Location specific-advice

On-campus students

• Not sure when you need to move out? Double-check your contract end date in the accommodation portal
• Clean your room and your communal areas
• Recycle or donate your unwanted items
• Sign out your keys at your college reception

Moving out checklist

Private housing students

If you’re in private accommodation, we have information on ending your tenancy and moving out, including: advice on your deposit, how to prepare for inventory checks and a final checklist to help you on your last day.

Rubbish and recycling

It’s good to start thinking about waste disposal as early as possible to avoid being caught out at the end of your contract period or when you are ready to leave.

However, before disposing of something in your general waste bin, consider if someone else might be able to make use of it. During the year, you may have seen (or kindly used!) some of our big red donation banks on campus - these allow you to donate unwanted items to the British Heart Foundation, and directly support life-changing research. Accepted items include:

• all types of clothes, shoes, accessories (like belts, hats or bags)
• books
• small electrical items (like clocks, fans)
• cookery equipment and crockery 
• toys and games
• and more!

There are big red donation banks at every College (near external bin stores) and also donation boxes at nine laundry rooms. Locate your nearest on campus BHF donation bank.

Off-campus waste and recycling

Look out for British Heart Foundation red donation banks off campus at:

• the corner of Kent Street and Barbican Road
• the junction of Walmgate and Navigation Road
• the corner of Fourth Avenue and Melrosegate
• the corner of Thief Lane and University Road
• Fulford Road near Aldi.

If you’re moving out of a shared off campus house this year, make sure you’re aware of how to correctly dispose of any waste, bulky or unwanted items. Check the dates for your waste collections and other useful waste information on the council’s end of term clear out webpage.

"But will my recycling really make a difference?" 
In 2023, York students helped divert 29.1 tonnes of unwanted items from disposal by donating to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) - that’s 3642 bags of reusable items! These were sold through the York BHF shops, and raised an incredible £50,000 to help power life-saving research. Can you help us achieve this again this year?

Food donation

All Should Eat are running their food donation scheme across the move out period. They collect unopened, non-perishable goods. You can find their regular donation points via this map.  Stay up to date on their move-out period activity via their instagram channel @uoy_allshouldeat.

Can't donate it?

Not everything will be suitable for donation to BHF, however, there are still plenty of options to help clear your waste.

• On-campus students
  If you live on campus, explore the nearby options available to you to reuse, recycle or dispose of your waste - including reading our helpful 'what to put where' guide. 
  
  
• Off-campus students
  If you're moving out of a shared house off-campus, make sure you’re aware of how to correctly dispose of any waste, bulky or unwanted items. You might find that your household waste starts to build up towards the end of your stay, so it’s worth planning ahead and disposing of things you don’t need now. Check the dates for your collections and other useful waste information on the council’s end of term clear out web page.

Storing your belongings

If you need assistance with shipping or storing your belongings, York SU have partnered with Kit Keeper, who offer both short and long term storage solutions at a reasonable cost. Find out more about the partnership, including discount codes available for York students.

Remember that all belongings must be removed from your room / accommodation by the end of your contract date. If you live on campus and have any concerns about this, email accommodation@york.ac.uk. 

Leaving your bike on campus over the summer?

If you’re planning to leave your bike on campus over the summer, you’ll need to let us know so that we don’t consider it to be abandoned. 

Take the following steps to notify us:

1. Go to your college reception and ask the receptionist for a Summer storage tag, fill in the date and year of when you will return to collect your bike.
2. It is your responsibility to secure your bike securely in a bike shed or secure hoop and to make sure it has a Summer storage tag attached to it.
3. If you have any questions please email your nearest open reception.

Finishing university and not taking your bike with you? If you're unable to take your bike home, or would simply prefer not to - we're happy accept bike donations. Get in touch with transport-team@york.ac.uk for more information or to arrange a collection.

Find out more on our Cycling webpage

Post and subscriptions

Remember to change your address on your online shopping accounts such as Amazon, and consider redirecting your mail at royalmail.com/redirection

It's also a good time to review your current subscriptions. Are you paying for a weekly food subscription box such as HelloFresh? Ensure these are cancelled (or your address is updated), before leaving your accommodation.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we hope you have a great summer!