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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

2nd year uni (starting 2018)

958 replies

HSMMaCM · 04/07/2018 18:15

The old thread seems to have filled up!

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 10/09/2018 12:02

Did went back yesterday and I'm already missing her like mad. Will.see her in a couple of weeks when dd2 goes to visit her and attend Durham open day. She only gets 6 weeks next summer too sob!

Needmoresleep · 10/09/2018 12:47

Best, do they have a scientist in the house? Get him/her thinking. Warm air by a radiator soaks up moisture. Radiator goes off and if there has been no air circulation you get localised condensation, which leads to mould. Condensation is also more of a problem in extensions where walls may not be well insulated, therefore colder.

So keep moisture to a minimum (like wiping down condensation from windows each morning) and make sure air can circulate. They could sponge over the paintwork with a bleach and water solution, but check with landlord first, as if he has not used a wipeable paint, they might also wash paint off.

ErrolTheDragon · 10/09/2018 13:52

It might be an idea to point out to them the sorts of things regarded as 'tenantlike behaviour ' (which iirc includes dealing with condensation sensibly) - what sorts of things they should deal with themselves rather than bothering the landlord or agent with.

HSMMaCM · 10/09/2018 16:42

DD has draughty windows in her new place. I look on it as damp prevention. She may think differently in the winter.

OP posts:
Needmoresleep · 10/09/2018 17:21

I treated DD to light proof, draft proof curtains and a rug. The LLs curtains served virtually no function at all. Whilst without a rug she ran the risk of her feet slicking to the carpet when she got up in the morning. My secret desire is to hire a carpet shampoo machine and tackle their flat but DD claims the carpet would disintegrate if it lost the glue of beer spilt at years of student parties.

One small victory. Dd phoned the water board following another nonsensical letter. The woman looked at her two months of efforts to sort it out and let them off three months of water charges. That and the landlord randomly offering them a new toaster. Its going to be fine.

tobee · 10/09/2018 17:50

Hello again!

Ds still hanging about at home. Not sure when he's going back. Timetable has arrived though. Think he's going to get a shock this year in his private rental as last year he had a cleaner cleaning bath, loos and kitchen in uni accommodation. Also he was about 15 minutes walk from most things on campus but this year more like 15 minute bus ride.

captainoftheshipwreck · 10/09/2018 18:38

Current discussion at home centred around who is going to clean the toilet in DD's new house with 6 sharing. Who will crack first.

tobee · 10/09/2018 18:47

Lol!

HSMMaCM · 10/09/2018 21:29

DD has to clean her own bathroom last year, but the kitchen was al done for them.

She reckons a 30 minute bus journey to the door of the lecture halls is better than a 15 minute walk in the rain from her halls last year.

OP posts:
Xenia · 10/09/2018 21:44

My two go back in about 10 days.

Horsemad · 10/09/2018 22:49

We are taking DS back this Sunday. I am trying to encourage him to start packing...

RedHelenB · 10/09/2018 23:17

Good luck with that Horsemad!

PilarTernera · 11/09/2018 11:28

Mine goes back on Saturday.

No packing as of yet. She did have a big clear out over the weekend. Got a bit sentimental about all her old ballet shoes.

LittleSpace · 11/09/2018 12:27

Still two weeks to go until dd goes back. The packing boxes are taking over one room now.

tobee · 11/09/2018 13:32

All ds's stuff was left in boxes and bags altogether after washing etc but he's moved it about and I'm sure some of it will be forgotten but I've decided tough luck! He'll have to learn from it.

I asked him what things that he needed last year but didn't have in self catering. 1) can opener (not all tins have ring pulls still, of course) 2) big spatula to remove pizzas from the oven Grin Seeing him try to get a pizza out of the oven here I think he thought it would happen by telekinesis Hmm

bebumba · 11/09/2018 19:19

We are taking Ds back on Sunday. He has packed most of his stuff today.
He is really looking forward to the start of term.
We are looking forward to saving money on the food shopping Smile

HSMMaCM · 12/09/2018 07:46

DD goes back Sunday, although she's been backwards and forwards all summer anyway.

