Reinventing Renting: A Tech Startup Story with Bills Included
How Real Bills Built a Startup: A Tech Startup Story with Bills Included
In this episode of the Tech Startup Stories Podcast, Natalie Binns talks with Hussein Akins, founder of Bills Included, about building a startup shaped by lived experience. Hussein explains how a simple frustration with rental bills became a scalable business, how partnerships helped him build early momentum and why he wants renting to feel simple, predictable and socially responsible for both tenants and landlords.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
From everyday problem to startup solution
The idea for Bills Included came from a very real and familiar pain point. At university, Hussein enjoyed the simplicity of one payment that covered everything. When he entered the private rental market, that clarity disappeared. Each move required setting up new accounts, finding the right providers and managing multiple logins and due dates. It was inefficient for renters and costly for landlords facing long void periods. That experience revealed a structural problem waiting for a solution. Bills Included was created to give renters predictable monthly costs and to help landlords optimise their properties with bills already built into the rental price.
Scaling with the right partners
Partnerships have played a major role in the company’s early traction. Hussein talks about approaching organisations that immediately recognised the gap he was solving. From deposit protection schemes to financial wellbeing platforms and mortgage providers, these partners strengthened credibility and accelerated conversations with both landlords and tenants. Rather than competing with existing services, Bills Included positions itself as a collaborative layer that complements the wider rental ecosystem.
Mission driven product design
Convenience is only part of the story. Hussein wants Bills Included to contribute to better outcomes across the rental landscape. That means educating renters on fair usage, supporting landlords with energy efficiency improvements and working with organisations focused on sustainability and homelessness. Every feature is evaluated on whether it creates clarity, fairness and ease. The goal is a product that reduces stress for renters while helping landlords deliver a more transparent service.
Challenges of building a startup
Hussein shares what it has been like to transition from roles in law, data and financial wellbeing to running a company full time. He left his job only two weeks before recording this episode, backed by growing momentum and confidence in the model. He talks about navigating the early stages with a small team, working closely with mentors and learning quickly from each experiment. He also highlights the importance of founder communities, explaining how speaking with others at similar stages provided guidance, support and reassurance.
Looking ahead
Bills Included is focused on the UK, where millions of private renters face the same recurring challenges. Hussein’s long term vision extends much further. The problem exists globally in countries experiencing rising rental demand, unstable energy costs and long void periods. He believes there is a significant opportunity to expand into markets that need a more predictable, efficient rental experience. For now, the priority is scaling responsibly, strengthening partnerships and deepening the value the product delivers to landlords and tenants.
Advice to future founders
Hussein encourages aspiring founders to take action even when the timing does not feel perfect. He believes in failing fast, learning faster and always looking for the third door when the first two are closed. He emphasises solving a problem you understand personally and surrounding yourself with people who can guide and challenge you. Above all, he stresses the importance of staying committed to the mission, because that clarity makes navigating uncertainty far easier.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Connect with Hussein Akins and learn more about Bills Included.