Can Your Bills Take A Break When You Do?

The following is a guest post;

Leaving home for an extended period of time (at least a couple of months) can prove expensive if efforts to defer or cancel household bills are not implemented soon enough. Unfortunately, when people plan a long vacation or short-term move, they tend to overlook this relatively simple task. While often addressing more immediate concerns such as car finance, details of which are available at money supermarket, those heading away from home should spare a thought to managing household bills with the aim of reducing them.

Provided below is an overview of various household expenses, from energy bills to cable subscriptions, which may be subject to concessions when occupiers head off for an extended break.

Utility bills are a considerable drain on household resources. As gas and electricity costs continue to rise, people who intend to leave home for a while ought to be concerned about their energy bills.

Although a home might remain unoccupied for several months or more, it is still supplied with energy. More to the point, a property will continue to use electricity in the absence of its owner.

Even when all but the most essential household appliances and utilities are switched off, the home continues to draw some energy. Especially during winter and summer, heating systems, thermostatic controls and air-conditioning units consume electricity, gas or some other fuel source.

It is important that the person leaving a property for an extended period of time realizes this fact when discussing bills with energy suppliers.

Concessions on utility bill payments may be offered by some providers, but almost all will argue that if a home continues to be connected to mains water, gas and electricity, it will remain subject to monthly tariffs.

Where concessions can be made on utility bills is in the tariff offered by suppliers. Although terms vary between utility companies, it is quite possible that a simple request will ensure that a home is switched to a low-usage tariff for an agreed period of time.

Sometimes, however, low-usage concessions are not the most desirable options. If a household is being paid to supply electricity to the grid through solar photovoltaic panels, it might be more cost-effective (at least during spring and summer) for the household to change nothing.

Two other areas in which households can take a break from bills are cable and internet subscriptions, neither of which is necessary unless the subscriber is tied to a contract.

Under normal circumstances, a cable subscription lasts for 12 months, after which time the contract is renewed on a rolling monthly basis (obviously the precise terms will vary between cable companies).

If a subscriber has been with a particular cable company for the minimum contract term, they are well within their rights to cancel the subscription before the period they are due to leave home.

It is essential that the cancellation takes into consideration any notice period (usually 30 days) provided for in the contract to avoid additional fees.

After several months of non-subscription, it is quite likely that the cable company will offer a special deal, perhaps a free cable box or reduced subscription fee, to the customer when they return.

A similar outcome can be achieved by cancelling internet and phone services. In the majority of cases, when a person returns home and wishes to reactivate a service, the supplier is willing to waive set up fees in order to win back the customer.

Finally, it ought to be noted that the best way of ensuring bills can take a break when occupiers leave home is to talk with service providers. Reading contracts can often lead to confusion, but discussing options with a flesh and blood customer service agent can often result in concessions being made.