What will this home's bills be?
Short answer
Before you offer or sign, you can know most of a home's running costs: the council tax band and the council's charge for it, the water company and whether the home is metered, the energy supplier and meter type, and which broadband networks reach the address. Listings show a band at most, and heating type moves the bill most.
Updated
£2,392
England's average Band D council tax for 2026-27 (MHCLG)
£639
Average water and sewerage bill in England and Wales for 2026-27 (Discover Water)
£1,935
The price cap at typical use for 1 October to 31 December 2026, like-for-like; £1,723 on Ofgem's current measure
Listings give a council tax band at most, and the forums are full of people who found out about the storage heaters, the heat network or the unmetered water after they had signed. Most of a home's running costs can be checked from the address before you commit, and the rest from one set of questions at the viewing.
See the bills for your new address
Pick your new address to see its council tax band and charge, its water company, who supplies the energy, and broadband deals, in one list.
Which bills will I have, and who sets each?
Council tax, water, energy, broadband and the TV Licence. Two are set by the address and cannot be shopped for; two depend on what you choose; one is a national fee.
- Council tax: GOV.UK says the bill depends on three things, the home's valuation band, how much the council charges for that band, and whether you can get a discount or exemption. The band and the charge are both public before you move.
- Water: Ofwat says household customers cannot change their water or sewerage company, because it depends on where you live. The only choice some homes have is metered or unmetered charging.
- Energy: until you choose a tariff, the home's existing supplier bills its default tariff, whose unit rates and standing charges Ofgem's price cap limits. The size of the bill is the home's usage, which the heating type sets more than anything else.
- Broadband: the networks that reach the address decide the deals. Openreach's moving-home pages explain what happens to a line at a new address, and GOV.UK's new-build guidance tells developers in England to build gigabit-capable connections.
- TV Licence: a national fee of £180 a year from 1 April 2026, TV Licensing says, if anyone in the home watches or records live TV or uses BBC iPlayer.
Sources: GOV.UK: working out your Council Tax (read 24 October 2026); Ofwat: changing supplier (read 13 October 2026); Ofgem: energy price cap and standing charges explained (read 24 October 2026); Openreach: moving home (read 22 October 2026); GOV.UK: new build connectivity, information for developers (England) (read 15 October 2026); TV Licensing: the cost of a TV Licence (read 1 September 2026)
What can I check from the address alone?
Four lookups give you the band, the water company, the energy supplier and the broadband networks before you have spoken to anyone. The address block above does the five bills together, with its limits stated.
- The council tax band: GOV.UK's band search covers England and Wales by postcode, and the charge for that band is on the council's website for the year from 1 April.
- The water company: Water UK's checker names the water and the sewerage company for a postcode, which can be two firms sending two bills.
- The energy supplier: Find My Supplier names the electricity and gas suppliers for an address, and the letter addressed to The Occupier waiting at the home usually says the same.
- Broadband: Openreach's checker shows whether its full fibre has reached the address, and Virgin Media and the independent networks run their own.
- Pick the address above and Taupia shows the five together: the band and the council's charge, the water company and its average, the supplier and the default price on the home's usage, and broadband deals. The address picker covers Great Britain; in Scotland it returns the council but not the band, the water figure is an average, and broadband is checked at the exact address only for Virgin Media.
Sources: GOV.UK: check your Council Tax band (read 24 October 2026); Water UK: find your supplier (read 13 October 2026); Find My Supplier: who supplies my gas or electricity (read 15 October 2026); Openreach: moving home (read 22 October 2026)
What should I ask at the viewing?
The address answers what the bills are. The viewing answers how big they will be: the heating, the meters, the water and the connections.
- 1
Ask what heats the home and the hot water
Gas, electric, oil, a heat pump or a heat network. On Ofgem's capped Direct Debit rates for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a unit of electricity costs 26.32p against 7.97p for gas, so an all-electric home can cost far more to heat.
- 2
Find the meters and note their type
Smart, prepayment, standard or two-rate (Economy 7). A prepayment meter and a two-rate meter each change how you are billed, and a smart meter still gives readings if it has lost its connection.
