Why Setting Up Bills in a New Home Feels So Overwhelming
Getting the keys is the exciting part. Sorting out your energy, broadband and mobile for the first time is less so. Julie helps first time buyers across the UK get everything set up simply, affordably and without the stress of figuring it all out alone.
Help With Household Bills for First Time Buyers
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When you move into your first home, the to-do list does not stop at the keys. Within days you need to sort your gas and electricity, your broadband, your mobile and potentially your water, council tax and TV licence too.
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An average household pays roughly £5,184 a year on core household bills including energy, water, council tax, broadband and TV licence. How you set those bills up from day one makes a significant difference to what you pay over the coming years.
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The energy situation alone is enough to confuse most people. When you move into a new home, you inherit the previous owner's energy supplier. That does not mean you have to stay with them. But finding out who they are, registering your account, taking meter readings on the day you move in and then deciding whether to stay or switch is a process most first time buyers have never had to navigate.
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On top of that, broadband can take several weeks to set up depending on your area and the type of connection available. And once you can see the full picture of your monthly outgoings, you may find your current mobile plan no longer makes sense.
Julie takes the energy, broadband and mobile side of things completely off your plate.
What first time buyers need to sort when they move in:
- Energy (gas and electricity) — register with the existing supplier and take meter readings on day one
- Broadband — arrange in advance if possible, as lead times can be several weeks in some areas
- Mobile — review your current plan once you can see your full monthly costs
- Water — register with your regional water supplier
- Council tax — register with your local authority
- TV licence — required if you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer
Julie helps with energy, broadband and mobile. For the rest, she will point you in the right direction.
What Julie Does for First Time Buyers
She Sorts Your Energy From Day One
You should contact your new energy supplier as soon as possible after moving into your new home.Julie walks you through what to do the moment you get the keys, helps you register with the existing supplier quickly to protect yourself from inheriting the previous occupant's usage and then reviews whether you should switch to a better tariff straight away. The Ofgem price cap rose 13% from 1 July 2026, pushing typical annual energy bills to around £1,862 on a standard variable tariff. Many households can access fixed rate deals that sit below that level. Julie will tell you honestly whether switching makes sense for your new home.
She Gets Your Broadband Sorted
Broadband is one of the first things most people want organised when they move in. Full fibre connections are now available to the majority of UK homes and can deliver faster speeds at lower prices than older copper based connections. Julie checks what is available at your new address and recommends the option that best suits your household, without the confusion of navigating provider websites yourself.
She Reviews Your Mobile Plan
Once you have moved in and can see your full monthly outgoing picture, it is a good time to check whether your current mobile contract still makes sense. Switching from a 24 month handset contract to a SIM only plan saves around £304 a year on average. Julie reviews your mobile as part of the broader bill conversation and lets you know whether you could be paying less.
She Can Put Everything on One Bill
One of the most popular options for first time buyers is to combine energy, broadband and mobile onto a single monthly payment. Instead of managing three separate contracts and three separate renewal dates, you have one simple payment, one person to call and ongoing cashback on everything from day one.
Why First Time Buyers Love the One Bill Option
Starting from scratch with your household bills gives you an opportunity most people never get: to set things up the right way from the beginning.
Instead of signing up separately for energy, broadband and mobile with three different companies, Julie can bring all three together into one simple monthly payment.
Here is why this works particularly well for first time buyers:
Simpler from day one
One bill, one direct debit, one payment date. No juggling separate contracts with separate providers and separate renewal dates you have to track.
One person to call if anything goes wrong
If there is ever an issue with your energy, broadband or mobile, you call Julie. Not a different company each time. Just Julie, who knows your situation.
Ongoing cashback every month
As a Utility Warehouse customer, you earn cashback on your combined bills every single month. That cashback reduces what you actually pay each month without you having to do anything. You never pay a full bill again.
Up to £150 to spend as a new customer
New customers who come through Julie can earn up to £150 to spend as a welcome benefit, right at the point when every extra pound matters after a house purchase.
