Help! What to do about your tenants’ utility bills?

Are you a property business looking to let accommodation to students? It’s definitely a rewarding industry to be part of, however, it’s not without its fair share of obstacles. One of which will probably be your business utilities: yes, managing your students’ bills can be an absolute nightmare.

From getting the best prices, to the fastest speed of broadband for students, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to renting a house out. While it’s common to leave it all for tenants to sort out, 74% of students actually prefer to rent houses which offer bills included. In order to make your house look the most attractive it can be, it’s best to get clued up on which business utilities you’ll need to organize, if you wish to go down this avenue.

Ok, but what are utility bills? Or more precisely, what are the most important utility bills I need to sort out for my student house?

• Gas & Electricity

You’re going to want to find a good provider with fair prices. Remember that your students will probably only be in the accommodation for a maximum of 10 months of the year; you don’t want to be paying when the house is unoccupied over the summer. Also keep in mind that your students will want to pay for the energy they’re using, and not a penny more – this could be a deal breaker with some providers.

• Broadband for students

Remember that your house or flat will most likely have more than one tenant, which means that good broadband for students is a must. There could be anywhere from one to twenty devices connected at one time, all streaming and downloading films and TV series. For this reason, you’ll need a reliable company who has experience providing for students (maybe even one that won’t charge line rental), and preferably at the lowest possible price. After all, you don’t want to be on the phone constantly having to deal with internet problems!

• Water

This one should be the easiest to sort out, but be sure to get a water meter reading as soon as the first student moves into the house. Try to take it yourself, or ask for a photo of the reading, just to make sure you get the correct number.

• TV license

Many students will want to have a TV in their house, either provided by you, or one they bring themselves. By providing a license, your property will immediately become a lot more attractive, and you’ll be sure not to have any legal troubles occur.

And that’s it. Your business utilities aren’t too difficult to sort out. To make it even easier, here at Glide we allow you to bundle all the bills together and cut down on your admin work; or just refer us to your tenants to take the pressure right off your shoulders. Being a landlord can get stressful at times, so don’t let your utility bills take over and become a nightmare.

For more information about our services and how we can make life simple for you, visit our website or give us a call on 0333 666 5555.