Payments
How can I make a payment?
1. Can I pay by Direct Debit?
Yes – it’s quick and easy to set up a Direct Debit through My Home, your online account.
Paying by Direct Debit means your invoices are paid in line with the terms of your lease or transfer document. We’ll let you know how your charges will be collected when you set this up.
Simply visit My Home to get started.
2. How can I make a payment online?
You can make payments on My Home. Either log in to your account or register for a new account.
3. Can I make telephone payments by debit or credit card?
You can call our 24-hour automated payment number below, respective to which FirstPort business you need to contact, to arrange payment by credit or debit card. We accept most debit and credit cards and we will be happy to help you.
- FirstPort Retirement Property Services – Tel: 0333 321 4041
- FirstPort Property Services – Tel: 0333 321 4080
- FirstPort Property Services Scotland – Tel: 0333 321 4077
4. Can I make a bank transfer to my development account?
Please call the numbers below to find out how to pay by bank transfer direct into the bank account for the development.
- FirstPort Retirement Property Services – Tel: 0333 321 4041
- FirstPort Property Services Scotland – Tel: 0333 321 4077
- FirstPort Property Services – Tel: 0333 321 4080
5. Can I pay by cheque?
Please make cheques payable to the relevant FirstPort company name and send to the address quoted on your invoice.
6. How can I make a payment from a non-UK bank account?
If you would like to pay using a non-UK bank account, this can be completed via bank transfer. You’ll find these details within My Home or on any of your invoices.
Unfortunately, we cannot set up direct debits or process payments from international cards through My Home.
Updated: 12th September 2025
Since 2021, UK energy prices have risen sharply, with gas and electricity costs reaching a record high. Because communal residential buildings with shared energy supplies are not protected by Ofgem’s household price cap, they are charged commercial energy rates which have increased in price more than household tariffs.
In 2024 The Property Institute (TPI) Service Charge Index showed that utility bills, for the supply of energy to the common parts of a building, had increased by 73% between 2019-2024.
Encouraging signs for future costs
We are now starting to see some reductions in energy costs. While these prices are now starting to come down, they are still much higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our approach
We are committed to securing the best possible rates for homeowners living in FirstPort managed homes and we work with a specialist energy partner, Energycentric, who negotiates competitive bulk contracts on behalf of all the developments we manage. Our ability to buy ‘in bulk’ typically means more competitive rates and terms than if each development arranged its own supply.
How this works
We purchase energy once a year at a fixed price and this is usually agreed between April to August for an October start date.
We typically agree a price at this time because market conditions are usually more stable and that means that better prices and terms can be secured. Unlike domestic energy prices, commercial prices can change hourly, so a fixed annual contract helps to avoid mid-year price hikes and global price shocks.
The fixed tariff covers all costs, including energy itself, network charges, taxes, and other government levies.
We include the anticipated energy costs for each development in the service charge estimate at the start of a financial year, based on the rates secured and past usage at the development.
We need to make sure there are sufficient funds in the development’s account to cover anticipated costs for the year ahead. All energy costs within the service charge are strictly for the cost of the energy and there are no added margins.
At the end of a development’s service charge accounting year, the spending across the year will be reviewed to make sure the bills received match to the budgeted estimates, and any difference is adjusted with either a credit or an additional charge.
The final energy costs to homeowners are based on actual consumption, which means that customers are only paying for the energy that has been used at the development throughout the service charge year.
No added costs
Homeowners are not charged an added cost for Energycentric’s service. It acts as a Third-party Intermediary, and it is paid a commission fee directly by the energy supplier for managing its contracts and all related services.