Protecting Your home from burst pipes (it’s not sexy but it’s better than coming home to find your belongings floating through your bedroom)
Did you know?
The cost of burst pipes in 2010 was £229 million – a 133% increase on 2009 (source Datamonitor). Around £7 million a day was spent on repairing damage caused by burst pipes last winter.
Now that you are hooked let’s cut to the chase with some straightforward advice and simple steps to keep you and your belongings dry this winter.
Get prepared:
- Leave your heating on constant (ie 24 hours a day) during SEVERE freezing temperatures. To save money set your thermostat to a lower temperature (16-18 degrees) overnight or when you are out during the day.
- Find your water main stop tap / valve and make sure you can turn it off with ease. Tell your co tenants where the stop tap is.
- Check outside your property and make sure your overflow pipes (usually narrow white plastic pipe) is not dripping
- If, during freezing conditions, the heating fails or makes loud banging noises, this could mean that a pipe is freezing. Report this to the maintenance team.
When you are leaving your home unoccupied:
- If you plan to go away, whether for one night or more, leave your heating on with the thermostat set to a lower temperature (16 – 18 degrees).
- Isolate the water supply by turning off your water main stop tap (which you have by now located) and opening your cold taps to drain the water in the pipes. It might sound odd but leave your cold taps in the open (on) position even after the water has stopped flowing. This way if you have burst on the water main during a thaw (after a freeze) then the water has somewhere to go!
- Leave the loft hatch open so that warm air can circulate into the loft space (there are often cold water pipes in the loft which freeze because loft insulation is designed to keep heat in the rooms below)
- Ask a neighbour or friend who is going to be around to pop in to check your home whilst you are away
You have a burst pipe, what now?
- Turn off the water supply at the main stop valve / tap
- Contact our maintenance team
You have a frozen pipe, what now?
- Do not under any circumstance use a naked flame to thaw out the pipe. A hot water bottle or hairdryer on low heat will assist in achieving a gradual defrost, always starting from the end nearest the tap.
Posted on December 7, 2011
MOVING OUT MADE EASY
Moving out can be a very stressful and time consuming process. The average student moves out at least once during their time at university, some up to three times and others even more! To minimise the stress involved, we have put together a guide to make moving more organised, less stressful and maybe even fun.
Before we begin, here are some helpful hints and tips:
- Careful planning is essential. It can save you so much time and makes sure you don’t leave anything behind.
- Avoid disposal charges by not leaving anything behind. It will be money you could have avoided spending.
- Your check in inventory, photographs, tenancy agreement and any move-in letters should be your move out bibles and are great for ensuring nothing is left uncovered.
- Take an active role in every element of the move out rather than leaving it to one housemate. Not only is it unfair to do so, but you risk losing your deposit if they decide not to do it properly.
- Some utility suppliers need 30 days’ notice so make sure you leave enough time to notify them.
6 weeks before moving:
- Read your tenancy agreement, inventory and letters sent prior to move out to ensure you have all the guidelines you need.
- Ensure you have your deposit information and repayment ID. Request them again if you do not by contacting the Deposit Protection Service or the deposit protection scheme your landlord used. Find out who the lead tenant of the property is.
- Make a simple plan of what rooms you need to packed up and prioritise the rooms you will need the least towards the end and the rooms that need the most work.
- Make a list of important things that you are likely to forget.
- Make a list of all the rooms that need to be painted, find out what the recommended paint type/brand is and purchase the paint, filler and tools needed.
4-5 weeks before moving:
- Call your gas, electricity, water, council tax suppliers as well as your TV, internet and phone suppliers to notify them of account closing and arrange final meter readings for your final bills.
- Contact the Post Office to inform them of your move and provide them with your new address.
- Start collecting moving and packing supplies. If some of your stuff needs to be stored or shipped, start looking at storage companies such as The Big Space and how much in advance you need to book.
- Check your check out appointment time and make sure you have recorded it in your diary.
3 weeks before moving:
- Start clearing out and disposing of things you don’t need. Anything that can be reused or recycled should be dealt with accordingly. Manchester City Council provides students in Ardwick, Rusholme, Victoria Park, Fallowfield and Withington with student leaving packs. Make sure you receive one for your house and use them.
