House sharing - companies that manage bills.

[Paddlinglikehell]

DD is about to start a house share with three others and I’ve been looking at easy ways to pay the bills.

Has anyone any experience of these split the Bill companies that provide electricity Wi-Fi water rates set up and payments and then charges students for managing it all, is it easier to do this than get an account they all pay into?

I got a quote from one company that was £110 each a month covering all bills and Wi-Fi, there are four students so it seemed quite a lot for them to pay a month.

Has anyone used one of these companies, are any better than others?

I’d welcome any advice, this is all new to me!

IME those companies are always very expensive.

My DC’s house share (5 of them) took on the gas/elec, water and Wi-Fi at their house. Virgin do a 12 month student deal for Wi-Fi.

They have a group WhatsApp (which includes parents) to keep on top of splitting and paying bills.

@SabrinaThwaiteCan I ask how this works for the direct debits? Did they open a shared account for bills or were they in one persons name? My concern is having it in one name that person could be risking problems if something happens and someone does not pay.

They are in one person’s name (her dad organised it with her). The other 4 set up a standing order to that person for the gas/elec standing charges, water and Wi-Fi (about £26 pcm) and then they split the gas/elec usage charges between the 5 of them each month (the most expensive month for that was £28 each).

So the most expensive month this year has been £54 each to cover all utilities.

Did the same when the eldest was at uni too.

Don't forget to make sure that the council tax exemption is applied for.