Your first week: settling in

Moving in is busy, so here are a few small jobs worth doing in your first week. Each takes minutes and saves hassle later.

Check the inventory

Your inventory records the condition of your home and its contents when you moved in. Walk round room by room with it. If you spot anything it misses, such as a mark on a carpet or a chipped tile, send us a note with a photo. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme suggests taking your own photos or videos when you move in and noting anything that differs. It is your record as much as ours.

Find the important switches

• Stop tap (stopcock). This turns your water off in a hurry. It is usually under the kitchen sink, but can be elsewhere in the home or even outside (CCW). If you cannot find it or it will not turn, just tell us.
• Fuse box. Find where it is, so that if a switch trips you know where to look. If one keeps tripping, let us know, as it may point to a fault.

Test your alarms

The law requires us to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are working on the day your tenancy begins. After that, gov.uk fire safety advice is to test smoke alarms at least monthly by pressing the button until it sounds. If an alarm is not working, tell us: the law then requires us to repair or replace it as soon as reasonably practicable.

Meter readings and bills

• Read your gas and electricity meters on the day you move in and give the readings to the current supplier. Citizens Advice says this helps you get an accurate first bill. A photo of each meter is handy.
• If there is a water meter, take a reading as soon as you move in and let the water company know you have moved.
• Tell the local council you have moved in, so your Council Tax is set up correctly.

Keep our details handy

Save our email, admin@rlancaster.co.uk, and our number, 07398 042 999 (phone, text or WhatsApp). We reply in normal business hours. In an emergency call 999. If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. For a power cut, call 105.

Find out more

• Fire safety in the home (gov.uk)
• Moving home: dealing with your energy supply (Citizens Advice)
• Moving home and water bills (Citizens Advice)
• Start paying Council Tax (gov.uk)
• A tenant's guide to deposit protection (Tenancy Deposit Scheme)