- Box up anything you won’t need till the end and leave only items you will need for the next couple of weeks.
2 weeks before:
- Fill all holes you have made in walls and re-paint all walls you painted a different colour during your tenancy.
- Clear out all wardrobes, cupboards and other storage, leaving only the bare minimum for the next two weeks.
1 week before:
- Deep clean the property from top to toe.
- Clean out oven and empty and defrost the fridge. From this point, any other cleaning can be done as you go along.
The night before:
- Pack everything you will need in week one of new house in one labelled box.
- Finish cleaning the property to inventory standard using check in photographs as a guide.
Move Out Day:
- Lock all windows and doors and turn of all lights and switches. Do not forget to turn of heating or reduce to a low temperature if in winter to prevent pipes from bursting.
- Check to ensure that you have not left anything behind in the property.
- Hand in your keys at or before specified time or attend check-out appointment.
- Take photographs of the property in case of deposit disputes.
- Check the property inventory with the property to ensure that everything is as close to the inventory as possible with the exception of wear and tear.
After moving out:
- Collate your final electricity, water, gas, and council tax bills and give them to Around Town Flats to start deposit return procedures.
We hope that these guidelines make it as easy to move out as possible. For further information and guidelines, refer to previous blog articles: Delightful Deposit Friendly Decorating and 5 Tips for Claiming Tenancy Deposit.
Happy Moving!
Posted on May 31, 2011
Student Property Recommendation
Recommend a group by asking them to complete the attached recommendation form with their details and hand it in to us. If they take your property, you and your housemates will be treated to a banquet Nepalese meal at the lovely Great Kathmandu Restaurant in West Didsbury.
Terms and Conditions
- Form must be returned in person to Around Town Flats Ltd
- Only applies to student properties listed on the student property list
- Tenancy agreement must be completed and all monies paid by new tenants.
- Around Town Flats is not liable where a prize has been lost or stolen following delivery of the prize.
- Around Town Flats is not liable for any costs, liabilities, damages or losses incurred by a winner. The prize excludes all other cost and expenses. There is no alternative prize. The prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.
- Publicity – Around Town Flats (or any third party nominated by Around Town Flats) may exercise its sole discretion to use the winning person’s name, university and image and their comments relating to the prize for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice or without any fee being paid.
- Data Protection – Information, data (“personal data”) which is provided by entrants when they enter will be held and used by Around Town Flats to administer the prize and for marketing purposes.
- No correspondence will be entered into.
- The promoter is Around Town Flats, 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LF
Posted on April 30, 2011
The Manchester Guide to the Royal Wedding
Friday 29th April 2011 British history will be made with the marital union of Kate Middleton and Prince William. People around the country and the world as a whole will be marking the event with street processions, tea parties and purchasing royal wedding memorabilia.

To mark this event, Around Town Flats has brought you your very own Royal Wedding Guide to get you clued up on the event, what is on TV, and if you want to go out and enjoy the sun, let you know where the best places to celebrate the wedding are. If we cannot be in London to celebrate the wedding, let the wedding come to Manchester!
Watching the Royal Wedding
If you would like to watch the Royal Wedding, there are several ways to do so. YouTube fans can log in to the Official Royal Wedding Channel to watch it broadcast live on Friday morning. On the channel, well-wishers can also upload your very own video message to the royal couple and donate to the charitable fund set up by the couple.
If you would like to venture outdoors to watch the royal wedding, you can do so at The Exchange Square from 8am – 4pm. Ensure you arrive nice and early to guarantee yourself the best seat with the best view.
If you do not have Sky or Virgin, do not worry, the Royal Wedding will be broadcast at 8am on BBC 1 and ITV1 from 8am. For Full Listings on when the Royal Wedding will be broadcast throughout the day, visit UK TV Guide. For all other Royal Wedding shows for your entertainment, visit TV Guide Online where all the unmissable shows are listed with channels and times to make sure you do not miss anything.
Street Parties
Street parties have been a British tradition for a very long time and have been linked with royal events in the past. Take advantage of the day to have your very own street party and get to know your neighbours. For a comprehensive guide on how to organise your own, check out the Street Party Website.
