Advice about bills for 2 people living together

[lost+confused]

ok, so basically me+my bf are going to start looking for a place to rent together and im asking people who have lived as a couple (or even with a friend) to give me an approx guideline on how much their bills came upto. Im asking for figures from people who've lived in a house with just 1 other person, so i can relate it to my situation. (we're looking at paying about £600 per month for rent+wont be having broadband or sky)
so, estimates needed for the following:
* Gas
* Electricity
* Water rate
* Food
* Home+contents insurance (do people get this when they rent?)
* TV licence
* anything else anyone can think of - im sure ive missed stuff.
Also, id love advice on how often these bills are paid, ways you can pay them (stamps, one off yearly payment, direct debits, etc), and also how do companies (gas,water+electric) normally go about the first bills? do they base it on previous tenants, or just charge you for what you use after the 1st quarter????
Sorry for all the Q's, but im so inexperienced with all this stuff!!!!

[BritJamez]

council tax
telephone
entertainment (going out)
drainage (not always with water bill)

[lost+confused]

i didnt ask about council tax, because i can see how much that is depending upon the band of the house on the council website.
we wont be having a telephone....at least we wont activate the line until we know we're ok with the essential bills+then we MAY get broadband
drainage....never heard of that...any more info
and we're not looking at entertainment, we're just focusing on the essential bills ATM

[Knee High Stripy Socks]

We put money away each month for bills and then pay them when they come in which is every 3 months for water, gas and electric. Phone, internet and TV paid monthly.
The way we work it is everything except the TV licence is in my boyfriend's name, and then I just pay him half when the bills come in.
We also update the meter reading each time we pay a bill (you can do this online with most of them) so that we pay an accurate amount and then it's accurate for the next bill too.
With food (not a bill but a necessity!) we just give each other half when one goes shoppping etc.

[Whowhere]

When we first moved in together we both put £550 each a month into a joint account which covered all the bills and the mortgage. Since then it's adjusted a bit, but the idea is still the same. Much better to put too much in the first month and not need it, than not enough and get fined or something for late payments.


And yes, you do need contents insurance, but not buildings if you're renting. It's not your problem if the falls apart, but it is if your stuff is inside when it does......
Normally £15,000 is more than enough to cover all your things.

[tinkler]

I live with gf. I pay all the bills, she gives me a lump sum monthly. For both of us -

Gas - £80 a quarter, I think
Electricity - £110 a quarter, I think
Water - £18 a month
Food - £40 a week - Tesco groceries.
Home and contents - £105 a year. www.eSure.com are great.
TV license - £135 a year isn't it?
Council tax - £90 a month (I get single person's discount, don't disclose gf lives with me)
Telephone - £11 a month line rental, £0-5 calls. Just have it cos I need broadband which is abt £18 a mth
Entertainment - £0-10 a week. I hate nightclubs, I'm a boring fucker.
Drainage - £0

Plus
Gym - £75 a month each
Sky TV - £46 a mth

Have all of these done by direct debits so they just automatically go out of the account without me having to do anything.

Note I'm in a London flat, some things might be substantially less oop north.

[BritJamez]

well, water is for receiving the water.
Drainage is to cover the sewerage / waste - its around 15 a month.

[Whowhere]

Gym - £75 a month each




Note I'm in a London flat, some things might be substantially less oop north.




£75 a month, fuck me I thought £40 was a lot. Are the running machines gold plated or something?

[BritJamez]

active virgin? they cost a fortune! (um, virgin active, rather)

[Melian]

Council tax - £90 a month (I get single person's discount, don't disclose gf lives with me)

Isn't this fraud?:confused:

[morrocan roll]

.
Drainage is to cover the sewerage / waste - its around 15 a month.

Never heard of that one:chin:

[Whowhere]

Isn't this fraud?:confused:


Yeah, the council can absolutely fuck you for it if they find out.

[tinkler]

£75 a month, fuck me I thought £40 was a lot. Are the running machines gold plated or something?Virgin Active.. access to over a dozen clubs, pretty nice with big steam rooms, jacuzzis and lots of gym equipment. Should actually be £103 a month or something but I'm on PruHealth so down to £75 for now.
Yeah, the council can absolutely fuck you for it if they find out.
Weeell... can't I just say she's temporarily staying here, in and out, whereas her permanent address is her parent's one down in Surrey? Can't see how they would find out really.

[Whowhere]

Virgin Active.. access to over a dozen clubs, pretty nice with big steam rooms, jacuzzis and lots of gym equipment. Should actually be £103 a month or something but I'm on PruHealth so down to £75 for now.

Most gyms offer that....but why would you want access to other gyms...?

Weeell... can't I just say she's temporarily staying here, in and out, whereas her permanent address is her parent's one down in Surrey? Can't see how they would find out really.


You can say that, as for how they find out, the least they need to do is to come round and knock on the door. If she answers.....
They have other methods, but i'm not telling you, simply because as someone who absolutely gets shafted for tax I don't see why you should get a discount and not me, especially if you can afford £75 a month gym membership. Nothing personal.

[Simmyluvsu]

With a TV License you can either pay by Direct Debit (monthly/quarterly) or buy the license in full, but your first license in a new home will cost about £25 a month.

Another way to pay is by swipe card at a PayPoint (weekly or monthly) helps to split it up a bit easier