harm reduction advice around snorting, can reduce some of the harm.

If you still choose to use…

We get it—some people aren’t ready to stop completely. If you choose to keep using Ketamine, here are a few tips to reduce your risk:

  • Use less, less often – that alone helps a lot.
  • Stay hydrated and give your bladder time to recover between uses.
  • Book an appointment with UWE’s Drug & Alcohol Practitioner to explore more ways to reduce the harm.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on our harm reduction work related to Ketamine including how you found this blog post!

Complete our survey to give us your feedback – it only takes a couple of minutes to complete and you’ll be helping us understand the reach of our harm reduction campaigns.

Gentle January – How to avoid toxic health myths

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Many of you know by now that the New Year is an awful time to be making extreme changes to your health.

Although we are starting to turn away from ‘new year new me’ fad diets, detoxes and unsustainable work outs goals, it can be hard to not let the noise around a new year impact how we see ourselves and motivate ourselves for the year ahead. Let’s take a look at ways you can have a more gentle January, by listening to your body and being kinder to yourself.

First of all, let’s look at the harm it can cause…

Juice cleanses, keto, macros, fasting, detoxing, squat challenges, bootcamps…We’ve all heard the buzzwords around this time of year and hopefully you all know to steer well clear. Fad diets and gimmick workouts work by tapping into an idea that you need to ‘get back on track’ after the indulgence of Christmas and New Year and that setting unrealistic, harmful and unsustainable diet and exercise goals will help us ‘hack’ our way into health quickly.

Jumping into a rigorous exercise schedule can lead to injury or burn out, not to mention it’s really hard to maintain, which can also impact our mental health if we feel like we are ‘failing’.

Detoxes and strict diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, illness, long term hunger, as well a problematic relationship with food and eating. The idea of ‘detoxing’ is also a myth in itself; we have our own built-in detox system that works 24/7 to keep us healthy – our liver and kidneys!

To add to this, January isn’t exactly a time of year where everyone is flush. Gym memberships, supplements and new diets can be expensive and rigorous exercise schedules can take away from revision and rest time if you have hand-ins and assessments through January. Try and avoid this overwhelm and give yourself a break!

Time to reframe the new year?

We shouldn’t shame ourselves for having a great time over the festive period. You’ve had a long year, worked hard and deserve to enjoy nice food and drink with friends and family.

January in the UK is a time of cold nights, wet weather and lack of sunlight. It’s no wonder you aren’t feeling motivated right now – we are in our hibernation era! Lack of sunlight can affect mood and energy levels, making it harder to stick to big lifestyle changes. Follow nature’s lead and consider moving any big changes to the spring months. More daylight and warmer temperatures naturally boost mood and energy levels. This makes it easier to get outside, exercise, and feel motivated. Spring is associated with growth and renewal. Plants are blooming and days feel brighter. This psychological ‘fresh start’ effect can make goals feel more achievable, as well as helping you feel like you have more energy and motivation.

What can I do instead?

ry and think of health and wellness as progress, not perfection. Find small, achievable wins and focus on how you feel, not how you look. This could mean small initial steps to be consistent and build healthy habits. Things like reducing your screen time, drinking more water, setting up a regular sleep pattern and making sure you get outside at least once a day is a great way to build up to other things as the year progresses.

Prioritise a varied diet, eat the rainbow and find meal ideas that keep you fuller for longer and make you feel good. Remember to speak to a GP if you think you may be deficient in any key vitamins, but a good place to start is Vitamin D, especially as the government recommends that most adults should be taking this in Autumn and Winter.

Try and find a way of moving your body that you can maintain and easily make a habit of. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week. This could be anything from walking, dancing, riding bike, all the way through to exercise classes or sports. Find what feels good for your body, what you have time and energy for and go from there.

Screen time can also play a huge part in how you feel about yourself. Maybe it’s time to ‘curate’ your social media? Unfollow or mute accounts that promote extreme diets, “detoxes,” or unrealistic body goals. Remove celebs who are promoting products, schemes or diets. It’s all about money! You can also tailor your feeds to your interests to really make sure nothing is sneaking in that you don’t want to see. Try and be your own topic filter in real life too, carefully dip out or gently shut down conversations that you feel are tapping into problematic topics or habits. You can say: ‘I’d rather not talk about diets, can we change the subject?’ or ‘I’m not much of an exercise talker but I’m glad something is working for you’.