- 3
Ask whether the flat is on a heat network or communal heating
Heat networks sit outside the price cap and have their own consumer protection rules under Ofgem. Ask who bills the heat, whether there is a heat meter for the flat, and what last winter cost.
- 4
Ask whether the water is metered
A metered home pays for use plus a standing charge; an unmetered one pays a fixed yearly charge based on the rateable value. Citizens Advice says to read the meter as soon as you move in.
- 5
Check which broadband networks reach the address
Use Openreach's checker and the providers' own. A new build may have a single network, or none live on moving day, so ask the developer which network serves the estate.
- 6
For bills-included rent, ask which bills and what the cap is
Ask for the list of included bills and any fair-usage limit in writing, and what you pay above it. Shelter says a landlord cannot take more than one month's rent in advance.
Sources: Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (read 23 October 2026); Ofgem: heat networks consumer protection regulations (read 13 October 2026); Citizens Advice: moving home and water bills (read 24 October 2026); Openreach: moving home (read 22 October 2026); Shelter: Renters' Rights Act changes for private renters (read 24 October 2026)
How much do bills come to each month for a home this size?
National averages give the shape of the total; the address gives the figures. Every number here is an average or a cap, not a quote for a home.
- Council tax: MHCLG puts England's average Band D bill for 2026-27 at £2,392, about £199 a month over 12 instalments. Lower bands pay a fraction of Band D and higher bands a multiple, and the council's own figure replaces the average once you know the home.
- Water: Discover Water puts the average annual water and sewerage bill in England and Wales for 2026-27 at £639, about £53 a month, as an average across metered and unmetered homes and every company.
- Energy: Ofgem's cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is £1,935 a year at typical use on the like-for-like basis Taupia leads with, or £1,723 on Ofgem's current typical-use measure, about £144 to £161 a month. An all-electric home or a large one sits above it.
- TV Licence: £180 a year, or £15 a month. Broadband depends on the deal you choose; a new line can add a set-up fee.
- The average household bills page sets these out by household type with the arithmetic shown. Your own home's figures come from the address above, not from the average.
Sources: MHCLG: Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2026 to 2027 (read 15 October 2026); Discover Water: the average annual water and sewerage bill (read 15 October 2026); Ofgem: energy price cap will rise by 4% from October 2026 (26 August 2026) (read 23 October 2026); TV Licensing: the cost of a TV Licence (read 1 September 2026)
Renting: are the bills included or mine?
Unless the tenancy agreement says a bill is included, it is yours. The agreement and the first month's money are the things to check before you sign.
- Read the agreement for exactly which bills are included and any fair-usage limit; ask for anything the listing claims in writing. The bills-included guide sets out the rules on what a landlord can charge.
- Shelter says that from 1 May 2026 most private renters in England have a periodic tenancy, must usually give 2 months' notice, and cannot be asked for more than one month's rent in advance.
- GOV.UK says the deposit schemes make sure you get the deposit back if you meet the terms of the tenancy agreement, do not damage the property and pay your rent and bills, so the bills you take on in your name matter at the end as well as the start.
- Student lets bundle bills far more often than other tenancies; the student packages comparison sets out what each provider publishes.
Sources: Shelter: Renters' Rights Act changes for private renters (read 24 October 2026); GOV.UK: tenancy deposit protection (read 24 October 2026)
What is different for a new build or a flat?
A new build may have no band, no supplier and no broadband yet; a flat may share heating and meters with the block.
- A new build may not be on GOV.UK's band list yet. The band is set after completion and the council's charge is backdated to the date you became liable, so budget on the band of similar homes nearby.
- Broadband: GOV.UK's guidance for developers in England expects gigabit-capable connections in new homes, but a line may not be live on moving day. Openreach's checker and the developer tell you which network serves the estate.
- Flats: communal heating and heat networks sit outside the price cap and under Ofgem's heat networks consumer protection regulations. Ask who bills the heat, whether the flat has its own heat meter, and what a winter cost the last occupant.
- One gas or electricity meter for a block means a share of a bill, not a bill of your own, so ask how it is split and by whom before you sign.
Sources: GOV.UK: check your Council Tax band (read 24 October 2026); GOV.UK: new build connectivity, information for developers (England) (read 15 October 2026); Openreach: moving home (read 22 October 2026); Ofgem: heat networks consumer protection regulations (read 13 October 2026)
Where does Taupia fit?
