To think I shouldn’t have to pay bills?

[CenturyCoconut]

I’m currently renting a flat with another girl, and our lease ends in December. I’m having to move out this month due to moving abroad. She’s found someone to replace me but can’t move in until November. So I’ll have to pay the rent in October even when I’m not living there. Fair enough, I’m happy to do this.
But she said I also have to pay bills. Surely bills are pay as you go, and I shouldn’t have to be paying half of these when I’m not there?

Rent I can understand, but not the bills. Am I wrong?

But lots of bills aren't pay as you go. There are standing charges for electricity, gas, water etc. that often make up the majority of the actual cost.

I would figure out what the standing charges are and pay half of those, but I wouldn’t pay the usage on top.

That’s a difficult one.If it is a prepayment then you pay as you use but if it is a fixed amount by direct debit then yes.It would be difficult to claim person council tax for one month.Yes I think n balance you should pay your share.

Do you pay council tax?

Last time I checked most bills are not PAYG. Council tax is not PAYG. It costs the same to run a fridge for 24 hours whether one person uses it or 5. Electric or gas maybe slightly less but certainly not half. In this case I think YABU.

The bills in October would represent what you personally benefitted from/used in September, though? And if they're quarterly bills, for the previous three months?

Yes you are.

It’s going to cost the same to heat the flat of two people are there or one, so you have to pay.

If you think there’s a bill that will be cheaper, you can negotiate that.

Council tax and standing charges, yes, but I wouldn’t be paying a usage fee.
I’d expect to pay half of the daily standard charge for electricity and a shared monthly wifi bill/tv license.

Well you should. The OP is ducking out of the lease early. The usage of running the electricity is the same for one as two - so if she doesn’t pay she is landing her flat mate in it.

You should have to pay council tax in my opinion. I'd probably offer that and a contribution towards other bills as it seems unfair for your friend to be footing the full bill for things like wifi, electric etc for a month because of your choices. If I were your friend I wouldn't expect you to pay half of the electric and gas bill for that month though.

Whose name are on the bills? If hers you are perfectly in your rights to tell her to do one.

TBH you are lucky that your flatmate has managed to find someone to take over and get you out of the lease early so you are not paying til December.

I would pay up and not complain as you have left your flatmate in a tricky position.

of course you should pay. WiFi, council and g and e. The majority of g and e will be standing charge and things like heating, fridge etc. perhaps you could negotiate 40:60 on those.

youre in the wrong. You’ve put her in the position of having find someone new. Council tax, internet etc don’t change with you leaving.

You made a commitment till December when you signed the lease. You are lucky that your flat mate has been able to find someone willing to move in before then, so you can get out of paying rent earlier than December.

You should count yourself lucky and honour all rent AND bills until the new person moves in. Why should your flat mate take a financial hit because you decided to move on earlier than agreed?

You're leaving your flatmate 'in the lurch' here so yes, you need to honour the original commitment and pay your share of bills until the lease ends.

I’m afraid you do need to pay.

As pp said, there are standing charges. You signed up to December.

Your lucky you don’t have to pay for December too.

Bills aren’t really pay as you go are they, there are standing charges, and most things like WiFi are on contracts that you can’t just pause or pay half of until the new person moves in. I think you need to pay.

Yeah you definitely need to pay. Otherwise she will be out of pocket because you decided to move out despite signing a contract.

Pay council tax and standing charges but not usage.

Even mobile phone bills are very rarely pay as you go these days.
Unless we are talking about the use of the landline, on top of the monthly charges, you should pay half the bills.

You did the right thing by asking people's opinion, so I am sorry that you happen to be wrong, but yes, you should pay.

Yea, you have to pay your share of the bills.
Council tax, broadband, standing charges etc are not pay as you go. And she shouldn’t be stuck with the full amount alone when it was agreed these things would be split.

Water, broadband, tv licence, council tax and the standing charges for gas and electricity are all non-variable, so you should definitely pay them. The actual cost of gas and electricity is arguably only her responsibility, but they’ll be a fraction of ‘the bills’ and it’s you who’s put her in this situation, it would seem petty for you not to pay towards those too. Sorry, but YABU.

As an earlier poster said, it costs the same to run the fridge whether OP is there or not. Those sorts of costs are shared in a flat share. If OP leaves early, that will unfairly transfer the cost to her flat mate. She needs to pay until the new person moves in.