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Moving on up - Moving advice thread

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Welu:
I was thinking of putting this in the relationship advice thread but then wondered if this could become a general renters/buyers residential advice and story thread.

Backstory:
My boyfriend and I are hoping to move in together next summer (to avoid clashing with college but we might move sooner or later if we have to). We know we're expecting to pay £400 to £500 (US$620 to 775) pretty much wherever and whatever we move into. We're staying in our town which is biggish by Northern Ireland standards but tiny every where else, population: Less than 14,000.

We were looking at places and he doesn't really care where we go as long as it's walking distance, which in a town this small is pretty hard to not get. I want to be away from my parents as much as I can. I love them and will still see them, I just always thought the first time I moved would be farther than a half an hour walk away. I have reached the point of needing out in my own place though.

Right now, he is earning enough to pay rent and bills just about comfortably. He has a part-time job where he's being treated like it's a full-time job so stressful but a lot of hours. Also he does sort of own a house which he's currently renting out. His parents bought it for him and all the money he's getting from the renters is going right back to his parents to pay them back. Although they're not rushing him for it.
We've discussed moving into that house but then even though technically there's no rent, it mean he's not getting the rent money so he won't be able to pay his parents each month and pay bills.
I am not earning much. Part-time work and full-time student, I get £200/$310 on an average month. I can manage £400 if I take every cover asked but as everyone who's done part-time knows, that's not an easy way to live. However as long as I'm in education and not under my parents roof, I should be able to get student grants (loans I don't have to pay back) of up to a couple thousand. I also have a certificate in Level 2 accounting which even in this crappy job situation, does make it a lot easier to get a full-time job. A lot of small business around here means someone always needs a bookkeeper. Even my own dad was trying to get me to apply for his company and seeing if there was a way I could work it around college. Right now it's not possible but being a Daddy's Girl has it's advantages.  :laugh: So money is the big issue but it's not nearly as bad as it could be.

Actual questions:

Since this will be the first time I'm not at home, tell me everything. What type of contract should I be looking for? What kind of insurance do I need? How, if I can, get the best deals on rates? What kind of fights should I watch out for with my new living-buddy? What skills should I make sure I know before I move out? Is living above a Chinese take-out really that bad?  :psyduck: Whatever bit of knowledge I should know, enlighten me to it, please.

Maybe even just tell me the stories of the first time you lived away from home, whether they're good or horror stories. I want to know as much as I can.  :-D

TRVA123:
here are some of the things I learned the first time I moved into my own (w/ 3 roommates) place (in a US college town, so many situations may not apply):

When you first move in, document everything in the house, take pictures of dents, etc.. bring any and all problems or damage to the landlords attention, otherwise you will not get your deposit back.

get money for bills together at least three days ahead of time.

make a fair yardwork/housework schedule.

never leave food out, don't let your housemates leave cooked food sitting on the stove for days on end.

clean out the refrigerator every 4 months.

frozen food can help you eat fairly healthy on a food budget of $35/week. cooking and freezing food also does this.

to save money on heat, hang blankets over doors and windows.

Lines:
Document ALL damage and pay very close attention to the contract. Some renters do their best to fuck you over, others are awesome. Just be careful! Look up reviews of rental agencies.

Planning meals for the entire week helps you save money, because then you know exactly what you need.

Make a budget and stick to it. If that means buying generics, cutting luxuries, etc. - do it.

Turn things off when you're not home - this helps a lot on your electric bill. Also unplug things you don't use all the time, because many electronics still use electricity even though they're not turned on.

If you live in an apartment building, don't be loud.

If you're looking at an apartment building, try to visit it when people are usually home, like in the evening. (If possible.) Then you'll get a sense of sound proofing in the building and also what your neighbors might be like. You might also have the opportunity to ask people what they think of the place.

jwhouk:
When you put stuff in boxes, MARK WHAT'S INSIDE. And if you have to store something in an outdoors facility (garage, shed, barn, whatever), make sure it is on a pallet or something that is off the ground and not susceptible to getting wet.

Lupercal:
This might be the right thread to ask a small question, then:

I moved in with some new housemates in September, and they're all really nice. The two guys I live with are tidy and clean up regularly. The girl who lives with us is SUPER nice, really friendly kind, compassionate...but she does leave a mess wherever she goes. I feel like a dick saying things to her about it and when I have done, she takes it very personally. She never means to leave a mess - I'm sure its all just a lapse of memory - but she does tend to stay with her boyfriend for a few days and we're then left with the mess in the kitchen/living room (she has a house rabbit too, and it does make a mess when she lets it run around in the living room)

I was just wondering if people have had experience with being extremely diplomatic to people about communal areas in the house. It would be so much easier to snap if she were a total bitch, but she isn't, she's fast becoming a really good friend of mine. I don't want her to think I prefer cleanliness over friendships, but there are lines to be drawn.

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