General costs involved in renting Studio Flat..?

dustinjames

hi, Im about to start renting a studio flat in birmingham city centre.

The one thing Im sure about is how much the rent is, excluding bills.
(£425 or £450 per month).

Im not sure how the other things work.
Gas, electric, council tax, water, insurance, internet.
(am i missing anything else? )

can i get internet connection without setting up a landline phone line?

can i get internet connection without getting TV channels/sky/cable features?

Im not planning on having a TV, so no costs there for licence i believe.
Say if i have a computer monitor screen connected to laptop or PC tower, and I watch a DVD using computer, doest that mean i need a TV licence?

Is it completely up to me who i choose to go with for gas and electric and internet providers? or will the previous tenant already have them set up and i just take over? I think my contract says Im not allowed to switch utilities without permission from landlord.

Would council tax be paid monthly by direct debit? or one lump sum?
Letting agent couldnt even tell me what council band the flat was.

Ive got two sample contracts from letting agents. There are some differences. One states £25 fee per week for arrears, one doesnt mention late paying fees.

And theres no way of checking broadband speeds for building/area/flat are there? I just hvae to take the letting agents word that its super fast? How can you trust this?

Who decides when the water is hot?

Deposit protection scheme? The two agents seem to be dealing with deposits differently.

Thanks for any help.

MoneySavingUser

1) Either the landlord passes the bills onto you and you pay them or you transfer the account into your own name for as long as you stay (take meter readings!)

2) if you want an adsl connection you will need a landline
if you want a cable connection - virgin is the only company and the deals with tv/phone are usually good compared to internet alone

the other option is mobile broadband using a usb stick or your mobile phone
3) you don't need a tv license for dvd's you can also watch non-live content on bbc iplayer
4) you would need to stay with the old company for a month I think then you can switch assuming you have permission from the landlord
5) Councils take tax as 10 payments per year - this can be done by direct debit - if you have under/overpaid when you move out they will adjust it at the end of the term (don't foget 25% discount for single person) Letting agents are like that
6) try http://www.samknows.com/broadband/mapping/mapping.php
though if the agent says it is superfast it is probably the slowest in the uk..though city centre should be close to an exchange
7) erm you decide when it is hot? I don't understand what you want to ask
8) yes you need a protected deposit - what do you mean 2 agents?

Jowo_2

There are multiple tenancy deposits schemes in operation, three I think.

The local council should be able to inform you of the council tax band and costs for the property. Don't forget that a single person is entitled to a 25% discount.

What type of heating is in place at these properties? Electric heating is regarded as more costly.

dustinjames

MoneySavingUser wrote: »

1) Either the landlord passes the bills onto you and you pay them or you transfer the account into your own name for as long as you stay (take meter readings!)

2) if you want an adsl connection you will need a landline
if you want a cable connection - virgin is the only company and the deals with tv/phone are usually good compared to internet alone

the other option is mobile broadband using a usb stick or your mobile phone
3) you don't need a tv license for dvd's you can also watch non-live content on bbc iplayer
4) you would need to stay with the old company for a month I think then you can switch assuming you have permission from the landlord
5) Councils take tax as 10 payments per year - this can be done by direct debit - if you have under/overpaid when you move out they will adjust it at the end of the term (don't foget 25% discount for single person) Letting agents are like that
6) try http://www.samknows.com/broadband/mapping/mapping.php
though if the agent says it is superfast it is probably the slowest in the uk..though city centre should be close to an exchange
7) erm you decide when it is hot? I don't understand what you want to ask
8) yes you need a protected deposit - what do you mean 2 agents?

thankyou thankyou

So, i cant pick and choose my own gas supplier?

I need super fast internet connection. The landlord said it was super fast.
Person i grabbed on the street from same building said it wasnt super fast, and sky was not available. Landlord disagreed and had a concerned look on his face.

Mobile broadband is poor. I need the best internet that is available. Fast and reliable.

Ill ask about switching utility providers.

There are council tax band E and band A flats in the same street!
2 bedroom flats are higher bands?

hot water, eg would it only be hot at certain times of day, or do we choose for our own room the hot cold ratio?

2 agents, 2 lettings agents.
One agents contract dealt with deposit in great depth, with D.P.S. and stuff like that. One agents contract seemed to be lacking in deposit rights i think.

dustinjames

Jowo wrote: »

There are multiple tenancy deposits schemes in operation, three I think.

The local council should be able to inform you of the council tax band and costs for the property. Don't forget that a single person is entitled to a 25% discount.

What type of heating is in place at these properties? Electric heating is regarded as more costly.

It was Band E for a two bedroom flat on one street,
and on the same block (adjacent street/same block and develepmont), another agent said it was Band A for one bedroom.

Contracts say no bicycles allowed in flat, but both agents said it was ok as long as i dont wreck the place...... so its ok ?

Contract says no noise disturbing others from 10pm to 7am.
SO DOES THIS MEAN I CAN MAKE LOUD NOISE (MUSIC ETC) AROUND THOSE HOURS, AND NOBODY CAN COMPLAIN AS I AM WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE??????

Cheers.

PS. so i should ring up the council and ask them the council tax band rate for the street and flat i am lookin at? or is there a website that tells us???

anotherginger

dustinjames wrote: »

Contract says no noise disturbing others from 10pm to 7am.
SO DOES THIS MEAN I CAN MAKE LOUD NOISE (MUSIC ETC) AROUND THOSE HOURS, AND NOBODY CAN COMPLAIN AS I AM WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE??????

No. Not if you want to get on with your neighbours, or get the council investigating you.

Jowo_2

If the contract says 'no bicycles' then no bicycles are allowed and to have them is a breach. If the agent says it's not an issue, then they will be happy to give you an amended contract then, won't they? Go by what is in the contract, not what the agent says as ultimately they are salesman trying to earn commission, selling you the rental of the property and their verbal assurance is worthless.

Jowo_2

dustinjames wrote: »

Contract says no noise disturbing others from 10pm to 7am.
SO DOES THIS MEAN I CAN MAKE LOUD NOISE (MUSIC ETC) AROUND THOSE HOURS, AND NOBODY CAN COMPLAIN AS I AM WITHIN MY RIGHTS TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE??????

Your assumption of a right to aggravate your neighbours for 15 hours is perhaps a sign that you are not ready for the responsibilities that come with a tenancy...

dustinjames

Jowo wrote: »

If the contract says 'no bicycles' then no bicycles are allowed and to have them is a breach. If the agent says it's not an issue, then they will be happy to give you an amended contract then, won't they? Go by what is in the contract, not what the agent says as ultimately they are salesman trying to earn commission, selling you the rental of the property and their verbal assurance is worthless.

agents says i will never meet the landlord.
agant manages the flat.
agent says bike is ok.
so.....? shall i just accept that?

re-drafting contract will cost more fees, wont it?

dustinjames

are these the best internet connections you can get? in terms of speed etc.
The flat im looking at is covered by these:

ADSL available at ~6.5Mbps
BT Total broadband
TalkTalk LLU (8M is free)
Sky LLU (2M is free, 8M is £5pm)
AOL LLU (£10pm discount)
Pipex broadband
Plusnet broadband
Tiscali broadband
And many more...

ADSL2+ available at ~16Mbps
Be Unlimited
O2 broadband
UK Online (incl 20M packages)
Sky Max (LLU) (16M for £10pcm)

Cable services available
Virgin Media broadband (20M)
Virgin Media digital TV
Virgin Media phone


Which one do i want? just for internet, no phone line, no TV.

RedSoleShoes

dustinjames I am not going to quote your long post but honestly mate, you need to start using the wonders of google!