Check out our top tips on splitting bills with housemates.
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Sharing a house with other people can be tricky — and not just when you disagree on what shows to watch. When sharing a house with other people, it’s important to agree how you’ll be splitting the bills for the length of your tenancy to avoid any issues when it comes time to pay.
Our tips for sharing bills with your housemates
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Get everyone’s name on the bills — when setting up accounts with suppliers, account holders are the people held legally responsible for paying the whole bill. It’s a good idea to get everyone’s name on there, so you’re all equally responsible. Additionally, only account holders will be able to talk to your suppliers about your account, and so adding everyone will mean that anyone can handle issues which might arise.
Agree how bills will be split — it’s important to agree how bills will be split out between you before your first bills arrive. An equal split is the simplest way to allocate costs, but some housemates might feel as though this isn’t fair. Making sure you’ve agreed who will be paying what will mean you don’t end up paying bills late and perhaps getting charged a late fee.
Decide how to pay bills — there are some companies who will combine all your bills for you — this is called ‘all inclusive bills’ or ‘bill splitting’. These companies can be helpful but you’ll have to pay for the service so it will be more expensive. Before signing up to anything make sure you shop around and compare the price between using a company and paying the bills yourself.
Agree who will read the meter & update your energy supplier — if you’re not sending your energy supplier regular meter readings, then they will bill you based on estimated usage which could be more or less than you are actually using. Regularly sending meter readings will ensure that you are only paying for energy you use. If you have a smart meter you should check that your readings are being sent to your energy supplier.
Keep an eye on costs — at least one person should regularly check on the energy bills being sent, to ensure that they are covering the correct length of time as well as being charged to the correct rates.