Before you begin planning your street party, make sure you have applied for permission from the council for road closure. The Manchester City Council has kindly waived the fees normally charged for the closure of roads for the event and you can apply by visiting the Manchester City Council website.
If you have missed the deadline for the application, why not attend a street party that is already on. Attend the Northern Quarter Street Party from 12pm until 9pm for swing dance lessons, craft workshops, food, vintage art and many more. Tickets are at the cost of £4 and can be purchased at the event. You can also head down to the Printworks Street Party featuring food samples from their restaurants, free face painting for kids, live music and other entertainment.
Food and Drink
A celebration is never complete without good food and drink. To ensure that you are well stocked up with minimal effort, Marks and Spencer’s has a range of Party and Dining Menus, which you can order online and pick up in store. From cakes to sushi to finger sandwiches, they provide delicious food you can celebrate with.
The Co-Operative has a huge range of royal wedding food and drink deals for your parties on the day. Visit their website for their full range of deals including tins of Roses chocolates for £5.99 only. Twinings has a limited edition Royal Wedding Commemorative Blend, of which you can get a free sample from their website. Woolworths is back online with an amazing range of food solutions to celebrate the royal wedding. From your garden party to the street party, they have everything you need!
Royal Wedding Food has put together a guide on creative food ideas with comprehensive recipes to make it as effortless as possible. You can also purchase royal wedding cutlery and bunting to create a great atmosphere for your guests. The BBC Good Food Guide also has some mouth-watering ideas to get you started.
What else is On in Manchester?
On the morning of the wedding, Harvey Nichols is hosting a fabulous day of celebration in their Second Floor restaurant. For £65 per head, you can enjoy a lovely wedding breakfast from 10am with a selection of delicious breakfast canapés and a glass of bucks fizz while watching the ceremony live. After this, a 3-course lunch will be served with half a bottle of wine per person. You will not leave empty handed either, as each quest will receive a goody bag and a limited edition Harvey Nichols celebratory mug.
In the evening, head to Manchester 235 for “A Right Royal Wedding”, where for £21.50 per person you will be treated to dinner, drink on arrival and you can even learn to play blackjack and roulette! To celebrate while contributing to a good cause, dress up as a member of the royal family and visit the MedLab Fundraiser Royal Wedding Party at 7pm on 28th April. Entry for this event is free but donation is encouraged. Sign up to ensure you are guaranteed a space.
On 29th April, for a few chilled drinks in the evening, call in at Apotheca in the Northern Quarter where for free, you can sample promotional Hendricks cocktails in tea cups with scones and cakes. You can also have your photo taken with cardboard cutouts of the royal couple.
Souvenirs
Harvey Nichols in Manchester has an amazing range of Royal Wedding Souvenir food and drink items including these amazing Royaltea teabags. The Royal Exchange Theatre gift shop also features a range of alternative royal wedding souvenirs.

To purchase souvenirs online, visit the Official Royal Wedding Website for a great range of souvenirs including phone cases, bobble heads, postcards, coins and magnificent royal wedding official china!
We hope these ideas all give you inspiration to make the most of the Royal Wedding. We hope you all enjoy the day.
Good luck to William and Kate and from all of us here at Around Town Flats.
Please note that Around Town Flats is not open on Friday 29th April 2011 but business will resume as usual on Saturday 30th April 2011 from 10am until 4pm.
Posted on April 26, 2011
Safe Summer Living Tips
We’ve had an amazing week of sun in Manchester and it feels like summer is nearly here! Although were excited for the BBQs, Frisbee in the park and garden parties, it is very important to ensure that you and your property stay safe.
With the help of Manchester Student Homes here are our top tips for Summer Safety
House Security
- Keep your doors and windows locked – This seems quite obvious, however, for those who live in student properties with more than one person, it is important to ensure that every tenant remembers to lock the front and back doors as well as all windows, especially bedroom windows.
- Keep back gates locked –If you have a garden BBQ and keep your back gate open for guests, ensure it is locked when it is over.
