What happens with utility bills for a short-term rental flat?

[stargirl04]

Hi, I'm just looking for advice as I am about to move into a rented 1-bedroom flat that's intended as a temporary home while I look for a place to buy (which will be a 1 or 2 bed flat).

I've been a lodger renting a room till now, so utilities, broadband etc were all inclusive in my rent. The owner's daughter is returning from university and the house will be too crowded so it's time to go. (Plus I would just like my own place now.)

I don't know how long I will be in the new place - but ideally I'd like to rent it just for six months or so (hopefully I will have bought by then).

For this reason I don't particularly want to sign up for a year with a company for gas\electric or broadband etc, as I believe is now common.

Does anyone know if companies are willing to just supply gas/electric etc on a month-to-month basis like they used to in the old days?

And if you do sign up for a one-year deal, can you move it to your next address if you move before the year is up?

Any tips and advice greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

you could probably get a standard tariff for gas/electric, etc (i.e. not tied in to a specific amount of time) but it will probably be a bit more expensive.

in short, it's not a problem. You will pay all the bills (council tax, gas, electric, water, TV licence, phone/broadband, tenants insurance) but moving around a lot is not a problem.

most standard rentals are six month minimum.

from experience with this:

TV licence; moves easily with you, just change address online
council tax: you pay as long as you are at a place. If you are the only occupant you get a discount.
water: as long as you are at a place. For this and others, you may need to pay in advance, but you will be refunded what you don't use when you leave. Look into a water meter.
gas/electric; you can get deals with no lock-in, but if you do lock-in for cheaper prices they are usually portable. Discuss with the supplier of your choice.
insurance; you pay for a year but again you get refunded pro-rata when you leave.
phone/broadband: I think the post office does month-by-month but it is not the cheapest. BT etc do ask you to sign up for a time, but it is portable to your next address.

it is of course vital to take the meter readings when you move in and move out; to write them down and get the old/new tenant to agree them, and to input them yourself, preferably online but by phone will do, at once. Otherwise you may find yourself being billed for usage before you moved in, and after you moved out, with no evidence to prove you are not liable. You can photograph the meter figures and email it to anyone who cares if you like. Put a postcard with the date and time in-shot. When you move out, turn off at the main switch, and tie a luggage-label with the final meter reading and leaving date on the switch, as well as phoning it to the suppliers.

Also take meter readings, yourself, and input them, yourself, at monthly intervals while you are the tenant. This will prevent you getting estimated bills.

When you move in, it is less complicated and less likely to go wrong if you start out with whatever utility companty has been supplying the previous occupant. They must then take the changover reading to end the previous contract and to start the new. Changes of supplier often go wrong and take a long time, so you are removing one possible cause of problems. You can change supplier later if you want. Summer utility bills are low but winter bills are high, so change by October if you are going to. Take the meter-readings on changeover day and provide them to the old and the new supplier online, and by phone, and by letter, to reduce their ability to get it wrong, and copy the agent, in writing. It is not unknown for agents to try to get usage during the void charged to a tenant who was not there.

Thanks for all the advice here everyone - has set my mind at rest. And I'll be sure to get those meter readings done! Cheers x