Managing utilities, bills and tax
Your property will have an electricity connection, and may also have a gas connection for heating, cooking and hot water. There are lots of companies who provide these services, and your electricity supplier may be different from your gas supplier.
There are two ways to pay for electricity and gas. If you have a prepayment meter, you will need to regularly add money to keep it working.
If you have a credit meter, you will get a monthly bill from your supplier.
You should find the electricity meter and gas meter and take a note of the numbers. If you are on a credit meter, you should then contact your suppliers and tell them you have moved in, and give them the current readings. They will tell you how you will pay your bills.
If you’re on a prepayment meter and you run out of credit, the gas or electricity will not work until you add more credit.
If you're on a credit meter, these services will not be turned off if you miss a payment, but if you repeatedly miss payments your supplier will likely move you onto a prepayment meter.
You can get free financial advice if you can't pay for your bills.
This is a device in your home that measures the amount of electricity or gas you use. You need to pay in advance, and will need to regularly add money to keep it working.
Each region of the UK has a single water company. Your house will have a water meter which will charge you according to the amount of water you use.
You should find the water meter and take a note of the numbers. You should then contact your supplier and tell them you have moved in, and give them the current reading. They will tell you how you will pay your water bill.
You cannot have your water cut off if you don't pay your bill, so if you have no money, you should prioritize paying your gas or electricity bill.
You can get free financial advice if you can't pay for your bills.
There are many companies that can provide broadband internet to your home. You can choose a company using a price comparison website such as USwitch.
It usually takes between 2-3 weeks to get broadband installed. All suppliers will send you a router for free, so you don't need any more equipment to get set up. An alternative that will be much faster to get set up is a 5G hub, but that is not available in all areas.
Be aware that most services have a contract period between 12 - 24 months, and you will have to pay a penalty if you want to leave the supplier early.
You can look for second hand phones on websites such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay.
You can buy new phones from high street shops or online. There are many companies that will offer you a monthly contract which will give you both a new phone and inclusive calls, data and SMS costs. Whilst this can be appealing, it is usually the most expensive solution compared to buying your own phone and SIM card.
You can get either a ‘pay as you go’ SIM where you will have to buy credit for your phone and then only pay for the calls, SMS and data you use. Alternatively, you can get a contract where you will pay a monthly amount and use your phone as much as you like within their monthly limits.
Websites such as USwitch can help you find the best deal.
There are several organisations providing free SIM cards.
You can keep your current phone number when you change your SIM card. To do this, contact your current provider and ask for a PAC code. When you have this, contact your new provider and give them your PAC code. They will tell you what time and date your old phone number will be switched over.
You can buy SIM cards online, in convenience stores or supermarkets, or from mobile phone shops.
Household waste will be collected regularly by the council from outside your house. You will be provided different types of bins for recycling and regular waste. The council’s website will provide you information on what type of waste goes in which bins. You will need to move your bin onto the street on the correct day to ensure it is collected. You can find the correct day on the council website.
If you have larger items that won’t fit into your bins, you must either take these to a recycling area, or contact the council who will arrange for these to be removed. It is illegal to leave your rubbish or unwanted items in a public space.
If you have a garden, you are allowed to light fires. You may not do this if it would cause a safety issue, or may be a nuisance to your neighbours.
You are allowed to make a reasonable level of noise within your home, such as playing music or using tools from time to time. You must however do so only within reasonable hours, so do not do this late at night or early in the morning.
If you have neighbours who are repeatedly creating excessive noise, you can report them to the council.