Get help if you need it 

If you’re struggling this time of year, you are not alone. We have a range of resources from self help, helplines, apps and health service teams. Find what works for you here. 

For further information, check out these pages on our website:

Real health is about balance, not extremes. Start the year by caring for your body and mind in sustainable ways – you’ll thank yourself later.

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week

Author Student Communications | Posted on

We loved engaging with so many of you during UWE’s Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Week!

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week is a key time in the harm reduction calendar, as it gives us the chance to chat to you about your alcohol and drug usage, share harm reduction information and get some insight. We do a big push on the Drug and Alcohol survey during this week as the data informs all our harm reduction work, from support interventions to campaigns and events.

This year we saw a record number of responses so a huge thank you to all that completed the survey! One student filling out the survey said, “some of these questions are really interesting… makes you think differently about alcohol use.”

The week also saw some fantastic activities hosted by The Student’s Union and UWE from pizza parties to Drink Rethink.

Not heard of Drink Rethink? This is one of our most popular events and doesn’t just take place during Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week. It’s delivered by fellow students who have been trained to use a nationally recognized evidence-based behaviour change tool AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). Our student ambassadors give out freebies such as sweet treats, unit measure cups and even mocktails.

Students who attended the event said:

“Thank you so much, this was so informative, you’re doing such important work.”

“I can’t believe how many units there are in a bottle of wine, I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for this.”

My career top tip

Author Student Communications | Posted on

by Alizeh

As a final-year Law student at UWE, and someone who works as a Law PAL and Student Career Coach, I often spend a lot of time thinking about goals — setting them, changing them, and sometimes letting them go. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that career planning isn’t about having everything figured out early, but about giving yourself the space to explore and grow.

At the start of my degree, I felt pressure to know exactly where I was heading. Like many students, I thought choosing one clear career path early on meant I was “doing it right.” What I’ve since realised is that exploration is not a lack of direction, it’s part of the process. Trying new roles, attending careers events, and speaking to different people and teachers helped me understand what genuinely interested me and what didn’t.

How has goal setting helped me?

Goal setting works best for me when it’s flexible and broken into small, realistic steps. Instead of focusing on one big outcome, I concentrate on actions I can take now, such as:

These small goals feel achievable and are easy to do, which significantly help build confidence and motivation over time.

Of course, not all goals work out and that can feel disappointing. I’ve had goals that changed once I explored different options or learned more about certain career paths. Rather than seeing this as failure, I now see it as valuable learning. Each experience helped me understand myself better and make more informed decisions to help me in my career journey.

To stay organised, I use simple tools like a digital to-do list and a notes app to reflect on my progress. UWE Careers resources, talks with my teachers and lecturers, and one-to-one guidance have also played a huge role in helping me explore opportunities that I might not have considered otherwise.

It’s important to remember that your goals do not have to match the people around you, and you certainly do not need a perfect plan. It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but success is personal and looks different for everyone.

Be open to exploring. Set goals that suit where you are now, and allow them to change and grow as you do.

Make time for your soul

Author Student Communications | Posted on

We talk a lot about mental and physical health. What about spiritual health?

Today we’re turning our attention to looking after your soul.

Look in

Student life can be very busy, with studying, socialising and part-time work. It can be easy to ‘just get on with it’ and not take time to reflect on what’s happening in your life – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Make sure you take time to take stock. Don’t let life just happen to you.

Take some time out to just think. Some people find journalling helps – either with free text, lists, mind maps or drawing.

Here are some pointers to get you thinking:

  • Where am I growing at the moment?
  • What is ‘giving’ to me and what is ‘taking’ from me?
  • Are the decisions I’m making now ones I’ll be happy with in one, two- or five-years’ time?

Or you can reflect with apps – there are some good ones available.

Look out

Being linked to a community is good for the soul.

A recent survey in the UK found that people who are part of teams, hobby clubs, community or religious groups are 24% more likely to report feeling happy.

