What now?

  • When you first move into the property a few things need to be checked:
  • Locate the gas and electricity meters. Contact the utilities to organise meter readings and keep a note of the readings for yourself. This prevents you paying for previous tenants.
  • Locate the fuse box, stop taps and how to turn off the water/gas and electricity.
  • Check firealarms are installed and work.
  • If the house has a security alarm make sure you use it! If you don't you could invalidate the landlord's house insurance and your belongings insurance.
  • Ask for the gas safety certificate - it's a legal requirement.
  • Register with a local GP and dental surgery and keep the numbers to hand.
  • Take out insurance for your personal property.
 
 

If you live on a street with resident parking only you will need to apply for a permit and display it or you will get a ticket. To get a resident parking permit you will need to provide two things:

Photocopy of proof of vehicle ownership e.g. Valid insurance policy or V5 Vehicle Registration Document

Photocopy of proof of residency e.g. Tenancy agreement, bank statement or utility bill from last 3 months.

The charges for the number of vehicles you want to register for a permit are below. You can also apply for a visitors’ permit which can be used for any car, it does not have to be registered to the property. However, these are limited to one per household or one per flat.

CHARGES:

1st car £5 per year

2nd car £30 per year

3rd car £45 per year

4th car or more £60 per year each

You can apply for a permit by sending a covering letter (stating name, address and telephone number) , stamped self addressed envelope and cheque made payable to ‘Cardiff County Council’ for the relevant amount to Resident Parking Permits , Room 301, County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW . OR you can go to same address in person and they will issue the pass then and there. They are open Mon- Thursday 8.30-5pm and Friday 8.30-4.30pm.

If you have any queries, you can call the office directly on 02920872778 or visit the Cardiff Council website
     

COUNCIL TAX

Whenever you move house you will need to register this with Cardiff Council even if you are a student. Once registered you mayreceive a bill. ‘But I’m a student, I don’t pay!’ I hear you cry. This is true for full time students, but you have to go through 3 steps to be made exempt from paying Council Tax.

Get a student exemption certificate from your university/college. They’ll know what it is!

Send this certificate to Cardiff Council with a covering letter giving your name, address and account number (it will be on the bill that you soon won’t have to pay).

Send to: The Council Tax Department, PO BOX 9000, CF10 3WD

You will either receive a new bill showing that you are exempt from paying Council Tax for the dates on the certificate provided or, if you live with people who are non students, they will receive a new bill without your name included. If it runs out after a year, you will need to get a new one to continue the exemption the following year.

It is as easy as 1,2,3! However, if you don’t follow these simple steps you will be liable to pay!

If you have any problems, feel free to give Cardiff Council a call on 02920872087 or visit their website