Students Utilities Bills help needed

maxcao

Hi, I am a student living in Nottingham. I am gonna rent a flat with some of my friends but the bills are not inclusive.
From previous problems with utilities bills in the past, I want to have the utilities bills (electricity & water) fixed so you know what to expect. I came across some website before that have a package for students. They will pay all our bills at a fixed price every month, we don't have to deal with Utilities company, just pay them by direct debit. But I can't find it anywhere now.

Anybody have any ideas what I am talking about ? Or do you know any company offers similar services? Or what will you do if you want your house utilities bills inclusive ?

Thank you

cardiffforthefacup

hi, don't know anything about that but I will suggest that when you sign up to any utility company you put all your names on the contracts, if it has just one name and others don't pay their share of the bills any defaults will be the responsilibility of the named person and can result in bad credit ratings. It can happen even with the closest of friends and this is a way of ensuring that you are not left with the burden of paying someone elses bill as well as having a black mark on your credit record.

bestpud

cardiffforthefacup wrote: »

hi, don't know anything about that but I will suggest that when you sign up to any utility company you put all your names on the contracts, if it has just one name and others don't pay their share of the bills any defaults will be the responsilibility of the named person and can result in bad credit ratings. It can happen even with the closest of friends and this is a way of ensuring that you are not left with the burden of paying someone elses bill as well as having a black mark on your credit record.

Yes, I second that.

I know someone who put all the bills in his name and was left with sole responsibility for payment at the end of the course. They were in arrears too, as they kept assuring him they would pay up and didn't. He was basically stumped!

Taught him a valuable life lesson, but still...

roxalana

i've not heard about companies like this, but personally I would be wary of giving my money to an organisation that isn't the utility company.

I would do the above, but if you can, I'd estimate how much per month your utilities are (even if you are getting quarterly bills). You would have to average this over the year and would mean each of you paying into a bills 'pot'. Most people find it hard to stump up the amount quarterly as few people plan for this expense and it means someone always ends up lumbered with the others owing them.

This way (hopefully) the money should be ready in the pot to pay the bill when it comes in. If you underestimated, then the shortfall would be less than stumping up the whole amount in one go and if you overestiamted and have money left at the end of the year, either you can share the extra out or do something nice together as a house.

Perhaps if you post details on the utilities board of size of house, whether you cook/have hot water through gas/elec etc they might be able to give you a rough estimate of costs - it could be adjusted when you know your actual usage (though obviously it will be greater in the colder months).

Voyager2002

I will just add, that even if you found a company that charges you a set amount for all your utilities, you would be paying more than if you pay your own bills. Such a company has to charge enough to cover the most that you might possibly consume, and still meet its own administration costs and make a profit. You are far better off doing what has been suggested above.

CLAPTON

you much better off making an arrangement that each person is responsible for one bill and then settle up after each bill is paid.

That way the most you are responsible for is one bill ... whereas if you are all named on every bill you will be responsible for all the bills if the others dont or wont pay.

Keep it simple and limit your liability.

maxcao

Thank you all for your suggestion.

I think I will just call the utilities company and set up an account with all the names of ternants.

Thanks again.

CLAPTON

maxcao wrote: »

Thank you all for your suggestion.

I think I will just call the utilities company and set up an account with all the names of ternants.

Thanks again.

most unwise but there you go

bestpud

CLAPTON wrote: »

most unwise but there you go

I can see the logic in having one bill each but in reality, won't some bills be considerably higher than others?

melancholly

i agree about having all names on all bills.... makes sure they all get paid at the end - and some are always much much bigger than others! but anyway, whichever way it is done, much better than taking on all the bills in your own name and ending up paying for other housemates who are always 'broke' when the bills come in (how many threads have there been on that?!)

CLAPTON

If you all have your names on every bill then you are responsible for EVERY bill not just one (even if that was the most expensive)

If you ALL have your name on every bill, who actually pays it.. say everyone say I can't afford it at the moment..what do you do?

If it doesn't get paid your credit rating will be trashed which may make life very difficult for you in the future

Whereas, if you only have your name on only one bill , even if the most expensive your liability is limited to that one bill.