It’s probably not the most exciting part of moving into student accommodation, but all students should take steps to find the best utility providers.
That is because the utilities, such as electricity and gas, will be needed in their new home but they need to be paid for.
This may come as something of a budgeting surprise to some students and it’s important they get the best possible utility deals available.
Indeed, learning how to setup utility provision and paying bills is an important part of going to university and one of the issues that they must come to terms with, along with doing the laundry and learning how to cook.
This means that resolving energy bills as soon as possible will make life easier.
Also, from first glance it may appear to be a daunting prospect to researching and then contact utility providers and creating the bills but it really isn’t.
Sort out their student gas bills
Essentially, everyone moving into the house should sort out their student gas bills and electricity provider urgently (after sorting out who is getting which rooms, obviously).
That’s because it would be nice to have electricity in the house so the students can put the kettle while they are moving in. Without electricity supply there will be no endless cups of tea provided.
This means the next most important step will be to decide whose names are going on each bill though it’s probably a wiser idea to put all of the student tenant’s names on the bill itself.
That is because the person named on the bill is responsible for paying it so should one student decide to leave without paying them then the named student may be left with a substantial bill to pay.
However, by putting all of the students’ names onto a bill means they are all jointly responsible for paying it. This will help with any potential arguments and bill splitting issues.
The utilities that need to be sorted out, along with electricity and gas, include water as well as broadband.
Student house with an all-inclusive rent
There is a growing trend of landlords offering a student house with an all-inclusive rent that will take care of all of these issues.
The downside to this is that the students may be paying more than they need to for their utility providers.
There is no harm in speaking with the landlord to find out which firms are currently supplying the gas and electricity to the property and if they don’t know then the current tenants should be contacted.
If this is not possible, then the students should take note of the meter number and contact a utility firm who will have the meter number details on their supplier list and they will determine who the supplier is from that.
This then raises the question of being on the right tariff for the property so the students will need to research what offers are available and switch suppliers if that’s possible.
Some student tenants may believe, wrongly, that they are not allowed to choose their own utility providers or even switch providers before moving in but this would be a mistake to make.
Good reasons for students switching energy suppliers
There are several good reasons for students switching energy suppliers and the main one is that the student could save hundreds of pounds every year, depending on their energy usage, for instance.
Again, the prospect of having to choose the right energy tariff may appear to be overwhelming but with some common sense and a process of working through what’s available, it is another simple task to deal with.
Indeed, it is worth noting that many utility providers will offer a dual fuel deal so that the electricity and gas are provided by the same supplier.
So, rather than receiving two separate bills, the students will receive one bill that is often at a discounted rate.
Obviously, in this digital world the students can also check online to ensure they are getting a good deal and understand what the market rates are for properties like theirs.
It’s also important that when they move into the property that they take the meter readings and tell the utility providers what they are.
Student should only pay for energy they have used
This is important because someone will need to pay the bill and the student should only pay for the energy they have used.
The actual process of switching suppliers, by the way, is surprisingly easy and simple and it takes a telephone call and a few details, including the postcode for the property.
The next most important aspect to managing energy bills is to ensure the students budget effectively to pay them on time.
This is crucial because if they miss a payment they may risk a financial penalty and, possibly, having a negative impact on their credit score.
Essentially, students in shared houses tend to use two ways for approaching their bills.
While many will allocate a bill per tenant including the broadband, this will mean each student is responsible for paying their own and then working out how much the others owe them and vice versa.
Of course, this can be a complicated, time-consuming process that could lead to arguments, particularly when people don’t pay their share on time.
Excellent student broadband deals from Glide
Alternatively, the students could set up a kitty which will cover all of their utility bills, including water and the excellent student broadband deals from Glide, as well as other household expenses including milk and teabags.
Some students also arrange a joint bank account to help make paying things easier which enables them to budget effectively and ensure they don’t miss a bill payment.
There is also, however, a third and increasingly popular method for students to pay their utility bills and that’s to use the services of Glide.
By doing so, not only will they have their share of the bills calculated for them but they will also enjoy lower utility rates because Glide will have access to some of the best deals around.
Again, the process to sign up with Glide is a straightforward process and will remove many of the headaches that students will have when it comes to paying bills with utility providers and organising cheap student broadband which Glide can also organise; contact the helpful team today to find out more.