Student bills explained: What do you need to pay for?

When searching for student accommodation, bills might not be the first thing on your mind. But after you've found your perfect home, it's time to really think about your finances and the bills you may need to pay.

Luckily, we’ve put together a list of the bills you may (and may not) need to worry about.

Rent 🏠

We’ll start with the most obvious - rent. This is something you’ll need to budget for. Typically, you will pay in one the following types of instalments: monthly rent, termly rent (every three(ish) months which fall in line with student finance and the start of a new uni term) or annual rent.

Depending on the contract type of the property, your rent payment may cover only that - the rent. However, there are properties which offer all bills included. This means that utilities such as your water, energy and Wi-Fi etc are all included in one bundled up price. Here are UniHomes we do just that! All properties advertised on our website include bills and are part of the rent price stated on your contract.

Bills 💸

Utility bills include gas & electricity (energy), water, TV licence and internet. Although some properties may offer all bills included, there are many that still don’t. This can be more common with private accommodation.

Properties that don't have bills included may also expect you to source a provider for these. However, many properties already have a suggested provider of the utilities, so it is your responsibility to set up the payments with each individual supplier. With this, it would mean that each month (if you have chosen monthly rent) you will make your rent payment, but you will also need to make sure you set budget aside for payments to the utility providers as well.

Water and Sewerage 💧

This bill is simply a charge for the water you use and that your household disposes of in a month (including surface water). This will always be provided by a water supplier in your area. This means that unlike energy, you will not be able to shop around for cheaper rates from a different water supplier. 

Energy ⚡️

Depending on the home you’ve chosen to live in whilst studying, you may need to pay for gas and electricity, or just electricity. Most student accommodations are ‘electricity only’ but there are a few that use gas too. Unlike the water supplier, there are an abundance of energy companies to choose from, so it’s a good idea to compare prices to see which is better for your needs.

In homes where bills aren’t included, keep an eye on when your energy providers are asking you to submit a meter reading and aim to get the details back to them as soon as possible. If you don’t provide a meter reading, the suppliers may predict your usage and you may end up paying for more than what you’re consuming. On the other hand, if you’re underpaying (compared to your predicted usage) you may be hit with a big bill at the end of the year.

With UniHomes, we manage all utilities on your behalf, and these are included within the monthly rent price. You can have peace of mind with us, knowing that if you use slightly more energy than what we’ve predicted for your household, you won’t be charged extra.

If your accommodation is ‘electricity only’ the chances are that you have a dual metre. This is known as the day and night metre, or sometimes “Economy 7”. They expect the price of electricity to be cheaper through the night which is usually from 11pm to 7 or 8am. To save yourself money with this tariff, try doing large energy consuming tasks, such as your washing, in the evening (when they’ve predicted cheaper rates).

Internet 📱

The internet is an essential part of student accommodation. Generally, a lot of your studying may need to be done remotely from your home, and this would be impossible without Wi-Fi. The Internet is another utility which has plenty of suppliers to choose from. When looking for a provider, it’s good practice to note how many people are in your household as this will equate to the number of people who will need to use the internet at the same time.

A basic internet package may save you money in the long run, but if you’re living in a large, shared accommodation, the Wi-Fi may not be strong enough for you all to use it at once. We would always suggest going with the best internet speed available for your household to ensure you have a more seamless living experience. However, there are always other places you can go (such as libraries and even most coffee shops) that offer free Wi-Fi; so, if your house are okay with proactively looking for alternative spots to use the internet, a basic package could be just what you’re looking for and will save you those precious pennies.

TV Licence 📺 

In basic terms, a TV licence is a charge you pay - either monthly or annually - to watch any live streamed TV. For example, the BBC channels, and anything you watch that is not through a paid streaming service like Netflix or Disney+. If you also watch the BBC catch up channel, even if it is through your laptop, you will still need to purchase a TV licence. To check the guidelines and make sure you are breaking the law have a look at the TV Licence website.

It is good to note that if your property comes with a TV provided, then you shouldn’t need to pay for the TV licence - this is part of the landlord's responsibility (but always double check with them).

Council Tax ❌ 

Council tax is one of the most often asked questions when it comes to student bills. Well, we’re here to tell you the good news - students are exempt from paying it! This means that you can completely forget about this charge and block it out of your mind until you graduate and start working.

Managing your bills ⏳ 

Being able to keep on track of your bills - especially if the property is not ‘all bills included’ - can be quite time consuming. If you’re in a shared property this can be even more difficult as you need to ensure you’re each paying the same amount and that everyone is paying on time. It’s even harder if you’re the nominated person to make the bill payments, as chasing your friends for money is not a nice experience and not paying the full amount on time could affect your credit score.

UniHomes are all bills included

If you’re searching for a property with a monthly price that's easier for you to manage, then look no further! We advertise thousands of the best properties across the UK (from trusted landlords and letting agents) and all of them are offered with bills included. That way you know how much your rent and bills are likely to be each month and can budget yourself accordingly.

Check out the fantastic range of properties we have available and secure yourself the perfect student home.