My 1st time renting- if my rent starts 4/1, when do I get my utility bills if they're sep. from rent??

Question

Hi all-

I'm getting married and getting our first apartment together! (hooray!)

Our first month starts on 4/1. Our 1st month's rent and sec. deposit are due that day. From then on, rent is due on the 1st of the month.

HOWEVER... I'm trying to figure out our budget in the meantime... how long will it be before I receive my utility bills? They are separate from the rent (besides water and trash)... so does a WHOLE month go by and then I get my bill for the last 30 days' usage of heat and electric?

So then I would expect my utility bills to start on 5/1 and the first week of the month thereafter?

I'm just not sure when to expect to have to pay the bills every month. I know rent is the first of the month, but I want to make sure I have the money ready when the time comes to pay the utilities (and feel too dumb to ask my landlord!!!!)

go figure! I know you guys are soooo helpful!

Answer 1

Hello and good for you - as a leasing agent for a 520 unit apartment complex and the proud owner of a few duplexes of my own it's always great to see some one actually planning ahead and looking for the answers to these questions - ok that was the easy part.

Now for the part you don't want to hear - We don't know. It's that simple. Every utility has a different billing cycle, and quite frankly some utilities, with in the same municipality may have different billing cycle arrangements for people of different needs - i.e. senior citizens, people with special handicap's or low income levels. The best thing to do is contact your new homes Chamber of Commerce and ask them which utilities service your new home, that is if your not sure. Once you have this info, contact each one separately and ask them for when the bills are going to have to be paid and what types of deposits are required and etc, etc,etc.

But your looking the right way and enjoy the new home/apartment

Big Rich

Answer 2

First of all congratulations. The best thing to do is to contact your utility companies. Depending on your credit they may require additional deposits. You don't have to feel dumb about this, it's awesome that you are getting married and these are things if you have never done them before you simply would not know. So don't be so hard on yourself and by the way you are doing what most people don't plan to do and that's doing a budget. So get the right answers from the folks who can give you a clear idea of what your utilities may cost you. You can also ask what the average usage for your new address on a monthly basis is, so that you plan even better. Best to you and yours for a happy and successful marriage. JL

Answer 3

Good for you for trying to make a budget!!

But its tricky because the bills don't always come on the same day and they're never for the same amount. Depending on if you have electric or gas heat or ac, the bills will be higher in the hotter/colder months. April/May is not a good time to budget for utility bills.

Also, the electric company can give you a breakdown of what the previous tenant paid. But, my mom's elec bills were SO much lower than mine. Its impossible to tell what your rates will be.

Just set aside $100 for elec/water for now, thats a good start.

Answer 4

Don't count on that at all. Always have a few hundred dollars available to pay utilities at any given time. I never get any of my utility bills at the same time because each company has it's own billing cycle.

Answer 5

No it won't be 30 days ,Ask the each utility when your bill will go out .they have a set time ,so your first bill will be a partial one in some cases .Hope this helps . And Have a great marriage !

Answer 6

the easiest way to figure this out is to call the utility companies and ask them. that is part of their jobs.