Are My Utility Bills Unreasonable?

Sangahyando

Hello all. I'm a single person with complex mental health problems living in a 1 bed council flat in Stockport. I am not receipt of ESA (support group), housing and council tax benefits.

My weekly rent of £105/wk includes £18/wk for hot water and heating, this £18 is not covered by my housing benefit. On top of this I'm also paying an additional £7/wk for electricity via a prepayment meter. The £18/wk mentioned is payable 52 weeks of the year regardless of how little heating and hot water I use.

After all the above waffle, my question is simply "does the charge of £18/wk seem excessive given my circumstances?

Thanks In Advance
Andrew

Sangahyando

That should have read "am in receipt of" in the first paragraph.

Raxiel

£18 a week is £78 a month. £108 including your electricity.

That is very high. Does the £18 also include cold water & drainage?

Is there an upper limit on what you can use?

Sangahyando

Hi, Raxiel, cold water and drainage is included and there is no upper limit on what I can use, it's a tower block with a central bio-mass boiler. Everyone I've mentioned the cost of my utility bills too thinks they are very high.

I'm not sure there's anything I can do about it, other than protest and/or move, both of which will be difficult as I struggle with anxiety.

System

The rent alone would break both my heart and wallet. Its got to be a very good flat for all that money.The extra £18 is terrible. I m glad I bought a little terraced house cash and never wasted that money on rent..move is my advice, unless its a really nice area and flat, and get a mortgage on a small terraced house fort much less than all that rent which is money which is invested in a house.

CashStrapped

Was the inclusive bills (partially) an option?

Normally landlords offer inclusive bills to student properties or HMOs with a single meter. This can cut out the possibility of arguments and stress of one person collecting cash from everyone. But for a single person, it is not required.

The problem is, paying this way is far more expensive. The landlord will always assume worst case scenario to cover the possibility of high use.

Ask to pay the bills yourself.

Having a pre-pay meter is also the most expensive method of payment.

Do compare what it would cost if you paid the bills yourself on a credit meter. You need to start looking at what you use in kwh per day. From this you can calculate what a normal tariff paid by you will cost per month. Start taking daily meter readings at the same time each day to get an idea.

Sangahyando

This is a council property and as such I have no option other than a prepayment meter for the electricity (an option I have no issues with since I'm in control of what I put in). The additional £18/wk is entirely seperate and is paid to my council landlord.

Getting a mortgage is not an option for all sorts of reasons, even moving would need to be into another council property or (if lucky) a housing association property.

Sangahyando

The money I put in the prepayment meter goes directly to EON, I use the terms "prepayment" but perhaps I should say credit meter as I add money to a key which I then slot into the meter.

Apologies if I'm being confusing, as stated I suffer from mental health issues and all of this is double Dutch to me.

System

Sangahyando wrote: »

Hi, Raxiel, cold water and drainage is included and there is no upper limit on what I can use, it's a tower block with a central bio-mass boiler. Everyone I've mentioned the cost of my utility bills too thinks they are very high.

I'm not sure there's anything I can do about it, other than protest and/or move, both of which will be difficult as I struggle with anxiety.

You are supplied by what is known as a District Heating System. As Which has reported, these schemes are largely unregulated. Given that part of the cost includes repaying the capital cost of the heating system and ongoing maintenance, I would hope that the Council is paying some element of this: however, £18 a week suggests that they might not be.

I would speak to your co-tenants and then report your concerns to a local Councillor. He/she may be able to get you some answers as to why the cost is so high.

Sangahyando

Thanks Hengus, I think you are absolutely right, I will follow your advice.

Thanks all, at least I now know I'm correct in thinking my costs are unreasonable.

System

Have a read of paragraph 3, the Council believes that it is saving you money:

http://democracy.stockport.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=80718