A
female
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anonymous
writes:Dear cupid,i am an eighteen-year old girl who lives in the UK. I have realised that I cannot live with my parents who are extremely unreasonable and so I want to move out. But they do not know this and I'm not abouit to tell them as they would no doubt stop me(they are muslims and are very strict) I am sensible enough to know that usually this is impossible unless you know what you're dealing with. I am starting university in september and plant to work two jobs at a time in order to save up for my own flat(my partner of two years may move in with me so splitting the cost).However, I can't help thinking that I don't know everything there is to know about moving out, how do I find out? i don't know much about tax, mortgages, bills etc (I know this seems bad, but my parents have never told me anything about it, and being quite irresponsible until recently I haven't really thought about things like that) What am I missing? Any insight?thanks
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female
reader, chachacha  +, writes (16 April 2006):
If you are going to University in September, then you are presumably in school at the moment if so, you have no income and simply cannot leave home without getting a job and that would mean giving up school
So if at all possible, please hang on with your parents until September: you've lasted 18 years, just another few months to go - the go up to university, with an allowance from your parents (get it all from them up front) and you can apply for a student loan (your careers teacher in school should be able to advise you about this).
In your first year, you'll usually live quite cheaply in halls of residences, then having left to go to university you just never go home ever again!
It'll be easy to do it, you'll usually find some other friends who are renting, you'll have some money and can get holiday and term time jobs, and you can just say to your parents "I have to work really hard and am going to stay here through the holidays with some others who are working too".
With respect to taxes for any part time or holiday jobs you may do, your employer will sort all that out, and when you go to university they'll explain everything to you - they have good free counselling facilities which you should use. You can also get books in the local library to explain taxes to you and living on your own for the first time.
You won't need to worry about mortgages for another 10 years or so, as you won't be able to afford to buy a house for ages yet.
At university, you'll meet friends who are flat-sharing, and they'll be able to tell you about rents in the area, and about electricity, gas, phone and council tax bills.
Good luck - and do just hang in there for a few months more - it'll be worth the wait.
A
female
reader, Bev Conolly  +, writes (16 April 2006):
 You can sort these things out one at a time, as they come up.
With taxes, you only need to know when you're required to file, a date which will be prominent on your government tax office website. As the reply said, your employer looks after taking your taxes out of your pay, and you can hire a tax agent to help you file your return for very modest cost.
You don't need to worry about a mortgage until you're ready to buy a place, and that's often a few years after you've been renting. Most young adults rent a room, caravan, flat or share-house until they start to earn good money.
Bills come pretty much automatically, when you advise the utility companies that you need electricity, for example. Some places, like phone companies, might require you to pay a couple of months' rent in advance, though if you have a mobile, you probably can do without a landline.
Your first task before moving out is to amass a little bit of money. Make sure you have a regular income, then look in the papers at the cost of renting the sort of place you want to live and try to save at least 3 months of rent on that place, as many landlords require payment of the first month, last month and a bond (in case you damage the landlord's property when you live there.)
You might be able to share a place with one or more friends, which can be much more affordable, and less of a huge step. Ask around with your friends and look at uni bulletin boards for share-houses. You sacrifice a little bit of privacy in a shared-accommodation, but you also don't have to shoulder all the bills yourself.
Make sure that you know how to make and stick to a budget, unless you're very rich, because it's very easy to spend your whole pay on a fun weekend, and then find you have nothing left to buy food, or pay for your phone, or to get you to work.
Congratulations on being mature enough to strike out on your own. It's not that big a deal, though. Try not to set your sights too high, too soon. You'll never be able to replicate your childhood home (complete with broadband, big-screen TV, washing machine, well-stocked kitchen and networked PCs) when you first leave home. But that's OK, because learning to look after your own needs without assistance can be quite a thrill and a great satisfaction.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (16 April 2006): This is a great question and I often worried about stuff like this. Easy answer is - it often sorts itself out. Personal tax is sorted out by your employer. Bills, you need to ring up the various services (gas, bt, electricity) tell them you've moved in. They will then talk you through it all. Council tax / household tax will catch up with you eventually by writing to "the occupant" and you then tell them who you are.
For mortgage info you should go to your bank and they will help you out.
Good luck kidda
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