Resources for Setting up a Home
Accommodation Service disclaimer
If you are setting up a home for the first time you will probably need to buy or rent furniture and other household goods, and arrange to have utilities such as electricity, gas and telephone connected:
- Second Hand furniture and charity shops
- Inexpensive Furniture Shops
- Garage sales
- Furniture Hire
- Utility Connection
Setting up a home can be expensive. The University may be able to provide some financial assistance to help you pay your bond and other expenses associated with moving house, and setting up a home. You also may be interested in preparing a money plan to help you manage your finances on an on-going basis:
If you are trying to decide where to live, or are unfamiliar with the area around your new home, you may find the following resources helpful:
- Getting around: Public transport information and on-line maps
- What is Sydney like? Suburb descriptions near the University Campuses
If you are unfamiliar with living in rental or share accommodation, the following services provide essential information about your rights and responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act.
If you are moving between properties, getting a new housemate into your home, or needing to claim your rental bond, you can find the necessary form here:
If you need advice about how to manage a tenancy matter, free legal advice is available to all students:
Second Hand furniture and charity shops
The Camperdown and Darlington campuses area is well serviced by second-hand furniture shops, where you can sometimes find inexpensive furniture and household goods. Many are run by charitable organisations and sell donated items.
On occasion, furniture rental businesses sell used rental furniture at reduced prices.
We list the following shops and rental outlets as a starting point only. We advise you to compare the furniture on offer in a range of businesses to find the best quality and prices.
St Vincent De Paul Society Shops (Vinnies Centres)
The St Vincent De Paul Society Website lists most Vinnies Centres in the Sydney area. Note, some Vinnies Centres do not sell furniture, but do sell second hand household goods, such as crockery and cutlery. Those close to University of Sydney campuses are:
- Redfern
317 Cleveland Street Redfern 2016
Phone: 9698 3594 - Glebe
179 Glebe Point Road Glebe 2037
Phone: 9552 6031 - Newtown
187 King Street Newtown 2042
Phone: 9557 1996 - Marrickville
113 Marrickville Road Marrickville 2204
Phone: 9569 3000 - Rozelle
683 Darling Street Rozelle 2039
Phone: 9810 3453 - Burwood
143 Burwood Road Burwood 2134
Phone: 9745 3744 - Lidcombe
5 Church Street Lidcombe 2141
Phone: 9649 9902
Salvation Army Shops (Salvos stores)
The Salvation Army website lists all the Salvo stores in the Sydney area. Salvos stores close to University of Sydney campuses are:
- Glebe Salvos Store
265 The Broadway GLEBE NSW 2037
Ph. 9552 2589 - St Peters Salvos Store
7 Bellevue Street ST PETERS NSW 2044
Ph. 9519 1513 - Ashfield Salvos Store
554 Parramatta Road ASHFIELD NSW 2130
Ph: 9716 0379 - Bondi Junction Salvos Store
20 Spring Street BONDI JUNCTION NSW 2022
Ph: 9387 2315 - Rozelle Salvos Store
686 Darling Street ROZELLE NSW 2039
Ph: 9555 2497 - Bankstown Salvos Store
83-89 North Terrace BANKSTOWN NSW 2200
Ph: 9793 9857
Other second hand stores close to the Camperdown and Darlington campuses include:
- The Bower Re-use and Repair Co-op Community Centre
Building 34, 142 Addison Road Marrickville NSW 2204
Phone: 9568 6280
Email: info@Bower.org.au
Website: http://bower.org.au/ - Trash Converters Recycled Bargains
45 Parramatta Road Annandale NSW 2038
Phone: 9517 2711 - Annandale's Old Furniture
51 Parramatta Road Annandale NSW 2038
Phone: 9519 6935 - Dellis Furniture
656 Crown Street Surry Hills NSW 2010
Phone: 9319 7518, and
626 King Street Newtown NSW 2042
Phone: 9519 2169
Many more shops are listed in the Yellow Pages telephone directory under "Furniture-secondhand" and "Hire-Household Appliances and Furniture".
Inexpensive Furniture Shops
Freedom Furniture
Corner South Dowling Street and Todman Ave Moore Park 2016
Phone: 9313 8211
Garage sales
Garage sales can also be good places to find inexpensive household items:
Garage Sales
Garage sales and auctions are often advertised in local free newspapers, which you can find in piles outside newsagents and convenience stores. You could also check:
"The Trading Post"
Sydney Morning Herald
Furniture Hire
There are a number of companies that will rent furniture items or whole packages either on a short-term or a long-term basis. When you arrive in Sydney, furniture hire can be useful until you are able to save and look for all the items you need for your new home:
- PABS Furniture Rental
5 Pyrmont Bridge Road Camperdown NSW 2050
Phone: 9550 2244 - Ben's Rent-a-Centre
96 Maroubra Road, Maroubra NSW 2035
Phone: 9349 4077 - Renta Centre
Broadway Shopping Centre Bay Street Broadway NSW 2007
Phone: 9211 8850 - Valiant Hire Residential
863 Bourke Street Waterloo NSW 2017
Phone: 9310 1666 - Living Edge Rental
Utility Connection
Utility Connection
This link is for a free, easy and convenient utility connection service
Fast Connect
You may prefer to research the utility provider you wish to connect with.
Electricity supply
You can expect to pay a bond when you are connecting electricity. This will be approximately $120.
AGL
Energy Australia
Gas supply
You can expect to pay a bond when you are connecting to a gas supply. This will be approximately $100.
Energy Australia
AGL
Kleenheat
Speed-e-gas
Water supply
Sydney Water
Phone connection
You can expect to pay a $59 connection fee if there is a phone line and socket already there. You will pay $125 where there was a previous phone line and the technician needs to visit to re-establish the line. You can expect to pay $299 (from April 1st 2006) for a new telephone connection where there has not been a previous connection.
Accommodation Service disclaimer
Inclusion on this website:
- -is not an endorsement by the Accommodation Service of a particular accommodation provider, organisation, or website.
- -is not a warranty as to the suitability or condition of any accommodation listed. The Accommodation Service does not inspect any of the accommodation listed on its website or database. It is up to students to make their own inquiries about the suitability and condition of accommodation.
- If you have a comment, compliment or complaint that you would like to make about any accommodation advertised through the Accommodation Service, please contact the Accommodation Service via email or on 9351 8686.
