New city. New room. Start with a clear handover.

Find the provider’s form and deadline.

Ask where to submit the room inventory, who receives maintenance reports and when each is due. A DepKeeper report is a supporting record; it does not submit the university’s form or replace its portal.

Deadlines are not universal. UCL’s current arrival page specifies 48 hours for its inventory. Kent’s accommodation blog describes a five-day process. These are examples for those providers, not a rule for Erasmus students everywhere. Check your own current arrival instructions.

Sources: UCL Accommodation · Moving in · University of Kent Accommodation blog · Room inventory

Give your room a simple identity.

Use a room or property reference you will recognise later. Note the observation date and whether this is arrival or departure. In a shared flat, label your room separately from the kitchen or bathroom.

For example, “my room · desk by the window · front-right corner marked” is easier to understand than “desk damaged”. Include a wider view and the detail. This is a suggested description format; use only what you actually see.

• Look around before covering surfaces with belongings.
• Keep shared spaces in a separate section; do not assign responsibility from a photo.
• Write “untested” if you have not checked an item.
• Count keys and cards by type. Only document meters relevant to your handover.

Use the right reporting channel.

Shelter England recommends checking an inventory for accuracy, photographing existing marks and retaining written repair correspondence. Its guidance concerns England; tenancy rules elsewhere need local advice.

An inventory entry and a repair request may be separate submissions. Kent’s guidance asks residents to report repair issues separately. Follow your provider’s route and keep its confirmation. For language help, ask the accommodation team or international office.

Sources: Shelter England · Checking an inventory · University of Kent Accommodation blog · Room inventory

A short message you can adapt.

Replace the brackets, attach the relevant photos and use the channel your provider specifies. This is a draft, not an automatic message or an urgent maintenance report.

Keep a small handover folder for departure.

Keep the original photos, report, submitted form and confirmation together somewhere you can access later. Avoid public folders containing addresses, access codes or other residents’ belongings. A photo date is not independent verification of an event’s time.

When leaving, use arrival material as a reference and take fresh photos. Count the keys you return and follow checkout instructions. If a disagreement needs more than factual documentation, ask your university housing service or a local adviser.