- Don’t leave open windows unattended –Even If you are just popping into the room next door, ensure that the window is securely shut and locked.
- Be careful who is coming in and out of your house – Sometimes, it is easy to dismiss someone coming in as a housemate without checking. It is important to always check who has just come in to your home.
Fire Safety
- To start your barbecue only use BBQ fuel or firelighters – Using anything else is not fit for the purpose and could be dangerous.
- Liquid fuel – Once your BBQ is lit, NEVER add more liquid fuel as it could be really dangerous.
- Positioning your BBQ safely – Make sure your barbecue is on a safe, flat surface and well away from fences, plants, garden furniture and other flammable items
- Be careful around fires if you have been drinking alcohol – Alcohol consumption increases the risk of accidents occurring – always take care using cooking fires.
- Keep a bucket of water nearby in case of accidents/emergency – It could be very useful in controlling accidents before they get worse.
- Extinguish coals with water – When you have finished cooking with your barbecue, always extinguish the coals using water.
Being Considerate of your neighbours…
- Loud Music – Don’t turn your music up too loudly as it could be quite disruptive and inconsiderate to your neighbours.
- Make sure your BBQs and garden parties end at a reasonable time – This also ensures that your guests are not making their way home too late.
- Tidy away bottles, cans and other rubbish afterwards – Get rid of the evidence of the party to keep your property clean and keep the neighbours happy.
- Inform your neighbours that you are having a party beforehand – This way, there are no unpleasant surprises for your neighbours.
Acknowledgement: Manchester Student Homes.
Related articles
- Best BBQs (moneysupermarket.com)
Posted on March 28, 2011
Student Property of the Week Offer
This week, Around Town Flats are giving you a chance to win your first food shop for the week in your new home in conjunction with our student property of the week (POTW).
If you decide to rent our student property of the week during the week it is advertised and your first weeks’ shop is on us! Property of the week will be advertised every week on the printed property lists in store as well as on the home page of our website www.aroundtownflats.com.
Keep an eye on our website and property list each week for more details, our student house of the week could be your perfect home for the next academic year!
Terms and Conditions
- This offer is open to all current university students in the Manchester area.
- Holding fees and admin fees must be placed on the property within one week of advertisement.
- The prize is a different prize every week, advertised on printed property lists in Around Town Flats window.
- The prize may be collected from 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield M14 6LF by the winner by arrangement with Around Town Flats.
- Around Town Flats is not liable where a prize has been lost or stolen following delivery of the prize.
- Around Town Flats is not liable for any costs, liabilities, damages or losses incurred by a winner. The prize excludes all other cost and expenses. There is no alternative prize. The prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.
- Publicity – Around Town Flats (or any third party nominated by Around Town Flats) may exercise its sole discretion to use the winning person’s name, university and image and their comments relating to the prize for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice or without any fee being paid.
- Data Protection – Information, data (“personal data”) which is provided by entrants when they enter will be held and used by Around Town Flats to administer the prize and for marketing purposes.
- No correspondence will be entered into.
- The promoter of the competition is Around Town Flats, 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LF
Posted on March 5, 2011
STUDENT PROPERTY VIEWINGS FEEDBACK OFFER
Looking for a student property for the next academic year? Have had a lot of viewings and still can’t seem to find the perfect house? Give us your feedback on what you think of your properties. We at Around Town Flats love feedback as it helps us to improve our properties and our service to benefit you as our valued customers.
Arrange a viewing for any of our student properties between Monday 7th March 2011 and Saturday 12th March 2011, complete our feedback survey online or in our office and be entered in a draw to win a banquet meal for you and your housemates (groups of up to 6 people) at the lovely Nepalese restaurant Great Kathmandu in West Didsbury.
If you then go further to take one of our student properties after giving feedback, you will also be entered into a draw to win an LCD TV for your house!
Our property lists are available on our website www.aroundtownflats.com as well as in store at our office at 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M20 3EX, across the road from the Owens Park Halls of Residence.
Pop in to see us or give us a call!
Terms and Conditions
- This competition is open to all current university students in the Manchester area.
- The first correct entry drawn at random from all eligible entries will be the winner of the prize and will be notified via email within one week of the closing date.
