Student Accommodation Bills: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re leaving home for the first time and moving to university, the prospect of managing bills can be daunting. With Seekers, student bills don’t have to be as scary as they seem. We offer hassle-free bills packages for students in Newcastle, taking away the burden of managing your finances alone.
With our bill packages, you can forget complex spreadsheets with a chaotic collection of figures, and let us walk you through the basics. From average costs and setting up bills for your student house, to the benefits of an all-inclusive bills package, our guide has everything you need to know.
What bills will you need to pay when you move into student accommodation?
Before you can start budgeting as a student, you’ll need to know what your student bills consist of. Having a good idea of these expenses will help you work out how much your maintenance loan, grant, or job earnings will cover if you have a student job in Newcastle.
For most students, these are some of the key bills to be aware of:
Rent: Payments made to your landlord that enable you to continue occupying a property.
Internet: Even if you use mobile data for your phone, Wi-Fi will be an essential bill to pay as it is integral for your studies.
Energy: What your energy bills include will vary depending on your property, but you’ll need to factor it in.
Water: If your property is unmetered, you’ll pay a set amount of water per month. Alternatively, you may be on a meter, in which case you’ll pay for what you use by taking regular readings and reporting these to your landlord or property agent.
TV license: If you watch or stream live TV, a TV licence is required or you’ll face a fine. Entertainment platforms such as BBC iPlayer also require a TV licence.
Do students need to pay council tax?
If you’re living in a student house share, your household will be exempt from paying council tax. However, if one or more of your housemates are professionals, the household will need to pay this tax, but a 25% discount will be provided in this scenario.
It’s worth noting that if you’re exempt from paying council tax, you’ll need to inform the council right away so they know not to charge you.
What else might you need to cover?
We’ve looked at the essential student bills you’ll need to budget for, but what else is worth considering?
Household staples: From washing up liquid to toilet paper, the cost of these daily essentials can be split between you and your housemates. Try bill-splitting apps such as Splitwise to keep track of who paid for which items and reduce the risk of arguments.
Food: It might not lead to fine dining every night, but having an idea of the weekly shop budget can help ensure you don’t have empty cupboards.
Contents insurance: Your uni accommodation in Newcastle will usually include some level of contents insurance. However, if you have valuable items such as a bike, TV, laptop or games console, it’s advised that you look into additional cover.
Every individual will have different expenses and priorities. For more advice on managing your outgoings, take a look at our guide on how to manage your money while studying.
How much are the average bills for student housing?
With varying costs of living across the country, it’s no surprise that student accommodation bills vary greatly. According to Money Supermarket, students pay an average of £7,374 for their accommodation in the UK (and over £9,400 in London).
Bills, energy, water, TV licensing, and broadband typically amount to an average of £194.51 per month in the UK, but the exact price will depend on your usage and supplier.
If you’re looking for student properties in Newcastle, you’re in luck! Newcastle is an affordable city to study in when compared to other major cities in the UK, particularly when it comes to renting. Newcastle is also a bustling, vibrant city with so many things to do around your studies.
With an array of friendly and welcoming areas to explore, you’ll be sure to find your dream property. To get a better idea of the types of accommodation available in Newcastle, take a look at our student housing in Jesmond, Sandyford, and student accommodation in Newcastle city centre.
How to pay for your student accommodation and bills?
Once you’ve found your ideal student accommodation in Newcastle, moving in is an exciting time and marks the start of a new chapter in your life. Whether it's a 3 bedroom student house in Newcastle or a flat just for you, you’ll need to have your bills in order.
If you’re sharing a house with friends, one of the easiest ways to sort your bills is for one person to set up a direct debit to the supplier(s). Everyone else must then pay their share to the account holder before the bill goes out each month.
With this method, your household will need to set up direct debits for each of your expenses, which can lead to more admin. To reduce admin and have your bills in one centralised place, we recommend our bills packages for students in Newcastle.
Bills packages for students in Newcastle
If you want a hassle-free experience at university, then proper management companies like Seekers can help with our bill packages. These packages streamline your expenses, providing you with a single monthly bill to pay. As well as offering convenience, an all-in-one student bills package protects you from fluctuating utility costs and makes budgeting a lot easier.
Our student bills packages are designed to help you manage your accommodation expenses in a hassle-free way from the moment you move in. We’ll liaise with your water, energy and TV licence providers on your behalf to ensure that everything is set up and ready to go. All you need to do is pay a single monthly bill and provide us with regular meter readings.
Because our bills packages are set up per person, you don’t need to worry about collecting money from your housemates or joint liability.
What are the benefits of the Seekers' student bills packages?
Settling into student accommodation and getting to grips with your studies is tough enough without adding bills to the mix. Seekers take the burden of time consuming research away by speaking to providers and organising everything on your behalf. With our bills packages, you’ll get:
Total convenience
Gone are the days where you have to chase down providers and spend hours scouring the internet for the best deals. With our package, you’ll make one monthly payment which covers everything from the internet, to gas, water and more.
A seamless moving in process
We want your transition from home to university to be as seamless and stress-free as possible. Our bills package will guarantee this, as everything will be set up for you moving in. Fancy a movie night with your housemates? Not a problem, your internet will already be up and running!
Helping the environment
Every student who signs onto our package will play a part in improving the environment, as The Student Energy Group will plant a tree on your behalf. You can also rest assured that your electricity is eco-friendly.
Student friendly rates
All costs are per person, per week and are added to your monthly rent, making it easy to budget each month.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay my rent in installments?
Yes, it is possible to pay your rent in installments. At Seekers, we hold your rent payment on file, so if you pay your rent in line with your student finance, it is possible for you to pay in bulk installments. Alternatively, you can pay 6 or 12 months up front to cover you for the academic term or year.
What happens if I miss a rent payment?
If a rent payment is missed, we will contact you in the first instance to understand why this has happened. Interest will be payable on any late rent payments where payments are 14 days overdue. Said interest will be payable at an annual percentage rate of 3%, starting on the 15th day after the rent due date. If you continue to miss rent for a prolonged period of time, we will then involve the landlord and confirm if they wish to take legal action.
If you’ve just signed onto a property and forget to pay your second part of the deposit, we would reach out to remind you to pay. Ultimately if you are unable to complete the full sign-up within our 3 week deadline, the property will be put back on the market and you will lose your holding deposit.
What penalties could I face for late payments?
If you are consistently missing rent payments, legal action will likely be taken against you by an agent or landlord. Legal action aside, missing rent payments can also negatively impact your credit score.
What happens if I leave my rental early?
It’s not uncommon for students to realise that university isn’t the right fit for them, and they may want to leave their student property or accommodation for this reason. In this case, you would still need to pay your rent for the full duration of your tenancy (as stated in your tenancy agreement).
Can I get a refund if I move out before my contract ends?
A refund of rent would only be possible if we were able to find another group of tenants to start their tenancy earlier, in which case the current tenants would have to leave the property early. We would issue a new AST (Assured Shorthold Tenancy) with new dates that would need to be signed, and you wouldn’t have to pay any remaining rent.
If you paid 12 months of rent upfront or in installments, you would then receive a refund. This is quite a rare circumstance, as you typically won’t receive a refund if you move out early because you’re liable for the rent for the full duration of your tenancy.
Student accommodation bills made easy with Seekers
When you rent a student property with Seekers, you can rest assured that we are on hand at all times to support you with navigating your utility bills. Whether you opt for one of our student bills packages in Newcastle, or choose to set up your own, our friendly and dedicated team at Seekers are always here to help.
For further guidance throughout your student rental journey, take a look at our Student Hub. To get started with our bills packages today, get in touch.
