Moving out is exciting. Working out what bills you need to pay? Less so. This guide breaks down every single bill you'll face, what they should actually cost, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost most renters hundreds each year.
Get Your Free Bill AuditHere's the thing about renting for the first time: you know you'll pay rent, but nobody sits you down and explains all the other costs that come with having your own place. Gas, electric, water, council tax, broadband, TV licence, contents insurance... the list goes on. And if you're not careful, you could end up paying hundreds more than you need to.
We built this guide because we've seen it happen too many times. People move into their first flat, guess at which deals to pick, and end up locked into overpriced contracts or, worse, missing bills entirely and racking up debt without even knowing it.
So consider this your complete roadmap. We'll cover every bill you need to think about, what you should expect to pay, how to set each one up, and the biggest mistakes to avoid. Whether you're moving into a studio flat on your own or sharing a house with mates, we've got you.
Before you sign a tenancy agreement, ask your landlord or letting agent exactly which bills are included in your rent. Some rentals include water or even council tax, and some serviced apartments bundle everything in. Knowing this upfront saves you from doubling up on payments.
Let's go through every household bill you'll encounter. For each one, we'll explain what it is, roughly what it costs, and how to get it sorted.
These are your energy bills, and they'll usually be your biggest monthly cost after rent. Gas powers your boiler (heating and hot water) and possibly your hob. Electricity runs everything else: lights, fridge, washing machine, phone chargers, the lot.
You can get gas and electricity from the same supplier or different ones. Most people bundle them together because it's simpler. You'll either pay by direct debit (a fixed monthly amount based on estimated usage), prepayment meter (top up as you go), or quarterly bills.
Our advice: Direct debit is almost always the cheapest option. Prepayment meters cost more per unit and are a pain. If your property has one, ask if it can be switched.
Unlike energy, you can't choose your water supplier. It's based on where you live. You'll either pay a fixed annual charge (based on the rateable value of your property) or a metered rate (based on what you actually use).
If you live alone or with one other person, a water meter almost always works out cheaper. You can request one for free from your water company, though in some older properties it's not possible to install one.
Our advice: If there's no meter and you're a low-usage household, call your water company and ask for one. It could easily save you £10-20 a month.
This is a tax you pay to your local council. It funds local services like bin collection, street lighting, police, fire services, and libraries. The amount depends on your property's council tax band (A to H) and which council area you're in.
You usually pay over 10 months (April to January), though many councils offer a 12-month payment option if you ask. If you live alone, you automatically get a 25% discount, so make sure you apply for it.
Our advice: Full-time students are exempt from council tax entirely. If you're a student, apply for the exemption as soon as you move in. If you live with all students, the whole household is exempt.
You'll want internet, and you'll need to set up a broadband contract. Most contracts run for 18 or 24 months, so make sure your tenancy length matches up. There's nothing worse than being tied to a broadband contract for a flat you've already left.
Speed matters. If you're a solo renter who mostly browses and streams, a standard fibre package (30-40 Mbps) is fine. If you're gaming, working from home, or sharing with housemates who all stream at once, look for full fibre (100+ Mbps).
Our advice: Always check if there's already a line at the property. Ask the previous tenant or landlord which provider was used. Sometimes you can take over an existing connection and avoid an installation wait.
You need a TV licence if you watch or record live TV on any channel, or if you use BBC iPlayer (even for catch-up). It doesn't matter what device you use: TV, laptop, phone, tablet, it all counts.
If you genuinely only watch Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and other on-demand services (and never BBC iPlayer), you don't legally need one. But you'll need to declare this on the TV Licensing website.
Our advice: Be honest with yourself about whether you need one. Enforcement officers do visit, and the fine for watching without a licence is up to £1,000. It's not worth the risk.
Your landlord's buildings insurance covers the structure of the property, but it does NOT cover your stuff. If there's a break-in, a fire, or a flood, your laptop, clothes, furniture, and everything else you own is your problem.
Contents insurance for renters is surprisingly cheap. For a one-bed flat, you're looking at around £5-15 per month depending on your postcode and the level of cover you choose.
Our advice: Don't skip this one. Even if you think you don't own much, add up the cost of replacing your phone, laptop, clothes, kitchen stuff, and bedding. It adds up fast. A basic policy gives you peace of mind for the price of a coffee each week.
Just so you're clear on what's NOT your responsibility: your landlord pays for buildings insurance, the mortgage, any service charges or ground rent (for flats), and structural maintenance. If a boiler breaks down or the roof leaks, that's on them, not you. Gas safety checks and the Energy Performance Certificate are also the landlord's job. If anyone tries to charge you for these, push back.
Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, Amazon Prime, and other subscriptions aren't technically "household bills," but they add up fast. A few subscriptions can easily cost you £30-50 a month. If you're in a shared house, see if you can split family plans between housemates. One Netflix Premium account shared four ways is much better value than four individual accounts.
Here's a realistic breakdown of what you should expect to pay each month. These are UK averages for 2026 and will vary depending on where you live, your usage, and the deals you're on. Use these as a benchmark, not a guarantee.
| Bill | 1-Bed Flat | 2-Bed Flat / House | Shared House (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas & Electricity | £80 - £120 | £110 - £170 | £40 - £65 |
| Water | £25 - £40 | £30 - £50 | £12 - £20 |
| Council Tax | £100 - £150 | £120 - £200 | £40 - £70 |
| Broadband | £25 - £35 | £25 - £40 | £8 - £12 |
| TV Licence | £13.25 | £13.25 | See note* |
| Contents Insurance | £5 - £15 | £8 - £20 | £5 - £10 |
| Estimated Total | £250 - £375 | £310 - £495 | £105 - £180 |
*In a shared house, you typically only need one TV licence for the property. However, if your room has its own tenancy agreement and you watch TV on a device powered by your own electricity supply (not a communal socket), you may need your own licence. The rules are nuanced, so check the TV Licensing website if you're unsure.
If your bills are significantly higher than the ranges above, you're almost certainly on a bad deal or overpaying somewhere. That's exactly what our free bill audit catches. We'll look at every bill and tell you exactly where you can save.
Moving day is chaotic enough without trying to figure out bills. Here's the exact order we'd recommend tackling everything. Do this in your first week and you'll be completely sorted.
Before you do anything else, find your gas and electricity meters and write down (or photograph) the readings. This is your proof of where your usage starts. Without this, you could end up paying for the previous tenant's energy. Send these readings to the current supplier as soon as you can.
Ask your landlord or letting agent, or check any welcome letters at the property. If nobody knows, you can call the Meter Point Administration Service (MPAS) on 0870 608 1524 for electricity, or your gas transporter for gas. The existing supplier will contact you within a few weeks anyway, but it's better to be proactive.
You're automatically placed on the existing supplier's deemed or default tariff, which is almost always their most expensive option. Compare deals immediately and switch to a better tariff. Switching usually takes 2-3 weeks and there's no disruption to your supply. Set up a monthly direct debit to keep costs predictable.
Contact your local council within the first few days. You'll need your new address and move-in date. They'll send you a bill, usually within a couple of weeks. If you live alone, apply for the 25% single-person discount at the same time. Students should apply for exemption with their student status letter.
Find out which water company serves your area (you can look this up by postcode on the Water Services Regulation Authority website). Contact them to register at your new address. If there's a water meter, take a reading. If there isn't one and you're a low-usage household, ask about getting one installed.
This one needs to happen early because installation can take 1-2 weeks (sometimes longer). Compare packages, check what speeds are available at your postcode, and make sure the contract length aligns with your tenancy. Ask if the property already has a live line, as this can speed things up significantly.
If you need a TV licence, set it up online at tvlicensing.co.uk. For contents insurance, get a few quotes online. Both of these take about 10 minutes each and can be done from your phone while you're unpacking.
Setting up bills is tedious. Comparing deals is confusing. Let SaveFirst handle the lot. We'll audit your bills, find the best deals, and set everything up for you. It's completely free, and it takes about 10 minutes of your time.
Message Us on WhatsAppWe've helped hundreds of people sort out their bills, and we see the same mistakes again and again. Avoid these and you'll be ahead of most renters from day one.
When you move in, you're automatically put on the supplier's standard variable tariff, which is the most expensive option. Most first-time renters don't realise they can (and should) switch to a fixed deal immediately. This single mistake can cost you £200-400 per year. Always compare and switch as soon as you move in.
If you don't record meter readings on your move-in date, the energy company will estimate your usage from day one. Their estimate could include weeks or months of the previous tenant's usage. You'll end up paying for energy you never used, and disputing it later is a nightmare. Take photos of your meters before you even start unpacking.
If you live alone, you're entitled to a 25% discount on your council tax. But it's not automatic. You have to apply for it. On a Band C property, that could save you £300-400 a year. It takes five minutes to apply on your council's website, and the savings are backdated to when you moved in.