These benefits are available to new Utility Warehouse customers who come through Julie. Terms apply. Speak to Julie for full details on current offers.
A Simple Moving Day Bill Checklist
- Take photos of your gas and electricity meter readings the moment you get the keys. Note the date and time.
- Find out who the current energy supplier is. Check any letters left by the previous owner, ask your solicitor or use the Meter Point Administration Service online to find your gas and electricity suppliers.
- Contact the energy supplier to open an account in your name using your meter readings. This protects you from being billed for the previous occupant’s usage.
- If broadband is not yet arranged, contact Julie or a provider to get it sorted. Lead times can be several weeks for some connection types so the sooner the better.
- Register for council tax with your local authority. Single occupants are entitled to a 25% discount.
- Register with your regional water supplier.
- Speak to Julie about whether you could be saving money by switching energy supplier or combining all three bills onto one monthly payment.
Why First Time Buyers Come to Julie Instead of Searching Online
- Setting up your bills for the first time is exactly the kind of situation where a comparison website feels helpful but leaves you more confused than when you started.
- Comparison sites can only show you options. They cannot tell you which one is actually right for your new home, your usage or your budget. They cannot explain what unit rates and standing charges mean, or help you understand whether you should fix your energy tariff or stay on a variable one.
- Julie can do all of that.
- She has helped many first time buyers get their bills set up properly from day one. She knows the questions to ask that most people do not even know they should be thinking about. And unlike a comparison website, she is still there six months later if something changes or you have a question.
- She is also not trying to sell you on the biggest and most expensive options. If the one bill option does not make sense for your specific household, she will tell you that and help you find the best individual deals instead.
Frequently Asked Questions for First Time Buyers About Household Bills
What should I do about energy when I move into a new home?
Take meter readings on the day you get the keys. Find out who the current energy supplier is and contact them to open an account in your name using your readings. This protects you from inheriting the previous occupant’s usage. Julie can walk you through this step by step and then help you decide whether to stay with that supplier or switch.
Who can help first time buyers set up household bills?
Julie Ellis is an independent Utility Warehouse Partner based in Cheshire who helps first time buyers get their energy, broadband and mobile sorted from day one. She covers the whole of the UK, her help is completely free and there is no obligation to switch anything.
Can I get energy, broadband and mobile on one bill?
Yes. This is one of the most popular options for first time buyers who come to Julie. Combining all three onto one simple monthly payment means less to manage, one point of contact and ongoing cashback on your combined bills every month.
Do I have to stay with the energy supplier already in the property?
No. You can switch energy supplier at any time. Julie recommends registering with the existing supplier first to protect yourself, then reviewing whether switching immediately makes financial sense for your household.
How long does broadband take to set up in a new home?
Lead times vary. In some cases broadband can be set up within a few days. In others, particularly where a new installation is required, it can take several weeks. Arranging broadband before you move in is strongly recommended where possible. Julie can check what is available at your new address and help you get it sorted.
Is Julie's help really free?
Yes, completely. Julie reviews your energy, broadband and mobile bills at no cost to you. She earns a commission from Utility Warehouse only if you choose to switch, and only if switching is genuinely the right option for your household. If it is not, she will tell you that and help you find the best individual deals instead.
Can Julie help before I have even moved in?
Yes. Many first time buyers speak to Julie a few weeks before completion to get broadband arranged and to understand their options for energy. Julie is happy to talk through the whole picture with you ahead of moving day.
What if I am buying with a partner and we have separate mobile contracts?
Julie can review both mobile plans in the same conversation and advise on what makes sense for your household as a whole, not each contract in isolation.
Getting the Keys Soon? Talk to Julie First.
Save yourself the stress of sorting your energy, broadband and mobile alone. Julie will help you get everything set up simply, affordably and without any pressure.
- Free personal help setting up your household bills from day one
- Energy, broadband and mobile covered in one conversation
- Option to bring all three onto one simple monthly bill
- Up to £150 to spend as a new customer
- Ongoing cashback so you never pay a full bill again
- Available to first time buyers across the whole of the UK