Could he perhaps get one of those camping cool boxes and put the ice packs in the communal fridge to freeze. I think you can get them now to plug into the mains (but no need to tell the management). Ł50 extra is extortionate. Perhaps a valid reason is if he had to keep some sort of medication at cool temp?

Does sound very draconian and an incentive to get a shared house for his remaining years at Uni.