Utilities: What you need to know
Q: DOES CAPLAND OFFER RENTAL PACKAGES WHICH INCLUDE GAS, ELECTRICITY & WATER?
A: No.
Q: WHY NOT?
A: These packages do not offer value for money!
1. They vastly increase the costs to you by charging you regardless of whether the utility is used. Agents offering such packages add on an average £10 per week to each tenant’s rent for gas, electricity & water.
2. Detailed research of our student’s actual water, electricity and gas bills over the last 2 years show on average students spend was an average of £5.50 per week.
3. Why pay an agent for utilities you are not using? By avoiding an all inclusive package you can control you own usage and save. So, a group of 6 can save around £1248 per year!
Q: WHAT BILLS SHOULD WE BUDGET FOR?
A: The 3 main bills you will have to budget for are Gas, Electricity & Water. Additionally, there may be a TV license to buy per household and then any broadband or TV packages you may opt for.
Q: HOW DO I ORGANISE THE UTILITY SERVICES AND BILLS WHEN I MOVE IN TO OUR CAPLAND PROPERTY?
A:
1. When you move in to your property take a meter reading for Gas, Electricity & Water. The details of where your meters are situated will be in the front of your house manual, underneath the kitchen sink. The manual also contains a large plastic key which opens the gas & electric meter cabinets if your meters are located outside.
2. Many houses do not have water meters and water is billed at a set amount dependent on the size & location of the property. Generally, students without a meter pay around £1 per person per week for water. Properties with water meters will pay for the amount of water actually used plus a standing charge.
3. If you have any problems at all locating your meters and taking readings you can call Capland for help.
4. You then need to call the relevant utility company and register the bill in you and your fellow housemates’ names. We advise having bills in all of your housemates’ names as you will all be equally responsible for their payment
Q: CAN MY HOUSEMATES AND I CHOOSE OUR OWN SUPPLIERS?
A: Yes, you can choose your own supplier. We think it is a great idea to shop around and have provided links at the bottom of this page to some comparison websites.
Q: WHAT IF WE HAVE HAD A LARGER THAN EXPECTED BILL? WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
A: Quite often bills are not based on actual meter readings, they are estimated. This can happen during the summer months if you are away and your meters are inside the property and cannot be accessed by a meter reader. You can tell from your bill if it is estimated/customer reading or an actual bill.
1. If you think this is the case read the meter yourself and compare the readings. There will be a telephone number on the bill that you can ring and give an actual reading. A revised bill will be prepared and sent out to you.
2. If the bill is based on an actual reading but is still very high you may have to look at how you are using energy. Lights left on, heating on too high, appliances left on standby, water left running whilst brushing teeth, boiling more water than you need in the kettle, they all add up so take a look around and see what you could be saving.
Q: WHAT ABOUT AT THE END OF THE TENANCY, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE ALL OUR BILLS ARE UP TO DATE?
A:
1. On the last day of your tenancy the last housemate/tenant leaving the property should take final meter readings and phone them through to your utility suppliers. They should give the suppliers a forwarding address for the final bills to be sent to.
2. A receipt should be obtained as proof of payment of each of the utility bills. Capland Properties require sight of these receipts as proof of payment of final bills before deposits are released.
USEFUL LINKS
COMPARISON SITES:
ENERGY:
WATER:
TELEPHONE/BROADBAND:
