Paying bills

[Lexi99]

Need some help as I have no idea what I'm doing!

Me and 5 other have rented a house together for uni next year and we're due to move in late august/september time.

Thing is we have to no idea how we have to pay our water, gas, electricity, and internet bills. Ive emailed our renting agency people and i'm gonna ask my parents when they're home from holiday but i thought id ask on here.

So, do they come through the post in the form of a bill? I know that we can pay either from an account or at the post office, but do they give (on the bill) the option of paying from an account, like they do on credit card statements? When do you think the bill will come through? We have the house on the beginning of august, so towards the end? Or in september?

[Kat_B]

depends on a lot of things! i think bills generally tend to come through every three months. when i was a student our landlord helped us set everything up - not sure if yours will do the same.

think the first thing you need to do when you move in is find out who supplies your water, gas and electricity and phone them up and tell them you've moved in and set up an account. then they should give you the options of whos name to put on the bills and how you want to pay - e.g direct debit, cheque etc.

we set up a direct debit for ours so it just came out of one persons account and we gave that person our share. depends how mush you trust your housemates though. in another house, we just had the bill sent and then went to the post office to pay. and in this house we pay a set amount each month for gas and electricity which they review every month and either give us money back or tell us to pay more. (not a student now though).

[Kermit]

The first thing you need to do is make sure that all of your housemates are on every single bill. The utility companies don't like this, but it's important to do this to protect yourself. The number of students who come through my door because they're in a dispute with housemates over bills is unreal.

If there's only one name on the bill then that person is solely liable for the bill. If the other housemates don't pay them then they have to pay the full amount- they would then have to sue the other housemates for the money. Not a good situation. If you're all on the bill then you're jointly and severally liable, i.e. if one person fails to pay the utility company at least legally can chase them for the amount outstanding.

Direct debit is the cheapest way of paying bills, but you need to trust your housemates to give you the money before it's due. Other than that, a payment card or sending a cheque is the best way, but you do pay more for paying this way.

Before you move in find out who's supplying the house. Ring them up as soon as you move in to provide meter readings, otherwise you could end up paying for stuff you didn't use.

[queenmab_roo]

I second Kermit's advice, definitely put everyone's name on all of the bills. We had this problem last year, there are threads around on here about it, if only one person's name is on the bill, they're the only ones liable.

[KiwiFruit]

All household bills have a list of payment options on the back. Wait for the first bill and the details on it will guide you through

[MrG]

Why wait for the first bill, could always ring up the company and find out before hand.

[Scary Monster]

The landlord and the letting agent should also be able to give you a reasonably good idea of what the current system is, who the suppliers are etc.

Don't forget to read all the meters as soon as you move in.

[RubberSkin]

Gas, electric, BT phone - quarterly bill (BT will charge you line rental in advance) to be paid at bank/P.O. or by cheque, D.D. Monthly plan - Pay so much per month based on a years comsumption (i suppose they'll have to trawl through last years bills). You can get monthly bills off BT.

Water - (i only know severn trent) 6 months in advance March then 6 months in advance October. 10 monthly payments on payment card or D.D. 25 Fortnightly payments on a payment card.

Internet - We pay by D.D. When i was with BT it was in with my phone bill.

I assume electric/gas bills (if you're going to pay bills and not have a plan) will come when the meter reader has been in your area.

[Fruit Loop]

I am on a pre-payment meter for gas and electric so I top these up as required (these were already in place when I bought the property and personally I wouldn't want it any other way).

I pay my water monthly at the post office with cash/debit card.

I pay BT for the line rental, a set amount each month then every three months I get a bill showing how much credit/debit the account is in.

I pay for broadband monthly by direct debit.

You need to read the meters and speak to the suppliers and they will let you know what the score is with the bills. Loads of people do things differently, some people pay their water in two installments, some pay monthly by direct debit, some pay in full at the start of the financial year. Some people get quarterly bills for gas/electric whereas others like me are on pre-payment meters etc etc.

Personally if I lived in shared accommodation I would do as others have advised and include everyones names on the account.

[Lexi99]

Yea i think we will put everyones names on. We all lived together in halls last year so we know each pretty well but its best to be safe.

My god its all so confusing!! I have no idea who our suppliers are for a start. I think the plan there is to wait for our first bill to come through then we'll have their info to call them up and put our names on. I only hope my houemates know what they're doing better than me!

[anna342]

I personally wouldn't wait for a bill to come through, but only because I like things like this sorted straight away so that any debts are not put onto your bill that previous tenants might have left.

Often the previous tenants or landlord will leave information about bills in the 'house book' or somewhere in the house.

[Lexi99]

So... how do i stop being charged for electricity etc, used before we moved in, say during the holidays? Or will that be our responsibility to pay?

[Kermit]

You give a meter reading the day you move in.

[Fruit Loop]

I personally wouldn't wait for a bill to come through, but only because I like things like this sorted straight away so that any debts are not put onto your bill that previous tenants might have left.

:yes:

You need to find out who the supplier is (I seem to remember phoning a number which I got through a web search, which told me who the supplier was, there's a central database or something) and then ring them the day you move in and give them the meter reading. That way you will only be responsible for what you have used and not any debts left on the meters.

[Lexi99]

:yes:

You need to find out who the supplier is (I seem to remember phoning a number which I got through a web search, which told me who the supplier was, there's a central database or something) and then ring them the day you move in and give them the meter reading. That way you will only be responsible for what you have used and not any debts left on the meters.

Oooh ok, so how do i fund out who the suppliers are? Im sure the agency will know anyway.

[Kermit]

You ask the agency or you can contact the meter helpline (for gas) on 0870 608 1524. You can find out your electricity supplier by contacting your regional supplier.

That said, you're best off switching to your own supplier when you move in anyway, as you'll get a better deal. Just make sure that your contract allows you to do this.

[Lexi99]

No, it doesnt unfortunately. Thanks for your help everyone, I'd have been absolutely fucked otherwise. Its these types of things we need to learn at school!

[Lexi99]

Yay alot happier now! Managed to find our gas and electricity suppliers who can ring when we visit the house in a couple of weeks.

I think i have a number for the water people, but im not sure if its right, and im also not sure if we have a water meter or not. Just going to wait til we visit the house and find out then.

Thanks again everyone for your help!!! :D :thumb: :heart: :yippe:

[Kermit]

Most places don't have water meters, you're charged according to what council tax band your property is in.