Finding their way around the complicated process of renting a house can be especially hard for students, who often have to take on new financial responsibilities. Utility bills and Council Tax rank among the most often confusing topics. It’s not only about paying rent; it’s also about knowing the particular exclusions and liabilities that apply to students as well as the pragmatic issues of organizing and running basic utilities, including water, gas, and electricity. Many student houses Lancaster 3 bedrooms, feature communal living quarters, which adds still another level of complexity to bill handling. Early proactive awareness of these obligations will help you save a lot of money and avoid major worry over your tenancy.
Mixed Domestic Conditions
The matter gets more complex if your house consists of non-students as well as pupils.
- Living with one non-student will cause the property to be partially exempt; however, the non-student might be qualified for a 25% rebate on the Council Tax payable.
- Usually there is no student discount if two or more non-students live on the property; the non-students will pay the whole Council Tax amount.
- Full-time students themselves are “disregarded” when determining the adult count for Council Tax purposes even in mixed homes.
- Rules like those pertaining to student houses Lancaster 3 bedrooms would apply.
- Usually in these situations, the local council will hunt the non-student inhabitants for payment.
This guarantees that you pay just for the water and electricity used during your lease and prevents you from being charged for the usage of former tenants.
Sharing Utility Charges
Avoiding conflicts in shared student accommodation depends on knowing how to divide and handle utility bills. Among the options are designating one tenant as the main bill payer who gathers contributions from others or opening a shared bank account for household expenditures. To manage payments and assist with bill-splitting automation, several apps and services also abound. Harmonious living depends on open communication from the start regarding payment obligations and due dates with your housemates.
TV License Obligation
Students sometimes ignore a particular utility-related expense: the TV license. A valid TV license is needed if anyone on the premises views live TV broadcasts or uses BBC player on any kind of device. A license is still required even if you solely stream material from other platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime while live TV is being shown. This responsibility should be understood since failing to have a license when needed could result in fines.
