Studio flat first time paying bills so confused

x_raphael_xx

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/who-is-my-gas-and-electricity-supplier.html

Thats awesome.
Whenever I've moved I've always left a little note saying who is supplying for the next tenant.

Usually you will get a 'Welcome to your new home' letter from the current supplier.
Your landlord should know who is supplying as he has to pay for the gas/electric between tenants. even if nothing has been used there are still standing charges.

Make a note of the readings when you move in, make sure your contract starts from those numbers and not before! You don't want to be paying someone elses bill.

CIS

shibiddy wrote: »

Hi im just moving into a studio flat in london

The landlord told me im responsible for all bills i just dont know where to start because he has not told me which company supplies the current electricity and ive tried to go through uswitch and other comparison sites to get the best deal but they are asking for previous supplier details and an MPAN number am i doing something wrong?

Also how do I go about paying council tax. As this is a house that has been extended with a studio flat to the side and the main house split into rooms.

Also Will i need to do a TV licence.

My landlords communication skills are not great hence why im so confused as ive asked him who supplies previous electricity and he is not sure i think hes just purchased this property.

Thanks for the help.

Are the council aware of the separate flat and has it actually been banded for council tax ? (it's very common for the owners to 'forget' to have it banded). You can check the council band here - https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

With these sorts of properties there's a multitude of things that can go wrong for council tax purposes (presumably you have the exclusive use of the studio flat ?)

Craig

boliston

footyguy wrote: »

You mean you only need a TV licence if you watch TV?

Did anyone else know that???
How many of us are paying TV licences unnecessarily? It could be even more than those who are evading paying their TV licence!

:cool:

I watch TV quite a bit but most "live tv" is pretty rubbish so it's mainly netflix and prime that I watch plus youtube etc

Cornucopia

footyguy wrote: »

You mean you only need a TV licence if you watch TV?

Did anyone else know that???

There are a few issues with this MSE article, but most of it is sound...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/tv-licence

jbuchanangb

No-one has really addressed the question about landline charge for broadband. In fact the principle applies for gas, electricity, water and broadband.
All these bills are made up of two parts. One part is what you pay just be connected to the network - gas pipes, water pipes, electricity wires, sewer drains, broadband wires, and one part for how much you make use of those connections.

Just as you can't have gas without paying your share for all the gas pipes which bring the gas to your flat, you can't have broadband without paying your share for all the wires which connect your flat to the worldwide web. It's called line rental.

I hope by now you have read your gas, electricity and water meters, and have found out which supplier is handling your flat. In the case of gas and electricity you have to start off with whichever supplier the previous tenant was using, and as other people have said tell them the readings on your meters for the day you moved in.

When you use uswitch you don't need to know the current suppliers, but you do need to have some idea about how much energy you will be using. Your current supplier might be able to tell you the usage for that flat for the last 12 months by the previous occupier. Uswitch will calculate the best deal based on the projected usage. The only reason they want your current supplier is to compare the best alternative with the current one, and possibly so as not to offer you your current supplier as an option - because obviously you wouldn't be switching and uswitch wouldn't get commission!

Carrot007

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

My electricity meter has a sticker on it that tells me the supplier is E-ON.

No it just tells you eon owns the meter (or did at the time of install, it's usually 3rd party asset companies these days).

Only way to find your current supplier if you don't know is ring the query line to find out.

Robin9

Don't forget Contents Insurance.

shibiddy

Thanks everyone the landlord has agreed to pay the water rates which is great I found out through an online search that I have seperate council tax for the studio flat.

Using the website that bluebird man supplied I found out the current supplier and gave readings which i took a photo of on the day i moved in and my landlord has agreed to cover costs of my landline installation as no phone line is connected in the studio. Ive saved money by deciding not to watch live tv and just to use the tv. Everything discussed in this thread has been very helpful

TadleyBaggie

Most of this thread seems a bit pointless now since you have already fallen out with the LL and have given a months notice: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5527838

Or is this a different studio flat?