New flat - but how much to budget??

charitygirl

Hello all!!!

I am thinking of moving out of the dreaded parents house and renting! I need to weigh up all the pros and cons and of course the costs!!!

I have found a one bedroom flat in Ruislip (London Borough of Hillingdon).

Can you advise me on approximate and cheapest estimates of the following?

Council Tax
Water
Gas
Electric
Broadband
Telephone (Light user really)
Insurance

Any other utilities/services I may have missed a trick on!!!

Thanks!!!

(Not sure if this is the right board, but you are a friendly bunch!!!)

charitygirl

skintchick

Impossible to tell you what they will cost - but the council website will give you the council tax bands, you can use Uswitch to work out leccy and gas bills, ring the water people for water rates unless it's on a meter.

charitygirl

Thanks - I think i was just looking for rough estimates based on what others have amanged to get their costs down to, but will ring round

exil

I would estimate £200 a month or so for a small flat for all that.

Council tax is the biggest bill, the others are 20-30 a month each

Don't forget maintenance on gas fire, cooker etc if the landlord
isn't paying for this

toontastic

Think I'll definatly be keeping an eye on this thread, same sort of think I'm looking to do.

skintchick

I'm in Oxfordshire in a two bed terraced house, and I pay
35 for powergen gas and leccy
149 for council tax (not with single person discount as have lodger)
10.41 for TV licence
27.31 for water but just gone on meter
11.50 BT line
10 landline calls
5 mobile (don;t use it much)

so about £250
HTH

frugglewump

charitygirl wrote:

I have found a one bedroom flat in Ruislip (London Borough of Hillingdon).

Hi charitygirl I'm in Hillingdon, so I can tell you that the council tax office (phone 01895-250335) will give you the band & price if you phone them up - just done that for a house we might be buying in Hayes. Our 2 bed flat on the Hililngdon/Hayes border is band C and was £113 per month this year (without any % reduced)

Gas - £20/month
Electric - about the same
Water - not sure as landlord pays it here but our mortgage advisor budgeted £30/month
Broadband - you can get ntl, bt or telewest for about £14.99/month
Telephone (Light user really)
Insurance - contents only about £15 if you shop around

Any other utilities/services I may have missed a trick on!!!

tv licence will be about £11 /month