Bothered by bills
Question
I'm about to move into a shared rented house at university, but I'm concerned about the utility bills. I've heard about companies that offer to pay them all (gas, electric and water) for a fixed sum from each person per month. If this is true, is there a catch?
Answer
Companies that offer their services to manage your bills may well exist, but there's bound to be a service charge. In this view, given your concerns about finances, you must ask yourself if you can afford to spend even more money on dealing with the issue. What's more, with a little thought and forward planning, it's quite possible for you to sort it out for free.
In short, when it comes to keeping on top of your bills you can:
- Make sure that each person in the flat has their name on at least one of the bills. At the very least, this means everyone is aware of the shared financial responsibility;
- Set up a separate bank account for bills that you all pay into by standing order. You could also use this to pay your bills by fixed direct debit so you know what is going out each month;
- Look and see if you can get you utilities more cheaply by switching suppliers. The Uswitch website can tell you this;
- Draw up a budget so that you can make sure you have enough to pay rent, utilities, food and books, with a some left over to enjoy a social life.
For further advice, information and help on this issue you can contact Citizen's Advice.
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Question answered by CAB
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