Because of the high cost of utilities, even residents of London have to save money
There is no property tax as such in the United Kingdom, but don't rush to rejoice. Instead, there is a municipal tax (Council Tax) for homeowners and renters. The proceeds from its collection go to street cleaning, police maintenance, and other similar municipal needs. This tax can be paid monthly, quarterly, or once a year.
However, the last option can hardly be recommended, since only truly wealthy people can pay such a substantial amount all at once without pain to their finances. The rate of this tax depends not only on the county and locality. In large cities, especially in the capital London, it differs significantly even in different urban districts.
As for the actual size of utility payments, it depends mostly on the level of consumption. After all, water, gas, and electricity meters have long been mandatory here. To be more specific, even considering the somewhat different standards of living in Moscow and London, a monthly utility payment of £300 for a three-room apartment in London seems a decent amount.
I think now you understand why the British take such a serious approach to saving utility resources at the household level. Against this background, apartment insurance at a rate of a few tens of pounds per year seems a very insignificant expense.
In addition, owners of apartments in multi-unit buildings must pay service charge bills. This concept includes various repairs and planned technical operations carried out by the management company to maintain buildings and internal utility networks in proper technical condition. The amount of payment in this case also varies significantly depending on the place of residence.
The conclusion from all the above is simple: before buying or renting a specific property in the United Kingdom, it is worth asking how much its annual maintenance will cost you, which you will have to pay on top of the rent.
_