Our complete student guide to bills inclusive
There’s pros and cons to bills inclusive and here’s everything you need to know
All you need to know about bills inclusive
Bills inclusive packages allow your housemates to pay for all of your household utility bills (Broadband, Gas, Electric, Water, TV license & digital TV) in one payment each month. The cost is split between your housemates so you only pay your share, and no-one has to have “that” conversation with a housemate who hasn’t coughed up for their share of the monthly bills. Most Bills Inclusive companies allow you to pick and mix which services you want, but the minimum services you will need to take are energy.
How it Works
When you have decided on which bills inclusive company you want to deal with, you will need to register for a quote, including information like your address, services you need (Energy, Broadband, Water etc), and how many people will be living in your home. If you progress with the quote, and want to work with that company, every member of the household will need to register their details, including debit card details, and sign an agreement with terms & conditions. The bills inclusive company will then set all of your services up up ready for your move-in date, and start invoicing each member of the household at the agreed payment schedule.
Why should/shouldn’t I go Bills Inclusive?
To help your decision making, we have listed the pros and cons of dealing with Bills Inclusive companies below:
Pros
Bills Inclusive is a convenient and hassle-free way to arrange your household bills
You don’t have to buy all the services offered, and can just buy energy & water with most suppliers, leaving you with the flexibility to get cheaper deals on things like Broadband or subscription TV (or add them to your bills inclusive package at a later date)
Responsibility for payment is down to the individual housemate
The better Bills Inclusive companies offer a great service and will make all the installation and set-up requirements
Cons
Bills Inclusive services do come at a premium, and is more expensive than setting up your services individually
There are lots of new Bills Inclusive companies on the market, so do your research, and make sure you are dealing with someone reliable
The choice of services is limited, so you may only have a couple of options on who supplies your energy, broadband etc
If a housemate leaves during the agreement period, and is not replaced by a new housemate, every other housemate will probably have to pay more each month
Contract Length
Every supplier has their own approach to contract length, so we would suggest you consider your requirements carefully, and decide if a monthly rolling contract or fixed-length contract is best for you. This will probably depend on the length of your tenancy agreement, so it’s worth checking that out first.
What happens if a housemate moves out?
This really depends on the circumstances on why they are leaving, and your chosen supplier’s terms and conditions. Our recommended suppliers (Fused) approach is:
1. If your housemate is leaving before the end of the tenancy agreement but is still named on the tenancy, you are all liable to pay the costs agreed until the end of your agreement, including the housemate who is moving out.
2. If your housemate is leaving before the end of their tenancy agreement and written notice they have been removed from the tenancy agreement, then they need to send us a copy of this in an email to support@fusedbills.co.uk. We’ll remove them from your account, and alter the rest of your housemates’ monthly bill to cover the agreed shared cost, this will affect the monthly price.
3. If you’ve found someone else to replace the housemate that’s leaving, ask them to send their details over to us so we can add them to your payment plan straight away. This way, you won’t risk a change in your monthly payment.
Cancellation Period
This depends on if you purchase a fixed contract or rolling contract:
Fixed Contract: If you want to cancel before your contracted period you will need to contact your supplier, and will probably have to pay an early exit fee
Rolling Contract: Check your terms and conditions, but most companies have a 30-day cancellation fee on rolling contracts
Who do you recommend?
We have good experience with Bill Splitting companies, and from our experience, one of the best is Fused. They have a long history in the Bill Splitting business, a 5-star Trustpilot score, focus solely on the student market, and have some of most competitive pricing available. With over 50 staff, most of whom are there for customer support, you can be assured they are there to help at any period of you dealing with them.
Need any more help? Give us a call or drop us a line and we will get back to you ASAP