Utility rebilling vs managing it yourself.
A growing number of RTM and RMC directors administer utility charges in-house — chasing meter reads, reconciling supplier invoices and answering resident queries themselves. This page is an honest comparison of that approach against a specialist rebilling provider.
| Area | Managing it yourself | Utility Rebilling |
|---|---|---|
| Director time per month | 15–40 hours across meter chasing, queries, arrears and reconciliation | Under 1 hour reviewing a monthly reconciliation pack |
| Meter data accuracy | Manual reads, often estimated for months at a time | AMR ingestion or scheduled manual reads, actual consumption billed |
| Supplier reconciliation | Annual, often skipped — supplier errors compound silently | Monthly, with variance investigation included |
| Resident query handling | Directors answer emails at 11pm | Named support line by phone, WhatsApp, SMS and email |
| Arrears recovery | Often deferred until unrecoverable, or handed straight to a solicitor | Structured pre-legal process included in the fee |
| Compliance | Director responsibility — Ofgem MRP, Ofwat, Heat Network Regulations | Built into the billing engine as a baseline |
| Direct Debit collection | Rarely set up — most collections by manual transfer | Direct Debit, card and bank transfer supported |
| Headline fee | £0 fee — but real cost in director time, error and arrears | £10 per unit per month, fully disclosed, all services included |
When DIY can work
For very small blocks (under 10 flats) with a single utility, no communal heating and a director with relevant finance background, in-house billing can be workable — provided meter reads are taken consistently and reconciliation is done at least annually.
When it usually doesn't
Heat networks, communal heating, mixed utilities, blocks over 20 flats and any block with rising arrears almost always benefit from a specialist provider. The compliance burden alone (Heat Network Regulations, Ofgem MRP, Ofwat resale) outpaces director capacity quickly.
See the numbers for your block.
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