An 18-month broadband contract on a 12-month tenancy means you'll be paying for broadband at a place you no longer live in, or paying early exit fees. Always match your broadband contract to your tenancy length. Some providers offer 12-month or even 30-day rolling contracts, though they cost a bit more per month.
A flat that's £800/month in rent is really £1,100-1,200/month when you add bills. Too many first-time renters set their budget based on rent alone and then get hit with the reality of council tax, energy, and water bills. Always calculate total monthly costs (rent + all bills) before you commit to a property.
In shared houses, bills can become a source of serious friction. One housemate uses the heating all day while everyone else is at work. Nobody wants to be the one chasing payments. Set up a joint bills account where everyone pays an equal share by standing order at the start of each month. It removes all the awkwardness and ensures bills are always covered.
You might think you don't own enough to bother insuring. But if someone broke into your flat tomorrow and took your phone, laptop, headphones, and a few other bits, you'd be looking at £2,000+ to replace everything. A basic contents insurance policy costs less than a weekly takeaway and covers theft, fire, and water damage. It's a no-brainer.
Every single one of these mistakes is something we catch and fix during our free bill audit. We've seen them all, and we know exactly how to sort them. One WhatsApp message is all it takes.
Beyond choosing the right deals, there are simple everyday habits that can cut your bills without making your life worse. These aren't the "put on another jumper" cliches. These are things that actually make a noticeable difference.
Turning your thermostat down by just 1 degree can cut your heating bill by around 10%. Set it to 19-20 degrees and you'll barely notice the difference, but your wallet will. Use your boiler's timer to heat the house 30 minutes before you wake up and 30 minutes before you get home, rather than leaving heating on all day. Bleeding your radiators once a year keeps them efficient. And if you've got radiators behind furniture, pull the furniture forward a few inches so the heat can actually circulate.
Switching to LED bulbs is one of the easiest wins. They use around 80% less electricity than old-style bulbs and last years longer. Turn off appliances at the wall rather than leaving them on standby; standby mode can account for up to 10% of your electricity bill. When you're running the washing machine, use 30-degree cycles. Modern detergents are designed for cold washes, and you'll use significantly less energy. Only boil the water you need in the kettle, not a full one every time. And if you've got a tumble dryer, try to use it as little as possible because it's one of the most energy-hungry appliances in your home.
If you're on a water meter, shorter showers make a real difference. A standard shower uses about 12 litres per minute, so cutting your shower by even 2 minutes saves around 24 litres per day, which is roughly 8,700 litres a year. Don't leave the tap running while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. And make sure your toilet isn't running constantly because a leaking toilet can waste 200-400 litres a day without you even realising it. If the cistern keeps filling after flushing, tell your landlord.
You might be wondering why we'd help you for free. Fair question. Here's the honest answer: when we help you switch to better deals, the providers we work with pay us a small referral fee. You get the same price (or better) than going direct, and we handle all the hassle. You save money, we earn a commission, the provider gets a new customer. Everyone wins.
The whole thing takes about 10 minutes of your time. No pushy sales calls, no long forms to fill in, no obligation to switch anything. If we can't save you money, we'll tell you that too.
As a renter, you'll typically need to pay for: gas, electricity, water, council tax, broadband, TV licence (if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer), and contents insurance. Your landlord usually covers buildings insurance and the mortgage. Some bills may be included in your rent, so always check your tenancy agreement before setting anything up.
For a 1-bed flat in the UK, expect to pay roughly £80-120 per month for gas and electricity combined, £25-40 per month for water, £100-150 per month for council tax, £25-35 per month for broadband, and £13.25 per month for a TV licence. That comes to approximately £250-375 per month in total bills on top of your rent. These are averages and your actual costs will depend on your location, usage, and the deals you're on.
Contents insurance isn't legally required, but it's strongly recommended. Your landlord's buildings insurance does NOT cover your personal belongings. If there's a burglary, fire, or flood, you'd have to replace everything yourself. Policies for renters typically cost just £5-15 per month and cover your furniture, electronics, clothes, and other possessions. When you add up what you'd need to spend to replace everything, even a basic policy is well worth it.
Yes. SaveFirst offers a completely free bill audit and setup service. We compare deals across all your household bills, find the best rates for your situation, and handle the switching and setup process for you. There's no charge, no obligation, and no catch. We earn a small referral commission from providers when you switch, so the service costs you nothing. Just message us on WhatsApp to get started.
Don't waste hours comparing deals and filling in forms. Send us a quick WhatsApp message, and we'll take care of everything. Free audit, free setup, no strings attached.
Start My Free Bill AuditWe've written tailored guides for different life stages. Find the one that fits you best.