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If you’re flatting this year, chances are you’ll have a great time and meet some amazing people, but the flatting experience can devolve into a never-ending C-grade splatter film pretty quickly.

Here are a few über-simple tips and suggestions to get you off to a good start.

Get yourself some insurance! Might seem like a waste of good dosh that could go on, well, textbooks, but for only a few bucks a week you can save yourself a whole heap of steaming trouble. Did you know that if your dodgy flatmate burns down the house and then scarpers to Zimbabwe, you might end up footing the bill? We’re not talking small time either, so if you don’t have $500,000 lying about, we strongly recommend you ring around and find yourself personal liability and contents insurance. It’ll be the best five bucks a week you’ve invested in your future for a while.

Maybe you’ve moved into your flat that looked good and shiny when you signed up last year but is actually a hellhole. The stove is broken, the fridge has just crapped out and the previous tenants have left mountains of discarded bottles, parts of chairs and other things you’re too scared to explore without protective clothing. It is your landlord’s responsibility to get rid of that stuff and fix your stove and fridge. If they don’t get onto it pronto when you ask nicely, you can give them a legal letter telling them they’ve got 14 days to sort it (Student Support can help with this). Same for stuff that breaks later too.

You’ve invited a few mates around in O-week, only a “few” has turned into 3,000 mates. This is when you need to ask for advice! We’re all part of a community, and we have to hang together for the next year or more in pretty close proximity, so it’s a good idea to look after each other.

If things do get out of hand though, stuff gets damaged or you’re worried about someone who turns into a seriously scary lycanthrope that just goes off after a bit of grog, come and see us at Student Support. We can help with all of these problems, and more.

For more info on your rights as tenants, check out flatting101.co.nz. OUSA Student Support deals with every flatting issue under the sun (and a few from other solar systems). So, if things go pear-shaped, we are just an email away: flatting@ousa.org.nz.

Whole lotta love and happy O-Week xox.