Our food bill will rise steeply on Saturday I'm sure.

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 12/09/2018 08:02

HSM, I did a £60odd shop with DD when I took her back, and that was in Asda!

Horsemad · 12/09/2018 10:05

DS yesterday whilst in car with DH en route to overnight stay at a friend's:

'Oh, I've got an email from my halls, saying a payment is overdue...'

DH: 'WHAAAT?' (DS has the money in his account ready & waiting).

DS: 'Hmmm, there are TWO payments overdue...'

DH who was driving had to pull over to discuss.

Seems like DS has probably not completed his bank detail info for the Direct Debit to occur.

Anyway, DH had stern words & has left him to sort.
We're taking him back on Sun - if he actually HAS a room to go back to, that is Angry

ono40 · 12/09/2018 10:33

Hello everyone - where did the summer go? My work list of 'things to do when it is quiet in the summer' is now longer than it was in June!

I need to get back on the whole uni thing after 4 months off. Insurance needs to be sorted and I need to nag remind DS to sort council tax and TV licence. I think someone had a link to the council tax information on here?

bigTillyMint · 12/09/2018 10:57

Horse 😱 though the boot would have more likely been on the other foot it in our house Grin

Not sure about DD and council tax - surely the LL/EA should alert them if it's an issue?

Needmoresleep · 12/09/2018 11:05

Council tax exemption is easy. As long as they only have students living in the house just google the Local Authority and you can usually complete the exemption form on-line.

And then once registered do consider applying for visitor parking permits if the property is in a CPZ. It makes a big difference for loading/unloading. And whilst on the website consider voter registration and bin collection timetables. Knowing the latter will help ensure neighbours are happy.

The big one is wifi. Because DD was collecting the keys in July, I went down with her and mentored her on utilities. Its been a bit of a marathon - as a landlord who has helped o'sea students through the process, it always is. Apply for broadband as soon as you can as it can take weeks, especially if there is a problem handing over the line. (After lots of frustration, and a special trip down to let the engineer in, her reward came this week when lots of her friends were moaning about no wifi.) Also watch out for credit checks. DDs credit rating is apparently good but we got the feeling that broadband and utilities are getting increasingly fussy. So DD is allowed to pay for water by DD but others may be asked to pay in advance.

And if the inventory clerk/landlord did not take meter readings, photograph the meter and email it to yourself. Part of DDs utility maze has been that the previous tenants appear never to have supplied meter readings, did not inform when they moved out or give forwarding addresses. In any event they should know how to turn off gas or water, unless the letting agency uses a 24 hour emergency service.

DD's new car has been to Lidl! The University bus service is not running yet, so she is being asked for lifts to/from sports training. What is nice is those that have asked for lifts have offered to contribute to petrol. We did the sums, based on the HMRC mileage allowance, and the amounts are tiny. But she is pleased money was offered.

Needmoresleep · 12/09/2018 11:07

Not sure about DD and council tax - surely the LL/EA should alert them if it's an issue?

No. Their contract will almost certainly say that Council Tax is their responsibility. A friend of DS' stuck his head in the sand, and ended up with a Court summons. The exemption would only have taken 10 minutes on-line!

bigTillyMint · 12/09/2018 11:12

Good advice NMS! I will c and p to DD Grin
Some of her flatmates are also pretty well organised - one has got broadband and parking permits sorted and another has done utilities, though DD is confused as to why it was £30 For Aug when noone there - think it must just be a predicted amount based on other months.

Needmoresleep · 12/09/2018 11:33

The £30 could be the standing charge. If you look at your own bill there is a fixed charge and one based on usage. Sometimes, mainly wifi, there is also a set up fee. DD has managed to find low cost 12 month contracts for both broadband and utilities with monthly fixed charges. They have had to pay more in the summer months, even when the flat was empty, but will pay less (I suspect from the damp that the flat is cold and hard to heat) in winter. It also means that costs are known and she wont have to chase departed flatmates. One poor flatmate had assumed it was like hall and that everything would be included, so had quite a shock. I may have mentored DD but she is now passing her learning on.

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