Student bills in Cheltenham: a simple guide

Many student houses now offer bills included to make life simpler, especially if this is one of your first homes away from halls. But bills included doesn’t always mean the same thing – each landlord can decide what’s covered.

Not sure what you’ll be paying for, or how to split bills fairly if they’re not included? This guide will walk you through the basics so you can budget with confidence.

What’s Usually Included?

• In most bills-included student houses, you can expect some or all of the following:
  • Energy (gas/electric) – Heating, hot water and general electricity usage.
  • Water – Your mains water and sewerage charges.
  • High-speed fibre broadband – Essential for streaming, online lectures and gaming.
  • TV licence – If provided, this will usually cover watching or recording live TV on any channel and using BBC iPlayer. In a shared student house with a joint tenancy, one licence normally covers both communal areas and individual bedrooms (unless stated otherwise in your contract).
  Always check your tenancy agreement or ask your landlord/agent to confirm exactly which bills are included.

Fair Usage Caps (and How to Avoid Extra Charges)

Most landlords will have a ‘fair usage’ cap on energy (and sometimes water or broadband). This is there to stop extreme over-use, and it varies from property to property.

To protect yourself:

• Ask what the cap is in kWh or £ per person / per house.
• Agree house rules on heating, hot water and appliances.
• Don’t turn the heating too low – this can lead to condensation and mould, which can be bad for your health and may damage the property.

If you’re worried about damp or condensation, see our [guide to preventing condensation and mould]

Internet Speeds and Reliability

Good Wi-Fi can make or break a student house.

When viewing a property:

• Ask what broadband package is included (download/upload speeds, fibre vs standard).
• Check if the speed is likely to be enough for multiple people streaming, gaming and joining video calls at the same time.
• Ask where the router is located and whether there are any known Wi-Fi “dead spots” in the house.

You can also use online speed-checking tools at the address once you’ve moved in to see if the connection matches what you’ve been told.