Starting university often means living independently for the first time, either alone or with housemates. In your first year, you’ll likely live on campus, where bills are usually included in your rent. However, when moving to private housing in your second or third year, some agents and landlords will expect you to manage utility bills separately.
At Student Digs we understand the importance of having utilities covered by your rent. This is why the majority of our properties come with utilities included as standard*.
Before choosing your student house it’s important to consider what student utilities you need and whether they are included in your rent payment. If they are not you will need to budget additional to pay for the utilities..
What Utilities are in a Student House?
When renting a student property, you’ll require the same basic utilities you have at home. Your utility bills will cover the costs of these and keep your student home running.
Gas and Electricity Bills for Students
Utilities such as gas and electricity are used for lighting, heating, hot water and cooking. Some student properties only use electricity and don’t have gas connections. So, make sure you know what you need before speaking with your utility company.
If you have to pay student utility bills, look to combine gas and electricity plans with a single provider. This often saves you money and reduces the hassle of managing separate bills.
Student Water Bill
Many landlords and letting agents include water utilities in your monthly rent. If you do need to handle the water bill yourself, it’s usually simple, as there is typically only one water provider per area. For the Midlands including Leicester, Nottingham and Chester the water supplier is Severn Trent.
Student Broadband and Internet
As much as you need electricity and water, the internet is equally important for students. As students, you’ll need Wi-Fi to write those assignments and to watch Netflix on your days off.
Student broadband is typically included in student bill packages along with other utilities, but it’s always wise to confirm this when choosing your accommodation.
Student TV Licence
A student TV licence gives you access to live television and catch-up via BBC iPlayer. When renting privately, depending on what you watch, you may need to buy your own TV licence. If you share a house with others under one tenancy, the costs can be shared between you. The guidance from TV Licensing states: “You don’t need a TV Licence to own or possess a television set. However, if you use it to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch-up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then you need a TV Licence in order to do so.” This guidance may change from time to time so it is important toi stay up to date by visiting the TV Licensing homepage.
Do Students pay Council Tax?
Council tax covers services, such as bin and recycling collection. The good news is households where everyone is a full-time student are currently exempt from paying Council Tax. If you receive a bill by mistake, you can apply for an exemption to have it corrected.
Utilities Excluded in Student Rent
If you choose to rent a student house where bills aren’t included in the rent, you and your housemates will be responsible for managing and paying all utilities. This includes choosing providers for gas, electricity, water and Wi-Fi, as well as setting up contracts to cover your tenancy period. You will need to budget to cover the cost of the utilities and if you live in a shared house split the utilities amongst your housemates.
Managing your own student housing bills can be cost-effective in the long run, but this depends on your usage of utilities. Sharing payments with housemates can also be tricky if there are delays in payments or missed contributions. When setting up accounts you will also need to check any minimum contract lengths to ensure you do not sign up to anything beyond the length of your tenancy.
Utilities Included in Student Rent
As students, it’s easy to leave things until the last minute, which makes having utilities included in your rent a hassle-free option. With bills included, you only need to make one monthly payment to cover your rent and essential utilities. You also don’t need to research utility providers, set up accounts or make multiple payments each month.
Utilities Included With Student Digs
At Student Digs, we understand the convenience of having utilities covered by your rent. This is why all of our student properties are offered with electricity, gas (where applicable), water and broadband as standard*..
This is so that we take the stress out of managing utilities so you can focus on your busy student life.
If you are looking for student accommodation, check out our modern student properties in Leicester, Nottingham, Chester and Sheffield. We offer a range of affordable options for students. Contact us today for more information about our utility options or to enquire about a student property.
*95% of our properties include electricity, gas (where applicable), water and broadband. The exact mix offered may vary by area or landlord so it is important to check on the advert what is included.
