Student bills at University: 7 must knows for setting them up

Ah, bills – student bills are possibly the most daunting thing about university. It’s something that you never really had to consider before, and now you’re drowning in bills that you never even knew existed. Also, how do you even start with bills that need to be divided with your housemates? It’s all more confusing than those 9 am lectures.  

Well, we’re here to help, so you can focus on the rest of your University life. Let’s dive right in.  

What utilities do you need?  

Chances are, you’ve never really had to think about what utilities you need. You just have a shower in the morning, plug your phone in, and make your dinner. You don’t have to think about them, now you’re bombarded with student house bills. So, just to make sure you have everything you need, we’ve compiled a checklist  

• Gas and electricity – Not only are these the most important, but they’re also the ones which will rack up the highest bills. Not every house has gas; if it does, you’ll save a lot of money combining them with a dual fuel tariff. Student gas and electricity can be quite pricey, contacting a student bills company will help you to find the best rates.  
• Water – Again, a basic necessity that you really need to make sure that you’ve handled. You can either be charged a set amount each month or billed through a water meter, meaning you’ll be charged for the exact volume of water you use.  
• Broadband – Okay, sometimes this can feel more important than any other utility. Obviously, shop around for the best deal – just make sure that you’ll have everything you need to be included, we all use a lot of broadband.  
• TV license – The BBC and live TV are only legally available if you have a TV license. There are ways to get a partial refund on your bill if you only live in your university house during term time. Also, if you share a bill, the cost will come down.  

 How much do student bills cost when at University?  

Well, it’s quite relative to how much you actually use. Every student’s bills will vary. However, the average for every month is as follows: 

• Gas bill – £11.70  
• Electricity bill – £12.90  
• Broadband bill – £4.50  
• Water bill – £8.40  
• TV license bill – £3 

If you search around, you will be able to find the best student bills packages and deals for your house. If you’re spending more than you would like to be, just search around for ways that you can save money…even if it means cutting back on your usage.  

What is a TV license? 

A TV license is basically just you paying for you to support the BBC programme. This allows the service to remain independent and ad-free. If you risk not paying for a TV license, there’s a good chance that you will be charged with a pretty hefty fine. It just isn’t worth it. Unfortunately, a TV license just needs to make up part of your student bills.

Can my credit ratings be affected as a student? 

We hate to break it to you, but yes, they can be. What’s worse is, even if you pay all your bills on time, your housemates forgetting to pay could still affect yours.  

There’s one way to avoid this – using a bill splitting company. Resooma offers a student bill splitting service, this way your landlord will know when you’ve paid and you won’t be personally harmed in any way. Split the bills, it’s the best way.  

How on earth do energy allowances work with your student bills? 

Well, during winter and the colder months, we all start to use electricity a lot more. It can be a major worry in the back of our minds, we need to stay warm and have the lights on – but what about our student bills? 

You might qualify for winter fuel allowances or other types of energy allowances. Again, it just depends on searching around.   

How can students keep their internet usage down? 

We know, with a mixture of all the work, the Netflix and other various streaming networks. Internet usage and extra charges might just leave a dent in your pocket.  

Check out comparison sites like GoCompare, broadband companies will very often offer deals and packages, with super-fast internet and enough for your whole house. Splitting bills with your student housemates will obviously take the prices down.  

How to stop being overcharged? 

There are simple steps you can take, as a house, to make sure you don’t get overcharged. These include: 

1. Putting everybody’s names on the bills, using Resooma student bill splitting with help with this.  
2. Being mindful of your usage, turning off lights that aren’t being used, heating, and other appliances.  
3. Read the small print, make sure there’s no sneaky little installation costs or early cancellation fees.  
4. Set up direct debits for your student bills, you’ll never miss a payment if you’ve set it up directly.

Conclusion: We hope this helped clear up some of the confusion with your house student bills. These little hints and tips will be sure to help you save money, keep on top of your student bills, and make sure your housemates don’t drag you down.