Find out about collecting belongings when you move out, keeping belongings safe and the contents insurance included in rent.

Safety of belongings

University-managed accommodation is generally very safe.

You can skip to:

When you leave your room, lock the door and shut the window – even if you are only popping next door for a minute.

To help keep belongings safe, you can:

  • mark your possessions with a UV pen (including your name, University and student number) so the police can identify you as the owner should your belongings be handed to them
  • keep a list of any valuables including makes, models and serial numbers – register them at immobilise.com so you can try to recover them if they are stolen
  • note any details you might need if anything goes missing, such as phone numbers to cancel bank cards, phone contracts and to access benefits of your insurance policy
  • have copies of any important documents, such as your passport, and store them separately to the originals.
  • get netting or blinds, particularly for the ground floor, to prevent people from seeing your possessions.

Tip: Never leave your laptop unattended on campus – especially in the library, cafes or study areas. If you’re carrying it around, put it inside a larger bag rather than making it obvious by carrying it only in its case. Back up your work on mobile storage devices or external hard drives. And remember: computer theft or breakdown are not considered acceptable reasons for late or non-submitted work.

Protecting belongings with insurance

If you’re living in University-managed accommodation, your rent includes contents insurance.

What’s covered

Your rent, for both on- and off-campus accommodation run by us, includes basic contents insurance for your bedroom, subject to a number of conditions and cover level.

Checking your cover

Your contents insurance is provided by Endsleigh. It is important to know exactly what you’re covered for, as you may feel the contents cover is not sufficient and that you wish to extend it.

To see the protection provided you must:

Check:

  • what is covered
  • key exclusions and limitations
  • your policy excess
  • how to make a claim, extend and personalise your cover.

How to make a claim

If you need to make a claim on your policy, visit the Endsleigh claims centre.

You must have your policy number and details of the claim you need to make.

If you need more help or advice, email housing@sussex.ac.uk.

Collecting belongings when you move out

When you move out of University-managed accommodation, you need to take all your belongings with you.

Your room needs to be cleared of all rubbish and unwanted items and your key needs to be returned to your residence reception, clearly labelled.

Storage companies

Some companies will store your items at a charge until you are able to collect them. Others offer international shipping of items. These services will cost you money and prices vary, so we recommend you research, read reviews and get quotes from more than one company before deciding which one to use.

Here are some companies that we know offer student storage services:

The University has no affiliation with these companies and cannot be held responsible for any service received.

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