Moving Out - Realistic Monthly Outgoings?

Ghxst

Hi there all,
Firstly I apologise if this is in the wrong section, I thought it was the perfect location seeing as this is all about renting, buying and selling. 
My situation at home as taken a different turn unexpectedly and I'm now looking at moving out by the end of the year if not sooner, with this said I have a few questions so I can figure out what monthly rent I can afford. I've been looking at apartments and many of them have electric heating, which has always been discussed and portrayed as grossly inefficient and expensive to run. Obviously if the property you're in isn't well insulated then you're going to be heating the property to no avail, however in the apartments I've seen they're all relatively new (last five years) and some of them have triple glazing. Would it make more sense to go for a new build with electric heating and triple glazing over an older apartment with GCH and double glazing? 

On top of that, what would I be looking at roughly for a one or two bed apartment on the following bills? Electricity, Gas (If needed) and water? I've got TV License, Council Tax and other odds and ends calculated, however it's those mentioned that I'm struggling to find a rough cost for, especially prices for properties with electric heaters and not gas central heating. 

I appreciate any help given,
Ben

Trillionski

Depends how exposed your apartment is. I would have thought, if you have a flat on the 5th floor for example you're more insulated than that of a single old apartment. I'd go for the first choice but that's not to say an old gas home wouldn't be insulated properly. Most heat escapes from drafty windows doors and poorly insulated roofs. You'd have to examine the property on inpection and examine the quality of workmanship. Think about size as well. How long will it take to heat up in it's entirety. I rented in a loft conversion and the heating was crap but it was a compromise we made as the location was excellent.

Regarding the bills your best shout is to ask the person that lives there. A few years back I think I was paying maybe 75-100 for all three but I could be way off.

NewShadow

Electricity is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and a kilowatt of electricity produces the same heat as a kilowatt of gas - the difference is that, on most tariffs, electricity is more expensive per kilowatt than gas... 

Electric/ storage heating isn't too bad if you live in a way suited to the heating - i.e. if the property is on e7 or similar, you need to be out/ventilating the flat for most of the day and only need the flat heated to a decent temp for a few hours in the evening. If you're home all day with the heating on then you're going to run out of the cheap stored heat before the evening and then be paying for the evenings heat at the higher rate tariff.  

I don't know where you are in the country... it does make a difference. Around here I'd recommend someone had in the region of £700pm for rent and bills for a self contained flat - closer to £500 would get you a flat share with bills paid, and my current essential outgoings are closer to £900, but I've got a two bed place to myself fairly close to the centre of the city...

If I were you - living independently for what sounds like the first time - I'd seriously consider a bedsit with bills included, for at least the first 12 months. Get used to living alone, figure out your routines and how you use a space, pay attention to the meter readings and think about what appliances you use/when - plus, you can move out any time after the first 6 months, so it gives you time to find a 'good' flat... 

I found the old style board here great for tips and advice on budgeting/lifestyle help. 

[Deleted User]

I live in the SE & my outgoings are as follows:
£95.00 electricity (in the winter, with electric heating, I am VERY frugal with it now & only have a single rad on per evening).
£130.00 Council Tax (Inc single person discount)
£579.37 Mortgage (I would suspect similar place would be about £750 in rent)
£6.07 Contents Insurance
£190.00 Maintenance payment
I pay most things annually, TV license etc & my water is included in my maintenance payments.
I think I worked out with charity payments, Netflix and food etc I end up paying £1,300.00 a month, but if I was more frugal this could be less of course. 
I used this before I moved: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/Budget-planning/#bplanner

MovingForwards

You may want to check the properties for sale on Zoopla, as it gives an indication of living costs.

Whereabouts are you looking in the country as the living costs will differ.

trex227

I used to live in a 2nd floor flat built in 2007. I can't remember the exact cost but it was something like £50 a month for elec. The house I live in now is a 2 bed 1930s semi and when we first moved in 7 years ago the gas & elec also cost around £50 a month (now its up to £69). So I would imagine the costs on the flat I used to live in would be somewhat similar.

One really important thing is to find out how the heating/ water heating works when you first move in so you're using it in the best way. I've known people to get crazy bills because they didn't realise the water heater was set to be on all the time. The flat had a water tank so we had it heat water for a couple of hours in the morning and then again for an hour or so in the evening. The lettings agents couldn't show us how the heating and water worked. I think we ended up having to ask one of the neighbours to show us!

yksi

Just ask to see the EPC! They are required for all lets now and they show the expected energy costs for the building.