How to pay your bills
A self-help guide
In a private rental property, you are responsible for paying:
- Gas
- Electricity
- Rent
- Council Tax
Occasionally, properties are advertised as ‘Bill Included’, which means you will send over one payment to the landlord that includes all these payments. More frequently, bills are not included, and you will be expected to pay these separately. Please speak to a Housing Officer in your local council if you have any questions or want to know more about this.
Energy bills:
What is a prepayment meter?
Prepayment meters mean you need to pay for the energy before you use it. To do this, you will need to top-up your account, using a small key or card that can be found in your meter. Take this to a local corner shop where you can pay for any energy you would like to use. Only top-up your own card, and always call the energy provider if you lose your card. Remember to check the prepayment meter for existing debt when you move into the property.
Always call your energy provider if any of your meters do not work, look broken, or have been tampered with.
How can I manage my energy consumption?
There are several steps that you can take that will help you minimise your energy consumption and lower your Energy Bills. The Money Saving Expert website offers Energy Saving Tips.
What do I do if I am struggling to pay for my energy?
Immediately contact your supplier. They should offer you some emergency support, including emergency credit, or extra support credit. You should contact your supplier immediately. They should offer you emergency support including emergency credit, or extra support credit. You can read more about that at the Ofgem website. You will need to repay this credit, so suppliers should help you get a payment plan.
You can ask for more time, breaks, hardship funds and registration for Priority Services Registration.
There is also a Breathing Space Scheme, that could give you 60 days’ break from payments. You can use this to focus more on debt advice and payment plans. Step Change can offer further guidance on this, and help you apply. You can also speak to the new Debt Advice Service at Positive Action in Housing. One of our Money Skills Advisors can support you to ensure that you do not get into debt.
Can I get disconnected if I cannot pay?
Energy companies can take action against you after 28 days of non-payment. This is why it is important to make sure that you contact your energy company if you are struggling to pay your bills. If you haven’t paid a bill after 28 days, your supplier may contact you about the possibility of disconnecting your gas or electricity supply. It’s rare to be disconnected as your supplier will usually offer to install a prepayment meter instead. The moratorium to ban electricity and gas disconnection came to an end on March 31st 2023.
Can I get access to translation if I do not speak English?
You can usually access translation services for any of the big energy companies. Sometimes you need to ask for translation in English, so it may be useful to have a friend or translator who can ask for translation for you. You can also contact Positive Action in Housing through our Self-Referral tool, and state that you need help with translation for energy bills.
What should I do if I cannot pay my Council Tax bills?
If you cannot pay your council tax, please contact your local council as soon as you miss a payment or think that you will struggle to pay your next bill.
They may:
- Let you pay your council tax in smaller amounts
- Check if you can get any discounts
- Find out if you are exempt from paying council tax
Last updated 30 August 2023