If you are a Sussex resident living in the community, you may like to view the short films to the right which provide tips on:
- gas and fire safety and how to avoid anti-social behaviour*
- recycling and refuse collection in your community*
- why residents love living and working in Brighton*
The University of Sussex is committed to working with our students living in the city to develop effective relationships that could make for good community living. We expect our students to behave well and have a package of support and disciplinary procedures in place, together with members of the Residential Services Management Team frequently attending community meetings and working with a range of partners.
Below are the top ten tips we reinforce to our students:
1. Introduce yourself to your neighbours when you move in.
2. Volunteer in your local community: whatever your interests, talents or skills, there are opportunities for everyone.
3. Respect your neighbours: whether, student or non-student, remember that if you are coming home late, there’s a high probability you’ll wake at least one house up if you are shouting down the street.
4. Love your home: if your landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the house, there’s still no excuse! Let your landlord know if there is something that needs tending to, and keep copies of all your correspondence.
6. Get involved: make sure you’re signed up to hear about community events – be it a forum, a fete, a protest, or a jumble sale. These are all excellent ways to get to know the members of your community, and really start to feel at home.
7. Keep it locked: remember to lock your windows and doors. No-one wants to get burgled, or live next door to somewhere that keeps getting broken into. It’s upsetting, it’ll make your insurance will increase and create an uncomfortable atmosphere.
8. Keep your neighbours in the loop: be sure to let your neighbours know if your house is going to be empty for a considerable period – whether this is you going on holiday, on a placement or on a study break.
9. Find out when the bin day is: it’s the local authority’s responsibility to provide a waste collection service, but as residents we all need to make sure that we help it run effectively.
10. Plan your exit. It’s important to think about how you’re going to leave your house when your contract ends. This may seem like a long way in the future, but this can be one of the most disruptive periods of your year.
For further advice, please contact the Housing Office.
*Please note, the short films noted on this page have been produced by external organisations, not managed by the University of Sussex and we can not be held liable for any content. The short-films are to Youtube postings (25.02.12).