Before moving in, confirm your arrival time with your landlord, bring your booking confirmation, and know how to use the 24-hour safety period if anything doesn’t match the listing.<\/p>\n
A few days before you’re due to arrive, reach out to your landlord through Uniplaces to confirm your arrival time. Don’t assume a time \u2014 coordinate it directly.<\/strong> Most landlords are flexible, but they need to know when to expect you, especially if they need to hand over keys in person.<\/p>\n Make sure you have these ready before you travel:<\/p>\n When you arrive at the property, take a few minutes to check the condition of everything before settling in. This is important \u2014 it protects you during the 24-hour safety period.<\/strong><\/p>\n Walk through the property and check:<\/p>\n Document everything with photos or short videos as soon as you arrive \u2014 even if everything looks fine. This creates a record of the property’s condition at move-in that protects you at move-out.<\/p>\n From the moment you move in, you have 24 hours to report any issues to Uniplaces before the landlord receives their payment. If the property doesn’t match the listing in any significant way, act within this window.<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the Uniplaces support team<\/a> immediately if you find a problem \u2014 don’t wait to see if it gets resolved on its own. Share your photos or videos as evidence. Uniplaces will investigate, contact the landlord, and withhold payment until the issue is resolved.<\/p>\n See What Is the Uniplaces 24-Hour Safety Period?<\/a> for the full details on what’s covered and how to activate it.<\/p>\n If your listing includes bills \u2014 electricity, water and internet \u2014 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.<\/p>\n If bills are not included in your rent, you’ll need to set up utilities yourself. Ask your landlord for the current provider details and the process for transferring accounts into your name. In some countries, this requires your local tax number (NIF, NIE, Codice Fiscale).<\/p>\n Once you’ve settled in, take some time to explore. Find your nearest supermarket, pharmacy and public transport stops. In cities like Lisbon, Madrid or Berlin, most areas have excellent public transport links \u2014 download the local transit app before you arrive to make navigating easier from day one.<\/p>\n If you’re an Erasmus student, your university’s international office is also a great resource for practical settling-in advice specific to your city.<\/p>\n If you find a problem at move-in, follow these steps in order:<\/p>\n See I Have a Problem at Move-In \u2014 What Should I Do?<\/a> for the full process.<\/p>\n Contact the landlord through Uniplaces as soon as possible. If you can’t reach them and cannot access the property, contact Uniplaces support immediately \u2014 this is a serious issue and the team will intervene on your behalf.<\/p>\n This counts as a move-in problem. Document the condition with photos and report it to Uniplaces support within your 24-hour safety period. The support team will contact the landlord and work to resolve the situation before releasing payment.<\/p>\n Only if the landlord agrees. Contact your landlord in advance to request an early move-in \u2014 this is entirely at their discretion. If they agree, confirm the arrangement through Uniplaces so it’s on record.<\/p>\n All your booking details are available in your Personal Dashboard at any time. Log in to Uniplaces, go to your Personal Dashboard and select your booking to find the landlord’s contact details, property address and move-in information.<\/p>\n Ready to find your accommodation?\n
What to check when you arrive<\/h2>\n
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The 24-hour safety period \u2014 how and when to use it<\/h2>\n
Setting up utilities and internet<\/h2>\n
Getting to know your neighbourhood<\/h2>\n
What to do if something is wrong<\/h2>\n
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Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What if the landlord isn’t available on move-in day?<\/h4>\n
What if I arrive and the property is not clean or ready?<\/h4>\n
Can I move in earlier than my confirmed date?<\/h4>\n
What if I lose my booking confirmation email?<\/h4>\n
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