Here are some pointers on utilities - how to make sure you are paying the right amount, saving money and avoiding future problems.
Contents
The basics
Electricity and Gas
- Take meter readings
- Contact your supplier
- Keep an eye on usage
- Energy efficiency
- Consider switching supplier
- Problems with billing
- Help with bills
- Stay warm, stay well
Other Utilities
Further information
The basics
In purpose built student accommodation and University halls, the cost of energy and broadband are typiclly included within your monthly rent. Within private accommoodation, It is highly likely that you will have to pay for all the utilities you use throughout your tenancy period separately.
If you’re unsure whether the cost of your utilities is included within your monthly rent payments, check your tenancy agreement or speak to your landlord. Section 27 of the Private Residential Tenancy Agreement (the lease you are likely to have) should lay out your obligations in relation to electricity, gas and broadband, often including who the suppliers of each are.
Assuming that you do have to pay your utility bills separately, here are some suggestions on how to make sure you are paying the correct amount, save money and avoid future problems:
Electricity and Gas
Take meter readings
At the start of your tenancy, you should always take a reading for both electriicty and gas via the meters at the property. You can refer to this guide on how to read your meters, as there are many different types of meters in circulation. If you have difficulty locating your meters you should contact your letting agent or landlord.
Contact your supplier
You should make contact with your electricity and gas suppliers as soon as you start your tenancy. It is typical that you will have 1 supplier for both gas and electricity, however on occasion you may have 2 different suppliers for each. Make sure they know the exact date you moved in and the names of all the tenants living at the property. You can often find a dedicated contact number for doing this if you Google your supplier name along with the phrase 'change of tenancy'. The supplier may ask you to supply them with a tenancy agreement, to verify that you have moved into the property. The supplier will then close the account for the previous tenants and open a new one for the current tenants.
It is important that you do this, otherwise you may receive debt collection follow-ups for previous tenant's bills and your own bill may not be correct - starting from the wrong date to the wrong reading.
Keep an eye on your usage
As you may just have moved into your first new property, you may understandably not have much knowledge as to what aplliances use the most and least electricity or gas. A general rule with electricity is that anything that heats generally costs the most. You can use this helpful calculator to understand how much applicances in your property generally cost to use.
Meters often have what they call a 'pulse light', which essentially blinks faster the more energy you use. If you only have lights and a television on it will blink slowly. Turn on your electric hob or heater and you will see the difference this makes. Through trial and error with this, it might help you identify what is costing the most in your property.
If you have gas heating, you will find that your electricity usage is reasonably consitent throughout the year. If you have plug-in electric heating or electric storage heating though, costs can really spiral in the Winter. Be esepcially careful with plug-in electric heating as this tends to be the most expensive.
It is always a helpful practice to try and take meter readings each month, allowing you to keep an eye on the amount of energy you use. Doing this will allow you to pinpoint big changes in usage and alert you to potential problems, before they spiral out of control and lead to very large future bills.
Energy efficiency
This website will give you some tips on how you can potentially reduce your overal energy consumption, leading to lower and more manageable bills.
Consider switching supplier
** Updated July 2022 **
There’s unfortunately more bad news for your gas and electricity bills as it’s predicted that the UK energy price cap will rise by a further 65% this October. The energy price cap was previously only adjusted every 6 months but as of this October it will now change every 3 months.
This means that from October 2022 onwards the average UK domestic customer can now expect to pay around £3,300 per year for their gas & electricity. For context, the average yearly bill in October 2021 was £1,277.
When the cap increased in April this year we advised students that it may be in their best interests to try and change tariff or supplier to find a cheaper fixed tariff. The situation on this has now adjusted and the latest advice is that in most situations its likely that even if you try and switch tariff or supplier you may end up paying more.
Martin Lewis has some more in-depth advice on when it may be in your best interests to switch on his website here.
Check to make sure that you are not prohibited by your tenancy agreement from switching suppliers. If you don’t have to stick with the previous energy supplier, you may find you can save money by switching to a different provider or a cheaper tariff with your current supplier.
If you have a prepayment meter and would like to change this to a standard meter, you will have to check first that this is okay with your landlord. In addition, the energy supplier may require a deposit from you if you are changing to a standard meter and have not had an account with them before. Make sure you ask about this as the cost of a deposit varies.
To find out if you can save any money on your bills, try price comparison websites such as USwitch, Compare the Market, GoCompare, or MoneySupermarket.
Also, please see the MoneySavingExpert site for more information on how to get cheaper tariffs.
Problems with billing
If you are having problems with incorrect billing, This advice page has useful information on what you can do. In Scotland, if you are really struggling with your supplier and need some help and assistance, you can get this via the Citizens Advice consumer helpine. The Advice Centre can also help with this, so please do contact us if you are having difficulties.
Help with bills
Again, if you are struggling to pay your bills please contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpine, who can give you some initial guidance on what your options are. Please also keep in mind that the University has a Financial Aid team who administer both the Discrectionary and Hardship funds to help students who are struggling financially.
Other Utilities
You may also be asked to pay your share of other bills including broadband or a landline telephone line. Read the terms and conditions of your contract with the prospective provider carefully before agreeing to it, and monitor any bills and usage figures you get throughout the contract period. If you think you can get a better deal elsewhere, check to see if you are allowed to switch to a different provider.
Further information
For more information on dealing with utilities bills, including how to ensure that all flatmates are named on the bill to help share the costs fairly among your flatmates. Please see our Consumer Debt and Arrears page.