- The prize is a plasma TV for the chosen house.
- The prize will remain property of Around Town Flats Ltd.
- All full holding fees and admin fees must be paid for the property to be entered into the draw.
- The prize may be collected from 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield M14 6LF by the winner by arrangement with Around Town Flats.
- Around Town Flats is not liable where a prize has been lost or stolen following delivery of the prize.
- Around Town Flats is not liable for any costs, liabilities, damages or losses incurred by a winner. The prize excludes all other cost and expenses. There is no alternative prize. The prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.
- Publicity – Around Town Flats (or any third party nominated by Around Town Flats) may exercise its sole discretion to use the winning person’s name, university and image and their comments relating to the prize for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice or without any fee being paid.
- Data Protection – Information, data (“personal data”) which is provided by entrants when they enter will be held and used by Around Town Flats to administer the prize and for marketing purposes.
- No correspondence will be entered into.
- One entry per group per property.
- The promoter of the competition is Around Town Flats, 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LF
Posted on March 5, 2011
TOP SIX QUICK AND EASY RECIPES
While some are gifted in the kitchen, others (like us) may not exactly up and coming Jamie Olivers or Delia Smiths! However, this shouldn’t stop you from faking it to your mates with some easy recipes that look impressive.
Try some of the following recipes. They’re a great way to win favour by cooking for your housemates and you can always blag meals off them in the future.
Soup
You can make nearly anything into soup. Start by frying some onions (possibly also some garlic if you’re feeling adventurous). Choose a vegetable; my favourite is tinned tomatoes because they’re cheap. Add water and a couple of chicken (or veg) stock cubes ….and there you have it, homemade soup!
Tip:
You won’t need salt because of the stock cubes but add pepper, paprika, spicy sauce or herbs to your taste.
Whole baked Camembert (good for sharing)
Buy a whole Camembert, take it out of the plastic packaging but put it back into the wooden box. Make slits in the top of the cheese with a knife. Then pour on a bit of white wine and garlic. (If you are too skint for the white wine and garlic the cheese is just as good on its own).
Finally bake the cheese in the oven for 10-15 minutes and serve with some delicious crusty dread for dipping.
Thai chicken curry
Start the dish in the same way as the soup with onions and garlic. Stir in a couple of teaspoons of Thai green curry paste and then pour in some coconut milk (which you can buy tinned). Finally add some fried chicken (you can use any meats as an alternative or even add in cheap white frozen fish. You can boil this straight from frozen and there is no need to defrost). Serve this tasty homemade curry with rice.
Tuna rice dish
Cook some rice and drain it in a sieve. Put the rice back in the saucepan and add about ½ pint of chicken (or veg) stock. Then add peas, tinned tuna and fried onions. Or whatever you can find in your cupboard like sausages, bacon or cheese. Keep simmering the liquid until it thickens- and you’re done. This is a very much a just before student loan/pay day meal. It’s a favourite for being great on the pocket as well as the stomach.
Yoghurt cake
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s measured in 1 yoghurt pot. You use the yoghurt from the pot and then use the pot to measure the rest of the ingredients. It stops more mess and saves you having to buy scales. The oil in the cake makes it really moist too. For different flavours use different yoghurt varieties. As an alternative try plain yoghurt and some instant coffee mixed with a small amount of water for coffee cake.
Recipe:
1 yoghurt
2 yoghurt pots of caster sugar
3 yoghurt pots of self-raising flour
1 yoghurt pots of sunflower oil
3 eggs
Mix all ingredients in a bowl then pour into a lined cake tin and bake for at 180 for 40 minutes or until cooked. (You can tell if a cake is cooked by sticking the point of a sharp knife through the deepest part and if comes out clean, it’s cooked)!
Lemon Posset
This dessert is the best for making all your friends think you’re an amazing cook. Put 500ml heavy/double cream into a pan with 3 lemons (juiced, zest removed and cut into strips). You can remove the zest with a potato peeler or a knife if you don’t have a lemon zester. Bring the cream and lemons to a very gentle boil for about 5 minutes and then remove from the heat, leaving it for 30mins so the cream takes on the lemon taste.
