Yes, as they are responsible for the payment of utility bills, they are entitled to shop around for a better price. However, if they switch to a pre-paid meter they may need to seek the landlords’ written permission and they should return the property with the original meter type when they leave. If the landlord has to pay the utility company to reinstate the original type of meter, the cost of doing so may also be the subject of deduction from the tenancy deposit, providing the tenancy agreement allows for it.
These are some of the best practices for utility bills; however, there may be situations where these don’t apply. If you are concerned about utility bills you can seek advice from your utility provider, local authority, or from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB).
We hope that you found this helpful and if you require any more information from us, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.