First time renting, how do utilities work?

9 comments

1. 1) No- everything works. Just ring up and tell the existing supplier you are the new bill payer.

   2) Energy is typically paid monthly by direct debit. You and the provider agree a fair amount. Over the summer you are in credit and that is used up by your winter bills.

   3) Water is usually paid in arrears quarterly, by direct debit on receipt of bill.

   4) Council tax is usually paid in 10 monthly instalments starting in April. You get the year’s bill shortly the time of the first payment and it will also tell you what you shouldpay permonth. You can request 12 instalments if you need to. So for most peole, you do not pay in Feb or Mar, but the overall yearly amount is the same however you pay. It’s your choice whether you do direct debit or just pay every month, but with other bills, direct debit is usually a bit cheaper; with council tax, as it is a tax, not a commercial service, you can pay how you like.

   5) Most people go directly to suppliers.

2. When you move in, take meter readings.

   Call the electricity and gas companies and give them these readings, they’ll set you up with an account.

   There will be gas and electric at the property, they will bill you from the reading you gave when you moved in.

   Edit: typically, they take an estimation if what you use in a year, they will use actual reading if present, but as you only just moved in, they’ll be for the last Tennant. This is why it is important to read you meter monthly and supply these reading to the gas/electric company. They will then split the estimated cost by 12, and that’s what you pay Monthly. You’ll go into debt in the winter, and pay it off in the summer when gas use is much lower.

   Water may or may not be metered. If it is, and you can find the meter, do the same as the above.

   The meter may well be outside the property buried in the pavement, mine is.

   From what I remember, the Council will contact you re: Council tax. Usually this is paid monthly.

3. Right now, energy price competitiveness doesn’t exist, so doesn’t matter who you use. There’s nothing but variable rates. These are paid monthly according to use, or you set up a DD. The equipment is there, just start a new account and let them know you’ve moved in. Same with council tax. Broadband, tv etc is different as they usually require installation.

4. > I understand I need to call the suppliers and set these things up but my main question is, when I move in will I have no electricity or water until I sort this out?

   Almost certainly you’ll have utilities when you move in, you’ll be automatically with whatever the last supplier is. Easiest thing to do is get in, take a photo of the meters then either figure out who it’s with (Ask landlord, letters, etc) or just try and sign up with your supplier of choice. They’ll do the rest -it’s not hard, main thing is to have a record of your moving in meter readings.

   > Also do they get paid in arrears or upfront?

   Arrears

   > Also is it better to do an all in utilities bundle that I’ve seen some companies set up for or go directly to suppliers?

   Electric & Gas are usually together, Water will be separate, Internet / Phone will be seperate. Don’t go in for any weird companies which promise to do any magic.

5. Find your gas/electric suppliers [here](https://www.energynetworks.org/customers/find-my-network-operator) – You can change who you’re with though if you have a preferred supplier

   Find your water supplier [here](https://www.water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/find-your-supplier/) – you can’t change water supplier

   Council tax, go to your local council’s website and find the option to tell them you’re moving into the area

   Utilities are paid in arrears unless you’re on prepayment (your landlord/estate agent will have this information), council tax you pay in 10 equal instalments by default or you can request to pay in 12

6. If you deal with a middleman such as utility warehouse, they’re going to be making a profit from you somehow, so I don’t see how they can be cheaper than paying each company directly.

   Unless you’re on a meter for gas and electricity and the emergency credit has all been used, you will have instant access to gas, electricity and water when you move in. On the day you move in, take meter readings so you can establish what you should be paying for exactly.

   You can set up direct debits so that all your bills including council tax are paid exactly when they need to be. From my student days, if you don’t have a direct debit then you’ll be sent a bill that charges you for say the 18th Jan – 17th Feb, you’ll get that bill on maybe the 22nd Feb and the bill will ask you to pay it within 2 weeks maybe.

7. Also with council tax, if you are living by yourself you should get a reduction. The landlord should take pics of meter readings whether that be elec/gas/water…check tk see if you have water meter, if you don’t and if you are a single tenant it may be worth looking to get one, if you are in receipt of ant benefits tell the water company and council tax. Usually works out cheaper for one person. Council tax can be done by DD and elec I’ve found easier to set up a DD for a set amount each month than be hit with a massive bill but keep an eye on your meter readings and always call the power company with readings rather than going by their estimate..if the place has a smart meter then all is good.

8. You’ll always have water, and there’s no different companies for water – each region has their own who cover that region. Find out who it is in your region and call them when you move in.

   Gas and electric – if it’s a normal credit meter, you’ll have it when you move in, you’ll just need to call the supplier, tell them you’ve moved in, and give them the meter readings. Then they can set up the account in your name and you’ll pay by monthly direct debit.

   You *may* have none until you sort it out, if the place you’re renting has prepayment meters. You’ll still need to call the company and get it all in your name, then they’ll give you a code over the phone you need to write down and take to a shop that deals with prepayment gas/electric and they’ll issue you a electric key/card, that you’ll need to top up at the shop whenever you need gas/electric. If they run out, you get cut off. I know there are suppliers who do it all online or via apps now, but when I had prepayment I never had any of those, I had to go to the shops and get the physical key/card topped up.

9. Just adding to set up internet before your move in date with a company of your choice – this probably won’t be set up from the previous tenants and can take a couple of weeks to set up/receive the router

   Make sure to take meter readings the day you move in and take photos of them. This is important!

   Water you don’t have a choice of supplier, there’s just one for your area but you will need to make an account and choose how you pay your bill.

   Energy you can use the existing supplier or switch to a new one as others have said, just make sure to include your meter reading from the day you move in and regularly afterwards.

   Council tax I think they’ll send you a letter, as someone else mentioned check if you can get any discounts e.g. if you live alone, are a student etc

   Best of luck!