Student: Am i responsible for the electricity bill?

cor26

Hi this is my 1st attempt at a new thread so if its in the wrong place im sorry. I am a student in 3rd year. Ive been living in a flat with 2 other people and although all 3 of our names are on the bill when when the company wanted money the warning letters were directed at me. Will i be soley responsible for this if my flatmates don't cough up at anytime? Also will getting warning letters from the company give me bad credit? im a bit new to all this. Please some one help!

Premier_2

If you are named on the bill, then you are jointly & severally liable for the whole bill - that means the supplier can pursue you for the total amount if they want to.

You may be able to pursue your fellow flatmates for their share of the bill, but that would depend both on the agreements you have in place and whether they have any money to pay you.

But that is a separate issue to who has to pay the supplier. If the amount remains unpaid, it will ultimately affect your (and your flatmates) credit ratings, but only after you have failed to pay - not on the first reminder.

Expect also the supplier to change the meter to a pre-payment meter (usually more expensive) which they will use to recover some of the debt with.

DGJsaver

You must have given your name when you opened the account , and as premier says , your problem will be getting the money from your flat mates

espresso

Why don't you simply pay the bill? Presumably they are just writing to the first person named on the account.

Sponge

I'm guessing they're just writing to the first name on the account? Alphabetical order?

At least you're all on the account. When I was at Uni our phone bill was in my name alone. The other two students !!!!!!ed off at the end of the year, leaving me with a £200 phone bill. :mad:

If the other 2 people don't cough up, then things could get messy. I doubt the utility company would allow you to pay 'your share' to settle your debt. Are you in a student union? Talk to them, get some advice.

savemoney

If it was my name on bill and I wouldn't want it with students I would ask all of them a contribution per week and bank it. I would try and over estimate usage and monitor that and log what every one paid

cor26

Thanks very much! Just glad to know im not soley responsible! Found that they let you pay it in parts so just pay my part and let everyone else argue over it

Premier_2

cor26 wrote: »

Thanks very much! Just glad to know im not soley responsible! Found that they let you pay it in parts so just pay my part and let everyone else argue over it

But you can be held responsible - see my earlier post.

The supplier may have allowed you to each pay your share - that way the supplier will at least get 1/3 of what is owed when you pay yours, but if your flatmates fail to pay their shares the supplier is allowed to chase all or any of you for the balance ... and since you would have already shown the ability & willingness to pay some, guess where they will think the best chance of getting the remainder from will be.