Gas, electricity and water bills

• To avoid being overcharged for utilities always read the meter when you move into a rented property and write to the utility companies with the reading and a copy of your tenancy agreement.
• Water bills come from the water companies in England and Wales but are included on the Council Tax bill in Scotland. Therefore, if you are not liable to pay the council tax in Scotland, you won't pay water charges. New arrangements for water charging are being phased in in Northen Ireland from April 2009.  
• When you move out always make sure you contact the utility companies to let them know and ask them to forward any final bills to your new address (if they can’t contact you and bills are left outstanding it could affect your credit rating).
• If you are having difficulty paying your utility bills, check if you are eligible for a Charis Grant. These are for arrears of utility and domestic bills for a number of utility companies:

EDF Energy brands : London Energy, SWEB Energy, Seeboard Energy, Virgin HomeEnergy; Anglian Water, Hartlepool Water, Cambridge, Essex and Suffolk and Three Valleys Water; British Gas and Scottish Gas; Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water, Folkestone and Dover Water, Mid Kent Water, Portsmouth Water, South East Water, and Tendring Hundred Water.

Grants are for arrears only – if you have already paid the bill you can’t apply.

Contact: Write to The Trustees, PO Box 42, Peterborough, PE3 8XH or telephone 01733 421 050 for information or 01733 421 060 for an application form.