What utility bills should you be paying as a student?

When renting as a student, you'll need to pay your utilities bills each month. To do this, you'll need to assess different options, potentially switch providers, and set up monthly payments. To help simplify the process, we're running through exactly what utility bills you need to pay as a student. 

Essential student bills

There are several bills that you have to pay as a student, including gas, electricity, water, and broadband.

Gas and electricity

It's usually more cost-effective for students to combine their gas and electricity into a dual tariff from a single provider. When you move into your student house, the first thing you should do is find out who the current gas and electricity supplier is for the property and assess their rates. You can then shop around for the best deals. If you decide that you want to change your supplier, you should do it as soon as possible after moving in. Make sure to take meter readings as soon as you move in so you can send them to your supplier to ensure that you're paying the most accurate prices. 

Water 

Water is a public service run by the government, so there is only one water supplier per area. This means you don't need to spend time shopping around for the best deals, which simplifies the process of setting up your student bills. Many properties will be on a standard tariff for water which is billed either annually or monthly. Or, your house might come with an installed water meter which will be read twice a year. In this case, you'll receive a bill once every six months, which will vary depending on how much water you have used.

Broadband 

In a student house, you're going to need access to fast Wi-Fi so you can study effectively and watch your online lectures. It can take a few weeks to get your broadband set up, particularly if you are changing providers, so it's a good idea to do this first. You should potentially even look to contact broadband providers before you move into your new property. 

When choosing a broadband provider, you need to look at connection speed, data allowance and contract length. The standard broadband length is 12-24 months, but you may be able to get a shorter 9-month contract if needed. You need to be careful here and read the terms and conditions carefully, as you don't want to opt in for a 24-month contract if you are only going to stay in your student property for one academic year. 

Optional student bills

If you want additional perks and coverage, you might want to consider paying for a TV licence or contents insurance. 

TV licence 

If you want to watch live TV or catch-up shows on BBC iPlayer, you need to get a TV licence. You might think this is unnecessary, but your licence will only cost around £160 for the entire year, whereas the maximum fine for watching live TV without a licence is £1,000. However, if you're only planning on watching TV on streaming services like Netflix, you might decide that you don't need a TV licence. In this case, you need to declare to TV licensing that you don't need a licence so they won't send you letters or send a representative round to your property.

Contents insurance 

Student houses can sometimes be targets for burglaries. To protect your valuables, like your phone and laptop, you might want to look into getting contents insurance.

Bills you don't need to pay

Council tax 

Students do not have to pay council tax. As long as you and all your housemates are full-time university students, your household will be completely exempt from paying council tax. But you must apply for an exemption to inform your local council that you are students. You can do this by going to your local council website and filling in an exemption form. 

Can I get a discount on student bills?

Unfortunately, students are not eligible for discounts on their gas, electricity, water, or TV licence. However, some broadband providers do offer special discounts and deals for students. 

How can I simplify student bills?

If you're looking to streamline the process of setting up your student bills, you could consider opting for a tenancy with bills already included. Check out our guide to student utility bills for a breakdown of all the pros and cons of each option.

Alternatively, you could opt for a bundled bills package from one of our partners, The Student Energy Group and Bunch. You can browse providers, tailor your package, and then receive the cost of any utilities you need in one simplified monthly bill. When you sign your tenancy agreement through Concurrent, you can choose a tailored bills package during the booking process.