- Pick your new address above and Taupia shows the bills for it from your start date: the council tax band and the council's charge, the water company and its average bill, the energy supplier with its default price on the home's usage, and broadband deals. It is free, and nothing changes without your approval.
- Taupia does not set up council tax or switch water: use the council's and the water company's registration routes linked above for those. Water is tracked, never switched, because households cannot choose their company.
- The address picker covers Great Britain. Scotland returns the council but not the band, the water figure is the company's average rather than a quote, and broadband is checked at the exact address only for Virgin Media.
The five bills, who sets each, and what you can check before you commit
| Bill | Who sets it | What you can check from the address |
|---|---|---|
| Council tax | The council, for the home's band | The band is public. The council's charge for 2026-27 is on its website, and discounts depend on who will live there. |
| Water | The company for the address | You cannot choose it. Metered or unmetered sets the basis, and the company publishes an average bill. |
| Energy | The current supplier's default tariff, until you choose | Capped unit rates and standing charges. The meter type and the heating type set the size of the bill. |
| Broadband | The networks at the address | Openreach, Virgin Media or an independent network. A new build may have one network, or none live yet. |
| TV Licence | A national fee | £180 a year from 1 April 2026 if anyone watches live TV or uses BBC iPlayer. |
Questions about a home's bills before you offer or sign
Can I find out the council tax band before I buy or rent?
Yes. GOV.UK's band search gives the band for any home in England and Wales from the postcode. The charge for the band is on the council's website, and it is set each April. A new build may not be listed yet; its band is set after completion and the charge backdated.
Can I choose the water company?
No. Ofwat says household customers cannot change their water or sewerage company, because the company depends on where you live. The only choice some homes have is how they are charged: on a meter, or on the home's rateable value. Water UK's checker names the company for a postcode before you move.
Can I get full fibre at this address?
Check the address, not the street: Openreach's checker shows whether its full fibre has reached a home, and other networks such as Virgin Media and the independent fibre builders run their own checkers. New builds sometimes have one network, or none live on moving day, so ask the developer which network serves the estate.
How much are bills for a two-bed flat?
On national averages for 2026-27: energy at typical use £1,935 a year like-for-like, or £1,723 on Ofgem's current measure; water £639 in England and Wales; council tax by band, £2,392 for Band D in England; the TV Licence £180; broadband by the deal. A flat with electric heating or a heat network sits above those; the exact figures come from the address.
Does the heating type change the bill much?
More than anything else you can see at a viewing. On Ofgem's capped Direct Debit rates for October to December 2026, electricity is 26.32p a unit and gas 7.97p, so heating with electric radiators or storage heaters costs far more per unit of heat than a gas boiler. Ask what heats the home and the hot water, and look at the meters.
What should I ask the seller or landlord about bills?
The current supplier and tariff, the last year's energy and water bills, the council tax band and the instalments, whether the water is metered, which broadband they use and its speed, and whether any account is in arrears. For a rental, which bills the rent includes and any fair-usage cap, in writing.
Check each bill before you commit
The band and charge, the water company, the energy supplier and the broadband at the address, each with its own guide.
Start here
Council tax band: find it and check it
RecommendedHow bands are set, how to find a home's band and what to do if it looks wrong.
Who is my water supplier?
Every household water company by area, and why some homes get two bills.
Who supplies energy at my new address?
Find My Supplier, the meter numbers and the letter waiting at the home.
Full fibre in a rented home
Which networks reach a rented home, and what a tenant can install.
New build bills setup
No band, no supplier and no line yet: how each is set up on a new estate.
Student house viewing checklist for bills
The bills questions to ask at a student house viewing.
Average household bills by household type
The national averages behind the figures here, with the arithmetic shown.
Your first bills after moving
What arrives in the first weeks, and what to check before you pay.
Cite this page
Taupia. "What will this home's bills be?". Last updated 24 October 2026. https://taupia.com/move-home/bills-for-a-home-before-you-move
See the bills for an address before you decide
Pick the address above to see its council tax band and the council's charge, the water company and its average bill, the energy supplier and its default price on the home's usage, and broadband deals, before you offer or sign.