Written by Dena
23 May 2016
Some things can really be a reality check and moving out of your student accommodation can be one of those a-ha moments that hit you only after they’re over. I have been living in a charming studio apartment in Lund since August 2014 and now, almost two years later, I moved out. This was a sobering experience: it means my Master is almost done. I had packed and mentally prepared for this for over a week, steadily and slowly. I was happy about my move. However, once the last moving box was out of my apartment and I swiped the floors one last time, something strange happened – I felt nostalgic for some reason. I remembered the first time I walked in and wondered how to make the 24m2 look and feel like home and now there I was, leaving this makeshift home and moving in to a real one.
It is a strange feeling, to pack up and leave the little nook you called home for two years. It carries a dose of sadness, regardless of how many times I’ve complained about not having enough closet space (of course), or the fact that I had my kitchen in my bedroom, or my bedroom in my kitchen. Such is the life in a studio.
I moved to Malmö and I am very happy about it – hey, I got a walk-in closet and more than one room, and someone to share all this with so I am not complaining at all. 🙂 Besides, it’s like 15min away from Lund, so I come by every day anyway – I love my library way too much not to visit it all day, everyday. 🙂
But we’re here so I can tell you how the process of moving out looks like, because it isn’t just about packing up an leaving. I have rented out my studio from Lund University Accommodation and they have rules when it comes to the upkeep of the place you’re renting, as well as rules regarding moving out. When your contract is close to being over, you will get notifications from LUACC on the following:
It works like this:
1. Cleaning guidelines
Your place has to be perfectly clean when you move out. This may not be the case when you move in – my place was positively horrifying and I had spent 12h cleaning it so I can spend the night there. I guess I was unlucky because most of my friends didn’t have such a horrible experience. It is a bit frustrating to have to clean it well if it wasn’t like that when you moved in, but rules are rules and there is nothing you can do about it. Or well, there is: at the beginning of your occupancy, you give a 2000SEK deposit to LUACC. If you want that money back, you’ll clean. If you don’t, well, don’t clean I guess? I decided to clean.
LUACC sent us cleaning guidelines, a sort of checklist you can see here:
If you do all of this, and your place hasn’t gotten damaged over time, you should be fine.
2. Preliminary Inspection
Someone from LUACC will come to inspect your place before you move out. You have to be present for this and you have to show some identification in order for the inspection to take place. This usually lasts 10-20min, depending on what the condition of your apartment is. They will be very picky, they will look into details, so make sure you don’t miss anything from the list. The inspection will tell you what needs to be done before you move out completely in order for you to pass the Final Inspection and get your deposit back (Like: defrost your fridge!). My experience with the inspection was quite alright, there is pretty much nothing left to do at my apartment anymore.
They will also remind you that you are not allowed to leave any furniture you might have bought in the apartment – it needs to have everything it had when you moved in, nothing more or less.
3. Final Inspection
You don’t have to be present at this inspection. This inspection takes place once you’ve completely moved out and your contract has ended. It usually happens a week or two after moving out, and then you get a notification of whether your deposit will be returned in its entirety or not.
4. Details about leaving the key
LUACC will let you know when, where and how to leave your key, laundry access card and key finder once your contract has ended. It is important that you leave it there latest on the last day of your contract and it is vital that you make sure that you leave the key properly if you are leaving it outside LUACC working hours because it will be your responsibility until LUACC gets a hold of it.
There you have it! It takes some time and work, but it’s not too difficult.
