Frequently Asked Questions:

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How does BearBills work?

BearBills receives bills from the utility providers, and divides and bills each roommate for their share. The company offers this service for free by earning a marketing fee from the utility providers

What bills are considered utilities?

Water
Electricity
Cable, Internet, Telephone (usually together)
Gas

What if the place I am living has a utility included in the rent?

Unless your place is “all bills paid,” we can help. We simply combine the bills that you are responsible for paying.

I live by myself. Should I use BearBills?

BearBills is about simplicity. Even if you live by yourself we can help simplify your bill-paying situation. Here's how:
- We total all your utility bills into ONE bill with ONE due date.
- Your electric deposit (up to $400) is waived when you use BearBills.
- We offer automatic payment - your bills will be paid, and you won’t even have to think about it or sign a single check.
- We keep you informed about your bill amounts.
- We help set up your utilities.

Is there a deposit for the utility companies or for BearBills?

The deposits with the utility companies are the same EXCEPT for the following benefits of using BearBills:
- By using BearBills, your electric deposit (up to $400) is waived.
- If you use Grande for Cable or Internet, your installation fee is waived through BearBills.
- If you are the sole bill-payer at your residence, BearBills may require a refundable deposit of $275 when you sign up.

How do I pay my bill?

When you sign up with BearBills, we require checking account or credit card information. Your bill will be paid automatically from that option each month.

Why use automatic payment?

Since BearBills is a bill-combining-and-splitting service, we just can’t be debt collectors. Automatic payment is necessary for this service to work. The good news for you is that you get this service for FREE, you get more guarantee of payment from roommates (who also have to supply payment information), and your payment is easy and automatic. You can still view your bill, and it will be paid the same day of each month, so there won’t be any surprises.

My bill should have been paid, but it hasn’t been yet!

Check the “My Group” page to make sure that your payment option is working. If the account has failed, you’ll need to fix the situation within five days so your bill can be paid.

If your account is still working, it could just be that your payment hasn’t processed yet. E-mail info@simplebills.com to check on the status of your payment. Sometimes automatic payments take a day to show up.

What if my roommates are not signed up?

We will not start up utilities until all expected roommates have signed up. Make sure your roommates go online and join BearBills!

If a new roommate moves in, they must sign in to BearBills online and the percentages will be adjusted accordingly. Until then, any new roommates are not contractually bound to pay BearBills and any repayment must be settled amongst roommates.

What if both of my roommate’s payment options fail?

We will try to draft their amount every day for five days. They have the opportunity to either enter in a new account or transfer funds to one of their existing accounts. If we do not receive payment from either account after five days, we will remove that roommate from BearBills.

Just like most leases work, you and your roommates are jointly and severally liable for all your utility bills. This means that if someone does not pay, the others who have agreed to the BearBills contract are still responsible. The non-payer’s amount will be divided among remaining roommates.

If the removed roommate wishes to return to BearBills, he or she simply needs to pay any outstanding bill (through a working account) along with a $25 late fee. If the other roommates have already paid the outstanding portion, then the roommate only needs to pay the $25 late fee.

With automatic payment, however, the chances of an account failing should be pretty slim. Keep up with your roommates!

What if I need to move in earlier than I thought—can I change my start date?

This is possible if you give us at least 14 days’ notice.

Once I have signed up for BearBills, are my utilities automatically set up?

No. You will need to check your e-mail for an e-mail verification link, and then BearBills.com will lead you through the set up process.

Billing

How are bills split?

By default, they are all split equally among however many roommates have signed-up. If you want to change the percentages, the person responsible for the highest percent needs to come by our office and sign a form verifying the change.

How much is my bill?

It is the percentage total allocated to each student based on the agreed upon amount of their bill total. Each part of the bill is posted on the invoice with the percentage of the total recorded.

When is my bill due?

Your bill will be available for viewing on your Bill Day each month. It will be automatically paid five days after. All you need to do is check your bill on your Bill Day and make sure you have sufficient funds in your account to cover the bill!

I just got a bill from the utility company in the mail. Do I pay it?

NO! You will still receive a hard copy of your electric and cable/internet bill in the mail. Your original bill for water will be emailed to you. When you get your bill in the mail, don’t pay it! We know that this can take some getting used to, but trust that we have already paid your bill.

What if I feel that my utility bill is not right?

We simply bill you the amount that we receive from the utility companies, we are not actually the “go-between” in discussing problems or complaints. If you have a dispute with one of the utility companies, you must call them directly to discuss your problem. Check your last BearBill to see who your utility providers are.

What if my BearBill doesn’t match the amount of my utility bill?

If the amount you see on your utility bill is different than the amount you have on your BearBill, please email info@simplebills.com with your name, property address, and discrepancy.

I am not living there this summer, so why did I get a bill?

This can occur if you signed up on the contract and did not notify our office of your absence. For the summer, we follow normal billing percentage protocol for the fall unless otherwise notified.

I forgot my password. What do I do?

To reset your password, click here.

What if my roommates use the cable/internet, but I don’t want to pay for it?

Once you have signed up with BearBills, you can log in and change your percentages. All roommates will have to agree to a change, though, so make sure you talk about this before you change it.

For Parents

How do I get set up to pay my son or daughter’s bill?

You will need to use your son or daughter’s e-mail and password so that you can view their bill. You can have your son or daughter enter your checking or credit card information to pay their bill each month.

Why can’t I have the bill/account in my name when I’m paying my son or daughter’s bill?

Just as in a lease contract, your son or daughter signed the contract with us, so they will have it in their name. But, you are still able to pay on their behalf. You can have your son or daughter enter your checking or credit card information to pay their bill each month.

How do I get the password for my son or daughter’s account?

You will need to get your son or daughter’s log-in and password from them so that you can view their bill. Due to security issues, BearBills will only send the e-mail containing the login and password to the students on the contract.

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