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House share utility bills. Help needed!!!!

Hoping someone out there can help. I've lived in a house share for the past 5 years. The house at full capacity is 6. Over the years as u would expect , tenants come and go. Over the last 18 months my landlord hasn't replaced any out going tenants so for the last year I have been the only one living there. After sending in up to date electricity readings and paying a direct debit of £30 a month I have been handed a eon bill of £1200!!! As I now have no one to split the bill with this really is a lot of money to pay out. Can anyone tell me if I am liable for the whole bill or does the landlord have a duty to help out??????
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  • HampshireH
    HampshireH Posts: 4,434
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    edited 9 September 2017 at 6:51PM
    If you are the only person using the supply then normally you would be the only person responsible for the bills. Providing your tenancy agreement doesn't state otherwise.

    probably need to provide more info such as

    * What does your tenancy / licence say about bills
    * Did you supply readings regularly and more specifically when the final tenant left
    * How long has your account been in arrears?
    * Why are you only just being given a bill - this would suggest the account hasn't been kept on top of?
    * Whose name is the account in - yours?
    * Are the initial readings accurate or estimated
  • 45002
    45002 Posts: 802
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    Hoping someone out there can help. I've lived in a house share for the past 5 years. The house at full capacity is 6. Over the years as u would expect , tenants come and go. Over the last 18 months my landlord hasn't replaced any out going tenants so for the last year I have been the only one living there. After sending in up to date electricity readings and paying a direct debit of £30 a month I have been handed a eon bill of £1200!!! As I now have no one to split the bill with this really is a lot of money to pay out. Can anyone tell me if I am liable for the whole bill or does the landlord have a duty to help out??????


    Sounds like your LL may be planning to sell up ?

    dunno about electric
    Advice given on Assured and Regulated Tenancy, Further advice should always be sought from a Solicitor....
  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123
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    edited 10 September 2017 at 12:09PM
    since the vast majority of a utility bill relates to usage, not standing charge, then there are only 2 possibilities which you can work out for yourself:

    1. the bill is based on an estimated meter reading stemming from prior periods when there was more than 1 person using the electricity? Contact the supplier and substitute an actual reading.

    2. the bill is based on a actual reading which may, or may not, include a period when there was more than one of you using the electricity and may or may not now be playing catch up because earlier readings were estimates?

    Either way the LL is not liable for the usage of his tenants.
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977
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    Presumably (please confirm) each tenant had a separate tenancy agreement - so originally 6 separate contracts and now just one (5 contracts having expired).

    Wwat do those contracts say about utility bills? Exact words please.

    My guess is that the tenants have to share the bills equally. Correct?
    My 2nd guess is that tenants have not been settling their share when they leave, so the bills have been mountimg. Correct?
    My 3rd guess is that the bills are in your name (you pay a DD) making you liable.
    My 4th guess is that you are b*gg*r*d as you have not collected contributions from other tenants.

    But I may be wrong.
  • If the bill is correct, and in your name, speak with the supplier about a payment plan. If you've run up a bill of £1200 alone, then you also need to think about turning off heaters/lights/appliances that are being used unnecessarily (that's a lot of electricity).

    You might also contact Step Change the debt charity if you're likely to get into debt over this matter and they can help with negotiating with suppliers.

    You can work this out, so don't panic!
  • sevenhills
    sevenhills Posts: 5,838
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    If the bill is correct, and in your name, speak with the supplier about a payment plan. If you've run up a bill of £1200 alone, then you also need to think about turning off heaters/lights/appliances that are being used unnecessarily (that's a lot of electricity).

    He has been living there alone for a year, my bills are £45 per month, I live alone too.
    Is it a very large house, with central heating?
  • I am afraid unless the bill is in the LL's name, he does not have a duty to help out at all. Whose name is the bill addressed to?

    As suggested above, very important to check the bill is a bill based on actual readings or an estimated bill?

    £30 for presumably a largish property was really not going to cover the electricity (if no gas) costs. You might also have had tenants who have not been paying their share.., but difficult to assess that after a year of living alone in a largish property and it would be very difficult to chase up old tenants (and more difficult getting them to pay).

    Perhaps go to the CAB? They might help with setting up a payment plan and telling you what your legal rights/responsibilities are.

    What does your TA say as regards bills, if anything?
  • teddysmum
    teddysmum Posts: 9,471
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    The bill is probably on he most expensive tariff , ie variable rate, too.
  • aneary
    aneary Posts: 921 Forumite
    I wonder if all the radiators in all 5 spare rooms were switched on over winter.

    Do you have access to the other 5 rooms or are they locked?

    If locked and the rads were on you may have a reason to negotiate with the LL as it's beyond your control.
  • phillw
    phillw Posts: 5,593
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    edited 10 September 2017 at 2:46PM
    After sending in up to date electricity readings and paying a direct debit of £30 a month I have been handed a eon bill of £1200!!!

    When was the previous meter read? If it was before the last tenant left then you could argue they are partly liable.

    If the £1200 is built up over the last 12 months (which is pretty insane) when you were living on your own, then yes it's your bill and you have to pay it.

    There is a small possibility there is faulty equipment, but unless you can find out when this £1200 debt was built up then you can't really tell.

    I would have thought that you'd ask for an up to date bill every time someone moved in or out. If I moved into a property then I wouldn't expect to pay towards utility bills racked up by previous tenants.
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