Preparing to move

Using a joint bank account is a good way to pay bills if there are two or three people living in the property.

It is a bank account, with bank cards that you can all contribute money into and the bill companies take the money from that account.

^{Make sure to do your due diligence and understand what the responsibilities are for all involved.}

One person is responsible for the payments to the companies and is a good system for a bigger number of flatmates.

Each other member of the house is responsible for sending over the money for the bills each month before the money is directly taken from the single bank account listed on the bill.

^{Make sure to do your due diligence and understand what the responsibilities are for all involved.}

This is a convenience service that manages your bills and divides the payments up between your housemates and takes the bill money directly from each person to pay it to the bill companies.

^{Make sure to do your due diligence and understand what the responsibilities are for all involved.}

Various apps are available that help calculate amounts needed and tracking payments, but do not actually split the bills for you. They are a good resource to make sure everyone is one the same page for bills and payments.

^{Make sure to do your due diligence and understand what the responsibilities are for all involved.}

You need to pay your water bill to be able to shower, wash up and even use the toilet.

Unlike with other bills, you are not able to search around for better deals as there is only one provider of water in your area.

For most in the Midlands, this is Severn TrentLink opens in a new window.

There may be an initial bill, when transferring the property into your name, and to get account details set up. After this, you pay for however much water you use.

Some providers combine the two, yet others keep them separately, but you will need both in your student property.

There are different providers that have various offers for students so it is worth hunting around for the best deals for your gas and electricity.

You need broadband to connect to the internet. There are many providers out there all with different deals so it is worth looking around.

The house you are renting will already have a provider so you can stay with them or find a better deal elsewhere.

in order to watch TV and streaming services, you need a TV license. They do not offer a student rate but yo can reclaim some of the expense if you are not home during the entire 12 months.

There is only one provider and it is paid at a standard rate across the UK.

On-campus accommodation typically covers contents insurance to make sure your valuables are safe whilst living there.

This is not the case for off-campus accommodation and is something you should sort yourself. Check out the Save the Student guide to Contents Insurance (2025) to find the best deal!

As students, you do not need to pay council tax! Your landlord or estate agent might ask for proof that you are a student in order to show the council that students are living in the property. It is best to sort this as soon as possible to avoid paying.