UWE has loads of student societies for a broad range of interests and if there’s not one that you like the look of, grab some like-minded students and set one up!

Volunteering is also good for the soul.

A national charity reported that 92% of volunteers agreed that volunteering had helped their mental health.

Giving out gives back to you!

Why not check out the range of volunteering opportunities we can connect you with?

Look up

Nature

Being in green spaces reduces stress, anxiety and depression by lowering cortisol (the stress hormone). Being in nature can help us to put our problems in perspective, without us even realising that’s what’s happening!

Being in nature can also foster a sense of mindfulness, grounding us in the present moment – not rushing ahead – and encouraging reflection.

Not only that – nature can inspire a sense of awe, connection and peace. We feel things we don’t feel when we’re indoors or on our phones.

Faith, religion and spirituality

Regardless of your belief, our campus Chaplaincy team are here for you; whether you have an established faith or want to explore faith and spirituality.

This is what student Bip said about Chaplaincy:

“Chaplaincy has been a great space for me to get out my thoughts ranging from religious struggle to bereavement. It’s a space that allows you to organise your thoughts, problems and whatever you may be dealing with and having someone like the Chaplain listen and provide a fresh perspective on things can go a long way. I recommend it to anyone, whether you’re religious, atheistic or anything in between.”

Research across psychology, sociology and health sciences has found that being religious or engaging in spirituality can be beneficial in a range of ways.

  • Prayer, meditation and rituals provide calm, structure, and coping mechanisms.
  • Religious faith often increases endurance and helps people cope with illness and grief.
  • Belief in a higher person or purpose can bring hope, comfort and a sense of meaning.

Look after yourself

We want you to flourish at uni – to be healthy and happy and grow during your time here.

Make sure you’re making time for yourself in every way possible and reach out if you need a little extra support!

Sober curiosity

Author Student Communications | Posted on

January is the perfect time for a reset. For some students, that means exploring sober curiosity—a growing movement focused on questioning your relationship with alcohol and embracing mindful choices.

Whether you’re taking part in Dry January, cutting back, or simply curious, this blog is for you!

Why sober curiosity? The student perspective

According to the SOS-UK Drug & Alcohol Impact Survey, which gathered insights from over 11,800 students across UK universities, attitudes toward alcohol are shifting:

  • Many students report drinking less frequently than previous generations.
  • Health, mental wellbeing and financial savings are top motivators for reducing alcohol use.
  • A significant number of students want more alcohol-free social options on campus and our Student’s Union and Student Life Team do a great job at making sure there is something for everyone.

These findings show that sober curiosity isn’t about restriction—it’s about choice and empowerment.

Why January is the perfect time

Starting the year alcohol-free can boost your energy, improve sleep, and help you focus on your studies.

January is often a time for setting new goals and reducing alcohol can increase your motivation. And lets be honest, after an expensive December, saving extra cash is always welcome. Plus, discovering new ways to socialise without relying on alcohol is a valuable skill—especially at university. In a society where drinking is often encouraged, learning to say no when it doesn’t feel right and finding a social life beyond the pub can be empowering.

How to start your sober curious journey

Reflect on your why: journal your reasons—health, focus, finances, or curiosity.

Set realistic goals: try a month of no alcohol or maybe, alcohol-free weekdays, or just limit drinking to special occasions.

Find your community: connect with Sober Girl Society or start a sober-curious group at UWE. Bristol also has some excellent sober raves happening this January.

Explore alternatives: why not explore the range of mocktails available at The Students’ Union bar? And did you know Bristol saw the opening of its first alcohol-free bar last year?

Stay informed: There are some great books available on going sober. The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober and This Naked Mind are particularly good, or if you’d rather listen to something on the go, This Naked Mind is also a podcast.

Need some extra support?

Book an appointment with UWE’s Drug & Alcohol Practitioner.

Assessment Offences – what counts as cheating?

Author Student Communications | Posted on

You’ve most likely heard your module or programme leader talk about assessment offences: but what are they? Can you use AI? What’s an essay mill? How much does referencing matter?

Read on to get clarity so you’re not at risk.

