Repo'd Flat & Electricity Bill

fooked · 19 October 2011 at 2:47PM

Hi All,

Need a bit of help...

My flat was repo'd prior to me going BR. I called the electricity company on the day I moved out and gave them the meter readings and the bill was included in my BR.

However I am now receiving Debt Collector letters and when I called to advise I went BR they stated that I am still responsible for the bill from the date of my BR until the house is sold, even though It was repo'd and I had moved out prior to my BR. The bill they have sent is for £200 and they said it was an estimate and that I needed to give them meter readings to confirm how much I owe. I said I thought that this was ridiculous as I no longer lived there and that I don't have access to the property to get them up to date meter readings. I think the estate agent selling the property must have turned the power back on and according to the debt collectors I have to pay!!!

Has anyone any experience of this???

Gothicfairy · 19 October 2011 at 3:02PM

I do think that is correct..I have dealt with water (rather then gas/ electric) and I know that anything up to bankrupt gets included but the bills from that date onwards are not and thus become due.

How was it repo'd though ? What I mean was, did you move out the day the bailiffs came or before because if it was the day of the eviction then I should think there is nothing to pay as the property is not yours any more but if you moved out before then I think you have to pay up to that date.

I say " I think" though as I don't know for sure and I am sure someone else will know the answer

fooked · 19 October 2011 at 3:13PM

I let it get repossessed voluntary about 2 weeks prior to BR, The judge gave me a month to move my stuff out but I moved out the day before I went BR.

Ineedaname · 19 October 2011 at 4:21PM

In which case you should have some paperwork proving the date from which you are no longer liable for anything to do with the property. I'd send a copy of that off to the electricity company along with details of the mortgage lender to contact for bill payment.

Perhaps also write to the mortgage lender copying the electricity demands to them - to advise them of what you have done and that they are liable.

Gothicfairy · 19 October 2011 at 4:27PM

I would say that you are responsible then from the date of BR to the date the mortgage company actually took it back, they should have given you a date ie when they got the keys or the paperwork.
Did you sign the house over to them in a letter or something like that ?

Ineedaname · 19 October 2011 at 4:44PM

Gothicfairy - the OP says this went to court and a Judge gave them 28 days to move out. So there should be paperwork relating to that.

I would guess the date on the paperwork will be the end of the 28 days, so it depends on how long after BR that date is for how long the OP is liable between moving out and said date.

Gothicfairy · 19 October 2011 at 6:41PM

True INAN but they also said they went before that so the mortgage company might have accepted the keys back and thus changed the date to the date they got the keys rather then the 28 days the court set..See what I mean ?

Ineedaname · 19 October 2011 at 6:48PM

I do see, but it's unlikely.

If the OP had voluntarily given the keys back without court intervention the mortgage lender would still go through repossession and the date the OP became no longer liable could have been several months later.

The mortgage lender isn't going to change a court order date, nor are they going to want to take possession earlier and therefore responsibility for utility costs.

kepar · 19 October 2011 at 7:07PM

We gave our house back voluntarily to the mortgage lender, but it was about 3-4 months before they accessed and took over the property. Before we moved out we took the gas and electric readings and switched the electric off along with turning the water off. Because we had moved into a rental we changed suppliers to our old suppliers and effectively had 2 accounts with them in both gas and electric.
Once the mortgage lender had taken possession of the property we then closed down the original accounts. The lenders accepted the readings we had taken and we heard no more about the utilities.

fooked · 20 October 2011 at 10:37AM

Thanks all. I'll see what paperwork the court sent me RE the possession date. When I say I gave it back voluntary I mean it still went to court because I had not paid the mortgage for 4 months, the judge wanted me to keep it if I wanted but I said I didn't want it due to the neg equity. Nice guy, I think they always try to look after the little man over the banks??

Repo'd Flat & Electricity Bill

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