Although a relatively small city compared to other county capitals in the UK, Derby is a still a prime location for many students learning a variety of disciplines. The city is host to the University of Derby, which boasts over 300 different study programmes and over 21,000 students in total.
In addition to this, the nearby University of Nottingham operates a medical school in the city, bringing even more students to this thriving area in the heart of Derbyshire. It is little surprise then that student accommodation is much in demand in this city, and that there are many landlords and agencies offering a variety of flat and house shares.
If you are moving to Derby for your studies, chances are that you will rent a flat or a house at some point during your academic career. Here are some tips on the essential services that you will need to seek out as a newcomer to renting in this urban area.
Firstly, it is important to find a reliable landlord or estate agency, and by that we mean one that takes care of its students as much as its landlords. As well as taking into account the price of the property that you are renting, search for an agency that is able to take care of problems that are faced during any tenancy, including broken boilers, lost keys and malfunctioning electrics.
As a tenant you will have many rights as far as repairs go, and your agency or landlord will be responsible for dealing for them and often bearing the cost. It is therefore important to look to rent with someone who is honest, timely and reliable when it comes to solving tenants’ problems.
Regardless of the efficacy of your landlord or agency, any new student to the area needs to make sure that they have the contact details of a number of emergency services in case they suffer from a break down of some essential equipment in the home. As these can be expensive for a student, make sure that you look for ones with student discounts or generally affordable prices.
Finding a good locksmith in Derby is essential, for all those times when you misplace your keys on a night out, or you find yourself locked out of your bedroom after losing a key. Lock outs can be a big issue for students, as frequent moving around campus, town and to part-time jobs can mean items are misplaced easily.
Although there is many a good locksmith in Derby, it is worth expanding your search a little wider, as there are many service providers in nearby cities such as Nottingham and Loughborough who may offer more reputable services and even lower prices for students.
Next, make sure that you have the contact details of professionals that can help you with issues concerning your utilities, including a plumber, a boiler repairman, an electrician and the emergency number of your gas company in the case of a potentially fatal leak. On a side note, make sure that your fire alarm, gas detector and carbon monoxide detectors are all working perfectly.
Although in principle it should be your agency or landlord dealing with these issues, the reality is that they are not always reachable in emergency scenarios or even very reliable at getting things done quickly. It is worth having several emergency repairmen – and affordable ones at that – on speed dial, just for worse case scenarios.
Lastly, you will need to make sure that you have the telephone number of your local police station, as students are often the targets of crime. Although Derby is a city with a low crime rate, being prepared for worst case scenarios by knowing who to call in a real emergency, such as theft or an attempted break in, can be very reassuring.
From finding a good emergency locksmith in Derby to knowing the number of your local police station, there are several steps to take when just starting to rent in the city to give you peace of mind. Although you now have freedom away from the parental home, it can be very reassuring to have a reliable, affordable professional on hand just when you need one.