Let’s chat AI first

Headline: Speak to your tutor about appropriate use of AI.

The University has published guidance on the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Don’t submit AI-generated work off as your own original work. You should ask your tutor about whether you can use AI in assessments. If you do use AI, reference its use – here’s guidance on how to do this. If you’re in any doubt about using AI, or how to reference it, speak to your module leader.

Contract cheating, ghost writing and essay mills

Headline: Someone writes something for you but you’re listed as the author – often for a fee.

Ghost writing services and essay mills are when you pay a company to write your work for you. You may have Follow requests on Instagram from these services.

We’ve heard some horror stories of students using essay mills and then being blackmailed by the company – saying they’ll tell the university that the student didn’t write the work themselves. Essay mills might make it look like you’re saving time, money and effort – but long term it’s not in your best interest.

Here’s the full list of what counts as contract cheating:

  • Submitting as your own work which has been produced in whole or part by another person on your behalf;
  • Making available, or seeking to make available, material to another student or students with the intention that it is used by them to commit an assessment offence e.g. posting exam questions online.

Collusion

Headline: Working with one or more students to create a piece of work but submit it as your own.

We understand that collusion can seem like a good thing, especially as many courses have group work as part of them. But collaboration and group work should only be used when indicated by the module leader. We want to hear your original thoughts and ideas!

Here’s the full list of what counts as collusion:

  • Unethically collaborating with one or more students to complete an assignment, take an exam, or engage in other academic activities with the intent to deceive or gain an unfair advantage. This can include sharing answers or jointly submitting work when individual efforts are stipulated;
  • Assisting another person in the completion of work submitted as that other person’s own unaided work;
  • Sharing your work with another person and/or permitting them to copy all or part of it and submit it as their own unaided work.

Controlled conditions

Headline: Using extra resources not allowed for timed assessments.

Controlled conditions are timed assessments e.g. an exam.

Cheating in this context can include using additional resources for the assessment, like an annotated book or a mobile devices you’re not allowed or chatting to other people about your answers.

Here’s the full list of what counts as cheating in exams:

  • Having in your possession materials and / or devices which are not allowed for that assessment;
  • Fraudulent activity, e.g. gaining access to the questions or solutions in advance of an assessment and using this to fraudulently complete the assessment;
  • Unauthorised communications, including the use of online platforms to discuss online assessments;
  • Arranging for someone else to impersonate a student in an assessment.

Plagiarism

Headline: Submitting someone else’s work as your own.

This is the most common form of plagiarism. It’s so easy to be caught out unintentionally.

Plagiarism can be as simple as quoting an author in an essay and not referencing it correctly.

Did you know you can even self-plagiarise? This means submitting a piece of your own work twice – e.g. for two separate assignments.

Here’s the full list of what counts as cheating via plagiarism:

  • Copying from another person’s work without the use of quotation marks;
  • Copying from another person’s work without referencing/acknowledgement of the sources;
  • Summarising another person’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation;
  • Paraphrasing material from a source without acknowledging the original author;
  • Not respecting or acknowledging the copyright and intellectual property of others;
  • Presenting concepts or designs that have been created by others without acknowledging the original source;
  • Copying another student’s work with or without their knowledge or agreement;
  • Downloading material from the web and submitting it as your own work, or submitting work created by using AI tools without acknowledgement;
  • Using course notes without referencing.

Check out the Library’s workbook on how to reference to avoid plagiarism.

Falsification

Headline: Making stuff up!

Maybe your experiment didn’t go to plan, and so you ‘tweak’ the results to work for you. That’s falsification!

Here’s the full list of what counts as falsification:

  • Falsifying or misrepresenting the results of experimentation/research data;
  • Falsifying your references and/or bibliography or in-text citations;
  • Falsifying reports or projects.

Fabrication

Headline: Making stuff up again!

Maybe you’ve not planned your assignment properly, so you panic and make stuff up to fill the word count. That’s fabrication.

Here’s the full list of what counts as fabrication:

  • Reporting on experiments/research never performed or data never collected.
  • Providing references or/and in-text citations that do not exist.

