Utility bills need paying - there's no getting away from it. But you can reduce the pain by following our advice. There are several easy ways to make sure you spend as little as possible.
When you first move in, make sure you find out who is supplying your property with gas and electricity. This can be done in the following ways:
- The previous tenants may have left an old bill in the property
- The supplier may have sent you a letter telling you that they are your current supplier
- If you don't have either of these (which is likely), just phone the number for your area from this list. They will be able to give you the contact number of your current supplier.
Contact your gas and electricity supplier as soon as possible and let them know that you are the new tenants – this way you’ll avoid paying for anyone else’s energy. They will ask for your meter readings, so be sure to have noted these down in advance.
The next bit takes about five minutes and could save you around £400: as a new tenant you will have been placed on the provider’s ‘Standard’ tariff, which gives no benefits for paying by direct debit or managing your account online; it is therefore a good idea to switch to a better deal.