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Home & Bills
CalmAbout 75 min✓ Official sources · reviewed 2026-07-26

Set up and run your household bills

Five bills, one afternoon of setup, then they run themselves.

Your progress0 of 5 steps done
  1. 1

    Tell the council you've moved in

    Council tax starts the day you move in, whether or not you register — so register immediately and control the story. Almost every household pays it monthly; the amount depends on your property's band. Check your discounts at the same time: living alone means 25% off, and full-time students may pay nothing. Ignoring the council doesn't pause the bill, it just arrives later, bigger and angrier.

    Prepare

    Your move-in date, tenancy agreement and the property address.

    Watch out

    Assuming council tax is included in rent without seeing it written in the contract — a costly assumption when the backdated bill lands.

    This one is serious — get real help

    This step involves a high-risk area (legal, immigration, medical or benefits). We won't advise you here. Ask MyLife AI to prepare, or contact an official or appropriately regulated service before you act.

  2. Step 2

    Take meter readings and claim your energy account

    Day one: photograph the gas and electricity meters. Then find out who currently supplies the property (the previous tenant's supplier inherits you by default) and open your own account with those readings. Without day-one readings you can be billed for the previous tenant's usage. Once settled in, compare tariffs — the inherited "deemed" tariff is usually the most expensive one they have.

    Prepare

    Photos of both meters and your move-in date.

    Watch out

    Confusing the meter's several displays — note the number labelled kWh (electricity) or m³ (gas), not the time or tariff register.

  3. Step 3

    Set up water and broadband

    Water is simple: one regional company serves your address, no choosing, just register (a water meter usually saves money for small households — ask). Broadband is the opposite: full competition, so compare deals for your exact postcode, note the contract length, and diary the end date — prices typically jump sharply when the intro period ends. If your tenancy is short, ask for a 12-month or rolling contract.

    Prepare

    Your postcode, move-in date and preferred speed/budget.

    Watch out

    Signing 24-month broadband deals on a 12-month tenancy — early-exit fees can cost more than the remaining months.

  4. Step 4

    Decide the TV licence question honestly

    The TV licence catches newcomers because it's unlike anything at home: you need one to watch ANY live broadcast television or to use BBC iPlayer at all — on any device, any channel, even foreign channels streamed live. You don't need one for Netflix, YouTube or catch-up services other than iPlayer. Decide honestly what you actually watch, then either buy the licence or formally declare you don't need one on the licensing website.

    Prepare

    Five minutes and an honest look at your viewing habits.

    Watch out

    Watching Turkish channels live over the internet without a licence — live is live regardless of country; it still requires one.

  5. Step 5

    Automate the lot and file the proof

    Put every bill on direct debit (often slightly cheaper too), timed a few days after payday. Keep every first bill as PDF — remember, bills in your name are the proof-of-address currency that unlocks banks and credit later. One calendar reminder per quarter to glance at all five bills catches price creep before it compounds.

    Prepare

    Your bank app and the five account logins you just created.

    Watch out

    Direct debits timed before payday — one empty-account bounce can cost fees at both the bank and the supplier.

Need help? Ask MyLife

It already knows which playbook you're in. Answers come from official sources, with dates.