How to Help the Environment on a Student Budget

Living sustainably isn't always easy, many changes we could make to our daily habits often involve extra cost, which isn't tenable on a student budget. Of course, we still want to do everything we can to help the environment, which means being thrifty and careful when making purchases. In this blog, we suggest some eco-friendly alternatives to various items that won't break the bank.

 

Water Bottles

Staying hydrated is important for your health, but buying plastic water bottles is not only bad for the environment, but it can also be more expensive in the long run than buying a reusable water bottle. In the UK each year, we use roughly 13 billion plastic water bottles, but 5.5 billion of them will either be littered or end up in a landfill.

For a small investment in a reusable water bottle, you can drink water throughout the day while also helping the environment by disposing of fewer plastic bottles. Plus, you can easily refill your bottle at cafes or fountains in town.

 

Coffee Cups

Many people enjoy getting a coffee to go from their local cafe, but disposable coffee cups can be damaging to the environment. In the UK, we throw away 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups, and less than 1% of them are actually recycled.

 

A reusable coffee cup is a cheap investment which will mean that fewer disposable coffee cups are thrown away. You may even save yourself money by making your own coffee at home.

Straws

Straws have been a contentious subject over the last few years. Obviously, plastic straws are horrible for the environment, however, they are more structurally sound than the paper straws you can get from takeaways.

The answer? Buy your own set of metal or bamboo straws. Metal straws will last you a very long time, and many come with a cleaning brush to help keep them clean. On the other side, bamboo straws are more structurally sound than paper straws and can be composted when they eventually wear out but can be more expensive.

 

Shopping Bags

Using plastic bags is a completely avoidable problem. Most supermarkets offer a reusable bag for life, or you can buy a fabric tote bag from stationery shops. Not only are these better for the environment, but they're also able to hold much more during your shop.

 

Teabags

Not many people know that a lot of teabags contain plastic, which helps hold the teabag together. This also means that the teabag doesn't decompose after use. It's worth spending some time researching plastic-free teabags or instead, making the change to loose leaf tea.

 

Cotton Pads

Cotton pads are useful to have around for removing makeup and general cleansing, but many aren't biodegradable and are just thrown away. Washable cotton pads are available online and are reused easily. 

 

Wrapping Paper

The effect that wrapping paper has on the environment is insidious, as many of us believe that it's just paper. However, a lot of it is backed with a type of plastic or has plastic glitter over it, which means it's can't be fully recycled and doesn't decompose. 

 

As an alternative, why not use brown paper? You can even decorate it by writing on the paper or using a paper label. This is better for the environment and can create a more personal feel when giving presents.

 

Why Choose Unihousing?

Unhousing is a landlord and accommodation provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984. We own all of our accommodation in the student village of Selly Oak, which means we can provide quick response times to repairs using our team of qualified tradesmen. We deal directly with our tenants from our property office on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, just a short distance from all of our student properties.

 

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

 

Contact Unihousing today to find out more!

Student Accommodation: Tips On Getting Your Deposit Back

When your student year is coming to an end, the last thing you want to be worrying about is whether you will get your student housing deposit back. It can seem quite daunting trying to figure out whether you have left your accommodation in the expected state, so here are some tips to get you started!

 

Ensure Rent is Paid in Full

 

Although this may seem like an obvious tip, it’s still extremely important. This is significantly easier if you are living alone, but if you are in shared student accommodation, it’s a good idea to ask around and make sure all of your housemates have paid their rent too. Any unpaid rent will either delay the process of getting your deposit back or subtract from the total. And if you have a Joint Tenancy, you are liable for any unpaid rent, regardless of whether it is yours or not.

Give Your House/Studio A Good Clean

 

As Unihousing owns all of our student studios and houses, we have our own cleaning team to ensure our studios and houses are clean and ready for you to move into. Therefore, we also expect the same courtesy from our tenants. Make sure you don’t miss out on areas like under beds, kitchen cupboards and the fridge/freezer. 

 

It’s also a good idea to spend the time cleaning the bathroom to ensure it is back to the way it was when you moved in. If you do spot anything you do not deem acceptable when you move in, make sure to take photos and please contact our office, so that we can rectify the situation.

 

Repair or Replace Broken Fixtures and Fittings

 

This can be something that catches up with students. Things do sometimes break, whether that’s the fault of the tenant or the lettings agency. When bigger items break like furniture, it’s important that you report it to the office immediately with photos attached. Any broken items that have not been reported will come out of your deposit. Try to spend time fixing or replacing any other broken fixtures and fittings, as this will also take away some of your deposit.

Don’t Leave Any Belongings Behind

 

It is quite common for students to leave behind personal items in their rooms and in the kitchen when they leave, but this will affect your deposit. If there are things you do not want to keep, try donating them to a charity shop, or giving them away to another student.

 

Any items that are left behind will count as a deduction towards your deposit, as our cleaning team will have to dispose of these items. You can also look back at the inventory of the property to ensure that you haven’t taken anything that belongs to the property, or left something of yours.

 

Unhousing is a Landlord and Accommodation Provider near The University of Birmingham since 1984

 

Unhousing owns all of their accommodation to let in Selly Oak, and don't use agents. By owning the properties, and maintaining them using our team of qualified tradesmen, we aim to provide a better service to our tenants. We deal directly with our tenants via our dedicated property office that is located in the student village of Selly Oak, conveniently situated close to our student properties.

 

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

 

Contact Unihousing Today to Find Out More!

 

What Makes Unihousing Perfect for Student Accommodation

 What Makes Unihousing Perfect for Student Accommodation

 

Price and Value for Money

Living as a student can often be demanding on your bank balance. With the cost of groceries, rent and bills all stacked together, this can mean you don't have a lot of money for comforts. Making the switch to Unihousing might be just what you need. All of our university housing is affordably priced, and the price of rent is often inclusive of utility bills and 100Mb broadband. On top of the saving you can make, this will also make keeping track of your finances simpler.

 

Choice and Quality

A letting agency Selly Oak students have relied on year after year, we at Unihousing also specialise in Birmingham student accommodation that puts quality and comfort first. A quick browse of a Unihousing student apartment or any of our studios for students shows that our student homes are stylish and very well-presented, perfect for contemporary student living. And we have also ensured that each property is properly equipped with all the essentials in the kitchen, bathroom and living areas to make your lifestyle as easy as possible. The same is true of our student houses to share; spacious, impressive, comfortable and an ideal way to combine your lifestyle alongside living with a new bunch of mates.

 

Birmingham Students, Selly Oak Student Housing

The final part of the appeal with our student homes is their Selly Oak locations. Not only does living in Selly Oak accommodation give students quick access to several shops, supermarkets and takeaways, but it also makes getting to and from other areas including the City Centre pretty easy too. In Birmingham City Centre you can find plenty to do, plenty to see and sample what Birmingham has to offer, day or night. A great backdrop to your student experience.

 

Unhousing is a Landlord and Accommodation Provider near Birmingham University since 1984

Unhousing owns all of their accommodation to let in Selly Oak, and don't use agents. By owning the properties, and maintaining them using our team of qualified tradesmen, we aim to provide a better service to our tenants. We deal directly with our tenants via our dedicated property office that is located in the student village of Selly Oak, conveniently situated close to our student properties.

 

Unhousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.

 

Contact Unihousing Today to Find-Out More!!