Before moving in, confirm your arrival time with your landlord, bring your booking confirmation and ID, and have ready any payments stated on the listing that your landlord collects directly — such as the security deposit or an admin fee. When you arrive, check the property against the listing: you have 24 hours from your move-in date to report to Uniplaces anything that is materially different.
Before move-in day
A few days before you’re due to arrive, contact your landlord to confirm your arrival time — their phone number and email address are in your booking confirmation email. Don’t assume a time; agree it directly, especially if they hand over keys in person.
Make sure you have these ready before you travel:
- Your Uniplaces booking confirmation email — it has your landlord’s contact details, the property address and your booking reference. Keep it saved on your phone or printed.
- A valid passport or ID
- Any documents your landlord requested — proof of enrolment, tax number, references or guarantor details. Once your booking is confirmed, it’s your responsibility to provide anything the landlord requires.
What you pay your landlord directly — and what you don’t
Your first rental payment, the Uniplaces service fee and, where the listing has one, the holding deposit were paid through the Uniplaces checkout when the landlord accepted your request. Nobody should ever ask you to pay these again, by bank transfer, cash or to a personal account.
Everything else is paid directly to your landlord — never through Uniplaces. Depending on the listing, this can include the security deposit, an admin fee, a cleaning fee, rent paid in advance (for example the last month’s rent), and your rent from the second month onwards. The listing you booked sets out which of these apply and how much they are. Some landlords ask for them before your move-in date, others on move-in day; both are normal.
Any payment to your landlord is legitimate as long as it is stated on the listing you booked and your booking is already confirmed. If it isn’t on the listing, or the amount is higher, contact Uniplaces support before paying.
Uniplaces does not hold your security deposit and is not part of any deposit protection scheme — see How Does the Security Deposit Work on Uniplaces?
What to check when you arrive
When you arrive at the property, take a few minutes to check the condition of everything before settling in. This is what your 24-hour Safety Period — the 24 hours after your move-in date in which you can report problems to Uniplaces, explained below — is for.
Walk through the property and check:
- Room type and size — does it match the listing description?
- Furniture and appliances — is everything listed actually there and working?
- Bathroom — private or shared, as stated on the listing?
- Common areas — in the condition described?
- Any pre-existing damage — marks on walls, broken fixtures, worn furniture
Listing photos and videos are a guide, not an exact representation — compare what you find with the written description and rental conditions too. Document everything with photos or short videos as soon as you arrive, even if everything looks fine: this is your evidence during the Safety Period and your record of the property’s condition when you move out.
The 24-hour Safety Period — how and when to use it
Uniplaces holds your first rental payment and transfers it to the landlord within two business days of the move-in date, once the 24-hour Safety Period has passed without a help request. If the property is materially different from the listing, cannot be accessed, or it was not legal for the landlord to let it (invalid advertisement), you have 24 hours from the move-in date in your booking confirmation to report it — not from the moment you arrive.
Raise the problem with your landlord first. If it isn’t resolved, send a written claim to Uniplaces within the 24 hours — do not wait for the landlord past the deadline — via the Help Center contact form or customercare@uniplaces.com — with your booking reference, a description of the problem, your photos or videos, and proof of your ID. Uniplaces holds the payment while it reviews the case and releases it once the review is complete. Whether a difference is material is decided by Uniplaces at its discretion; minor differences in location or surroundings are not covered.
See What Is the Uniplaces 24-Hour Safety Period? for full details.
Utilities and internet
If your listing includes bills — electricity, water and internet — these are managed by the landlord or property operator and should be active when you arrive. If anything isn’t working on move-in day, contact your landlord directly first.
Getting to know your neighbourhood
Download the local transit app before you arrive. Once you’ve settled in, find your nearest supermarket, pharmacy and public transport stops. If you’re an Erasmus student, your university’s international office is a useful source of practical settling-in advice for your city.
When to contact Uniplaces support
- You cannot reach your landlord and cannot access the property on your move-in date
- The property is materially different from the listing and the landlord has not fixed it
- Your landlord asks for a payment that isn’t stated on the listing you booked, or for more than the listed amount
- You’ve been asked to pay your first rental payment or the service fee again, outside the Uniplaces checkout
Frequently asked questions
What if the landlord isn’t available on move-in day?
Contact your landlord as soon as possible using the phone number in your booking confirmation email. If you can’t reach them and cannot access the property, send a claim to Uniplaces support within 24 hours of your move-in date — inaccessible accommodation is one of the situations the Safety Period covers. Uniplaces will contact the landlord and hold your first rental payment while it reviews the case.
What if I arrive and the property is not clean or ready?
Tell your landlord straight away and give them the chance to sort it out. If the condition makes the property materially different from the listing — for example it is uninhabitable — document it with photos and send a claim to Uniplaces within 24 hours of your move-in date. Whether it counts as a material difference is decided by Uniplaces at its discretion; minor wear and tear is not covered.
My landlord wants the deposit or admin fee before I move in — is that normal?
Yes, as long as your booking is confirmed and the payment is stated on the listing you booked. Some landlords collect the security deposit, admin fee or rent in advance before the move-in date; others on move-in day. Check that the amount matches the listing; if it isn’t on the listing, or the amount is higher, contact Uniplaces support before paying. See What Is the Admin Fee?
Can I move in earlier than my confirmed date?
Only if the landlord agrees — ask them in advance. The arrangement is between you and them, and your 24-hour Safety Period still runs from the move-in date in your booking confirmation.
What if I lose my booking confirmation email?
Your booking details are available in your Uniplaces account at any time. Log in and go to your Personal Dashboard to find the landlord’s contact details, property address and move-in information.