Research ethics breaches

Headline: Doing something that is against the University’s Research Ethics

As your research proposals are signed off by an academic, this should rarely happen. If you’re not sure about the ethics of the work you are doing, speak to your module leader or research project supervisor.

Summing up

You might have noticed a theme in all of these Assessment Offences: they all mean that the work you’re submitting is not your own.

Remember, the point of assessments is to:

  • check your understanding of a subject;
  • showcase your original thoughts and ideas;
  • prepare you for your future career.

So, we want to see your work, your ideas, and grade and award you appropriately!

If you are tempted to cheat, or want advice on how best to present your work, there are loads of resources available – or speak to your module leader for advice.

Further resources

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/academic-information/assessments/academic-integrity

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills#ai-guides

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/peer-assisted-learning

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/referencing

Tips for Surviving the UK winter: Guide for International students

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Priya Dashini Selvanathan is currently studying a Master’s in Health Psychology and is a Mature Student Advocate.

My idea of winter came straight from the movies, picturing myself sitting in a nice, cosy café, people watching and enjoying the slow, cosy pace that it brings along. However, as someone who has been living in a tropical country like Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, my perception of experiencing my first winter in Bristol was far from ideal.

I had to deal with homesickness, staying on top of back-to-back deadlines and on top of that learning the art of layering and dressing for the cold. My energy plunged with the temperature, my mood was consistently low, and the constant stress was a physical weight—I finally understood the reality of seasonal depression.

Looking back, one thing that helped me survive my first winter in the UK was the connection with peers, and engaging with free events available at the University, as well as free events around Bristol.

My top 3 tips are:

  1. Connection
    It is easy to stay in and feel overwhelmed to venture out. I noticed that slowly stepping out of my comfort zone and interacting with my coursemates and other international students helped me feel less lonely. I arranged a few coffee meet-up sessions that turned into friendships that I now cherish. Forming connections and friendships abroad in a foreign country is not an easy task, but I learnt that if I don’t put myself out there and try, I will never know and be limited to my fears.
  2. Movement
    Hibernation mood hits hard during winter months. I was either spending time staring at my screen completing assignments or mostly hibernating in bed. This routine made me feel sluggish and made me miss home even more. I realised that by using the UWE Move App, I could force myself to book some exercise classes like yoga and climbing. These classes not only help me get out of the house, but they also greatly improve my energy levels and mood. I noticed that I tend to feel much better after engaging in some movement.
  3. Perspective
    A shift in perspective occurred when I finished reading the book “ Wintering” by Katherine May. The book highlights a lot about embracing winter and noticing how the cold teaches us to slow down and focus inward more towards ourselves. I learnt that I have no control over the weather, but I do have control over how I respond to it and adapt to it. I started having a cosy night time routine that I looked forward to, where I would read a thriller novel and have a hot cup of camomile tea, and end the night with a simple skin care routine.

It is not going to be easy experiencing your first winter abroad, but do know that there is a wide array of support available. Feel free to reach out to our student advocates on Teams for a friendly chat.

How to join the CHSS Advocate Programme

Interested in being part of this supportive community? Whether you’re looking for peer support, a place to share your experiences, or simply want to connect with others, the CHSS Advocate Programme is here for you.
To join a group or attend one of our meetups, follow the link to our online space and sign up:

For more information, please email the Widening Participation Team: CHSS.WPTeam@uwe.ac.uk

Private renting tips

Author Student Communications | Posted on

Renting for the first time can be daunting. Partner that with Bristol’s notoriously competitive housing market, and the process can feel overwhelming. 

We’ve compiled a list of tips to ease finding your next home, and make sure you know what to look for and what to avoid. 

Planning

First things first, you need to plan.  