Strain the cream to remove the large lemon pieces then return it to the pan adding 1 tbsp honey (or sugar if you don’t have honey) Simmer this mixture gently for 5 minutes until the cream starts to thicken. After this has cooled down a bit pour it into ramekins or wine glasses and put it in the fridge. Serve this with shortbread or fruit.
We hope that these recipes have inspired you to try something different. If not, there’s always good old beans on toast! Let us know how it goes, we would love to hear from you!
Posted on March 5, 2011
Student Property of the Week Offer
This week, Around Town Flats are giving you a chance to win your first food shop for the week in your new home in conjunction with our student property of the week (POTW).
If you decide to rent our student property of the week during the week it is advertised and your first weeks’ shop is on us! Property of the week will be advertised every week on the printed property lists in store as well as on the home page of our website www.aroundtownflats.com.
Keep an eye on our website and property list each week for more details, our student house of the week could be your perfect home for the next academic year!
Terms and Conditions
- This offer is open to all current university students in the Manchester area.
- Holding fees and admin fees must be placed on the property within one week of advertisement.
- The prize is a different prize every week, advertised on printed property lists in Around Town Flats window.
- The prize may be collected from 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield M14 6LF by the winner by arrangement with Around Town Flats.
- Around Town Flats is not liable where a prize has been lost or stolen following delivery of the prize.
- Around Town Flats is not liable for any costs, liabilities, damages or losses incurred by a winner. The prize excludes all other cost and expenses. There is no alternative prize. The prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.
- Publicity – Around Town Flats (or any third party nominated by Around Town Flats) may exercise its sole discretion to use the winning person’s name, university and image and their comments relating to the prize for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice or without any fee being paid.
- Data Protection – Information, data (“personal data”) which is provided by entrants when they enter will be held and used by Around Town Flats to administer the prize and for marketing purposes.
- No correspondence will be entered into.
- The promoter of the competition is Around Town Flats, 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LF
Posted on March 2, 2011
Arrange a Viewing for one of our student properties, give us feedback and you could win a Nepalese Banquet Meal for you and your housemates!
Looking for a student property for the next academic year? Have had a lot of viewings and still can’t seem to find the perfect house? Give us your feedback on what you think of our properties. We love feedback at Around Town Flats as it helps us to improve our properties and our service to benefit you as our valued customers.
Arrange a viewing for any of our student properties between Monday 7th March 2011 and Saturday 12th March 2011, complete our feedback survey online or in our office and be entered in a draw to win a banquet meal for you and your housemates (groups of up to 6 people) at the lovely Nepalese restaurant Great Kathmandu in West Didsbury.
If you then go further to take one of our properties after giving feedback, you will also be entered into a draw to win an LCD TV for your house!
Our property lists are available on our website www.aroundtownflats.com as well as in store at our office at 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M20 3EX, across the road from the Owens Park Halls of Residence.
Pop in to see us or give us a call!
Terms and Conditions
- This competition is open to all current university students in the Manchester area.
- The first correct entry drawn at random from all eligible entries will be the winner of the prize and will be notified via email within one week of the closing date.
- The prize is a banquet meal for up to 6 housemates at the lovely Great Kathmandu Restaurant in West Didsbury.
- The prize may be collected from 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield M14 6LF by the winner by arrangement with Around Town Flats.
- Around Town Flats is not liable where a prize has been lost or stolen following delivery of the prize.
- Around Town Flats is not liable for any costs, liabilities, damages or losses incurred by a winner. The prize excludes all other cost and expenses. There is no alternative prize. The prize is non-changeable and non-transferable.
- Publicity – Around Town Flats (or any third party nominated by Around Town Flats) may exercise its sole discretion to use the winning person’s name, university and image and their comments relating to the prize for promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice or without any fee being paid.
- Data Protection – Information, data (“personal data”) which is provided by entrants when they enter will be held and used by Around Town Flats to administer the prize and for marketing purposes.
- No correspondence will be entered into.
- One entry per group.
- The promoter of the competition is Around Town Flats, 208 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LF
Posted on March 2, 2011





