For students coming from all parts of the country and beyond, it makes perfect sense to consider living in all-inclusive student accommodation. It takes care of some of the little things associated with renting a house like paying bills and maintenance costs, but what does all-inclusive actually mean and why is it beneficial for students in particular?
There’s always that worry that when you’re moving in to somewhere new you’ll have to make room in your budget for paying for utility bills, which sometimes is something that you may not always be able to afford from month to month as many utility costs tend to differ depending on how much energy you use. This would be especially higher in the winter months as you’ll probably want to keep nice and toasty.
Good news for you, is that in our all-inclusive properties there's no horrible guesswork and constant budgeting is taken out! Student House Gillingham will allow you a monthly quota that is generous enough that you won’t have to worry about whether a 15 minute shower will push you over the amount. The quota will be laid out and provided in your tenancy agreement so you know the exact amount you’ll be working with each month. Having gas, electricity, broadband and water bills included in your rental costs will help make it easier to set money aside for such things as food, textbooks, printing and nights out.
As already mentioned, the costs of gas, electricity and water are all included in the rental costs. Aside from saving you the hassle of finding suppliers and setting up separate direct debits, you’ll also have something less to worry about. However, it’s important to be responsible at all times when using utilities, make sure you’re not overdoing it with the amount you use. Use what you need for a shower, cooking and heating but don't be reckless. This will not only save energy, but will also ensure that you stay within the quota. We do have a fair usage policy and if you go over you will be given the chance to level out the usage throughout the next months. However, if at the end of your tenancy the overall utility balance is breached, then this will result in extra charges to you. No Refunds will be given for any bills unused.
As well as from removing any possible uncertainty about having money left over for the cost of utilities, all-inclusive also means less to worry about when it comes to other essentials of student living, like being connected to the internet. Being online is most definitely a necessity for revision, research and even for social media.
All properties managed by Student House Gillingham are fitted with super-fast broadband. This means you’re able to download big files such as PDFs, stream movies and albums. By having your internet already sorted, you’re able to get surfing as soon as you move in!
Unfortunately there are a few things that we are unable to provide such as content insurance, this is because it is more cost effective for you to take out your own content insurance and taking out your own insurance will ensure you get the cover you want. Content insurance provided by us will only cover a certain amount and in the event of theft or damage the pay out will not be as high as the worth of your belongings.
By moving into one of our all-inclusive houses or flats, you’ll be saving yourself a huge amount of hassle in finding utility and broadband providers. Needless to say, it can involve a lot of searching and shopping around to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal and this will inevitably end in copious amounts of phone calls and visits to your property before getting completely connected.
In some cases providers can take days, to come round to properties and get you online. This is an inconvenience to many students as it’s pretty much a necessity for studying. Waiting for a broadband provider to come round and sort your wiring and Wi-Fi box out can be challenging, fortunately, in moving into an all-inclusive student property, you’re saved from having to go through all that.
Aside from all the utilities, internet and TV License, another part of our all-inclusive package is the allure that properties are fully furnished to a high standard. You will need to bring cutlery and crockery, as well as bedding. By fully furnished, we mean:
What this means is that you won’t have to go shopping in furniture shops just before you move into your new place. That’ll save a few quid as well as a few hours of your busy student life!
If you’re a full-time student living at one of our all-inclusive properties, you won’t have to pay council tax. To gain exemption from paying council tax, you'll need to be studying full-time at any of the three Universities in Gillingham (University of Kent, University of Greenwich & Canterbury Christ Church University), all you need is to provide Medway Council with a status letter from your uni, which proves you’re a full-time student (by email or post).
