Utilities FAQs

Who manages my utilities? 
Our utilities are managed by Community Utilities, our utilities billing partner, who serve residential buildings like ours across the UK. They manage the day-to-day aspects of our utilities, including queries related to consumption, statements, meter readings, and the utilities portal. They’ll tell us what to charge you, and we will pass this payment on to you.
 

How do I pay for my utilities? 
If you’ll be paying your rent by direct debit, we will take your utilities charge in the same payment.
 

Where can I see my utilities usage?
You’ll be able to check your usage in the utilities portal. The lead resident (primary resident on the tenancy) will be sent a link to register within the first 2 weeks of moving in. Your usage is updated monthly (not in real time), and statements for the previous month will be accessible to the lead resident mid-month in the utilities portal, via email, and in the payment section of the Quintain Living app.
 

How long will it take until I receive my first bill?
•    For monthly payments only: For the first 2 months, your direct debit will be a fixed utilities charge based on the number of bedrooms you have in your apartment. In month 3, you will be charged (reconciled) based on your actual usage from month 1. Any difference between your actual usage in the first 2 months and what you’ve paid will be settled when you move out. 
•    For upfront payments only: Your utilities payment is made in advance using a fixed utilities charge based on the number of bedrooms you have in your apartment for the upfront period. As you use utilities each month, the balance gradually decreases using your actual usage from the previous month's statement. 
 

When do reconciliations happen? Will you inform me in advance if you intend to change my direct debit amount?
Reconciliation takes place every month, and you will always have visibility of an upcoming payment, as it is calculated using the previous month’s statement.
•    For monthly payments: Reconciliations begin with your 3rd month's direct debit. Your monthly charge reflects your actual usage, with each direct debit covering the previous month's usage. For example, Month 1 usage appears in the Month 2 statement and is collected in Month 3. You can find an example below. 

•    For upfront payments: As you use utilities each month, your actual usage reduces the upfront payment based on the previous month's statement. At the end of each upfront cycle, a new upfront payment is calculated on the same basis. Any remaining credit or outstanding balance is rolled into the next upfront payment or settled with your deposit, ensuring your account stays balanced over time. You can find an example here. 
 

Is my utility usage likely to change throughout the year?
It is likely that your usage in the winter months will increase due to shorter daylight hours and lower temperatures and potentially be lower in the summer months because of longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures. It will differ for each resident depending on how much of each utility you use throughout the year. Your monthly payment will reflect your actual usage from the previous month's statement. 
 

How do you work out my fixed utilities charge for the first 2 months or upfront payments?
We calculate the average utility costs per apartment based on the number of bedrooms you have. We analyse the historic actual usage data collected over a minimum of the previous 12 months from all of our apartments in Wembley Park to determine the average monthly cost for each apartment size, based on the number of bedrooms. If any changes are required to these, we will let you know in advance. 
 

I'll be sharing my apartment with others, how do we split the bills? 
The energy and water usage for your apartment will be taken as part of your single rent and utilities Direct Debit payment. You’ll need to settle any costs among your flatmates separately.