  • Set a budget and check if the rent includes bills. Be realistic about what you need and want from your rental. Bristol is an expensive city to live in so your budget might not stretch to what you’d want, but it should always cover what you need. An ensuite room in BS1, for instance, could be out of your price range, but a shared house in BS7 would be more manageable. 
  • Start having conversations with who you want to live with. Think about how many people is the right amount to live with. The fewer people, the more expensive the property, but too many and it becomes hard to find somewhere. They don’t have to be the same people you lived with in halls. They might be course friends, people from a society you’re in, or just a random bunch of people you happen to have formed a group with. 
  • Do your research. If you have never rented before, it can be hard to know where to look. As well as traditional sites like Rightmove and Zoopla, there are also sites dedicated to student rentals. The Students’ Union have made a list of trusted sites.  
  • Start looking early. Most people start looking for their next year’s home around November and December. That can feel really early, but the market moves very quickly in Bristol. There is enough to go around, and you can never be too prepared. 

Viewing

Once you have made a plan, it’s time to start viewing properties. 

  • Always view the properties yourself before signing any agreement. A common scam is criminals falsely claiming a property is something online, but in reality, it is something very different – or worse, doesn’t exist at all. If possible, everyone who will be living in the house should view it before agreeing to live there. But we know that schedules can be hectic, so nominate a couple of people to look on everyone’s behalf. Take photos and videos of the rooms to remind yourself what the property looks like. 
  • Be flexible with your location. You might have your heart set on living on Gloucester Road but it’s worthwhile looking around nearby areas as well. Properties tend to be more budget friendly away from the main hotspots. Keep to an easily commutable distance to your campus and think outside the box. 
  • Don’t rush into anything. It might be tempting to take the first property you view, but it’s worthwhile viewing a few before making your choice. That way you can better understand what it is you really want and what is realistically available. 

Signing contracts

When it comes to signing for your property, keep these tips in mind. 

  • Read your tenancy agreement. And we mean really read it. Don’t skim read it and assume everything will be okay. Tenancy agreements are legally binding documents that both tenants and landlords must obey. 
  • Triple check that everyone wants to live in the property. Once everyone has signed, it can be hard to back out of a contract. If someone leaves halfway through the tenancy, check to see if you will need to find someone or if the landlord will find one for you. It could be the case that you need to cover there share of the rent as well. 
  • Pay your deposit into a deposit protection scheme. Unless you are going to be a lodger, your landlord must, by law, hold your deposit in a protected scheme. Usually, you will pay your deposit to the landlord or agency, and they will transfer it to the scheme. You will receive a receipt of the transfer. 
  • Be cautious of scams. Apart from holding deposits, tenancy deposits and first month of rent, landlords and agencies should not be asking for any other payments. Most agency fees are banned in the UK.  

Moving in

Moving and living in private accommodation works a little differently to living in halls as well. 

  • Take photos of damage before you move in. Before you start unloading your boxes, walk around the house and check for any damage. Take photos of anything that doesn’t look right and send them to your landlord/agency. They will use this record for comparison when you move out. 
  • If bills aren’t included, set up your payments. Work out how much you will need to pay to cover your water, energy and internet bills and split the amount equally. It could all come out of one person’s account, or you could spread the bills across household members. Most providers have easy set ups available on their websites.  
  • Be respectful of your neighbours. In halls, you’ll have been surrounded by fellow students. In private accommodation it’s likely that it will be families, professional house-shares and maybe a few other student houses. Keep the noise down, take your bins in after they have been collected and remember that you’re a part of their community as well as ours now. 
  • Be mindful of your impact in the household. As a member of a house, you need to make sure you’re putting your fair share of work into making sure it is a nice place to live. Do your washing up after you’ve eaten, clean the bathroom after you’ve used it and don’t be loud late at night. 
  • Don’t make any changes to the house without permission. This could include putting nails in walls to hang pictures, adding attachments to plumbing and even blue tack stains. 

Moving out

Moving out is just as important as moving in in private accommodation. 

  • Deep clean everything. Landlords need the home to be returned to them in the same condition they received them in. A quick vacuum of the carpets won’t be enough! If you don’t clean well enough, they might get external cleaners in to finish the job. Often this is charged to the tenants too. 
  • Cancel your bills. If they’re not included in your rent, you’ll need to cancel your bills at the end of your tenancy. Take meter readings of your energy use and follow instructions from your provider. 
  • Get your deposit back. Landlords must release your deposit from the protection scheme within ten days of the tenancy agreement ending. If there is a discrepancy or dispute, they must provide written evidence of why they have reduced your repayment.