Tenants done a runner

MrsTinks

Soon as he provides them with a copy of the tenancy agreement make sure he also sends a letter informing them that any further attempt to contact him for the funds in question will result in him taking legal action against them for harassment.

FireworkCrazy

If the bills where in the tennants name the utility company are just trying it on.

Like the previous poster said, write them a letter stating that the bill lies with the previous tennant and that all correspondance should be sent to them, maybe do a bit of investigative work and find out where the tennant had gone and then pass these details on, if you can.

Also state that any further contact with yourself will be seen as harrasment and dealt with as such, if after this they continue to get calls then they can persue other avenues. You have to remember these companies think they are above the law when it comes to getting their money back and will try all sorts of scare tactics, the reason they do this is because it works, they put fear in people and they pay when they shouldn't THEY DON'T CARE!

However, warn your friend that any new tennant could have a problem getting these services when they move in. They are not allowed to refuse service but can make life a bit difficult.

aliEnRIK

I completely agree theyre trying it on. A lot of people would pay when threatened with court action (Which is absolutely wrong to my mind)

I HATE scare tactics.........

BASFORDLAD

definately trying it on.

you are 100% not liable for this.

Id sort them out for you lol:)

clutton_2

when the tenant moved in did the LL phone the utility to say that the new tenant had m moved in ?

hamblettamaud

if i were him i'd tell them, "please DO take legal proceedings against me so i can prove that it's nothing to do with me", that's what i'd do anway.

mlz1413

Ask your friend if he got the tenants to agree the meter readings when they moved in and to take a photo/readings of the meters now.

As a LL your friend should have told the utilities the name of the tenant and move in and out date (the meters go back into his name inbetween tenants) - this in not a legal requirement just good practise and saves hassle like this!

In future get your friend to add the utiltily readings to the bottom of the inventory this proves along with the TA who is liable for the bill.

Imp

These actions sound more like a debt collector rather than a utility company. When I had a debt collector calling me for money I didn't owe, I got myself as much information as I could about legislation and went on the offensive against them. My favourite was when the rang me I said something along the lines of

"I will be monitoring and recording you actions and ensuring that you do not deviate from the Office of Fair Trading guidelines for debt collectors. If you do I will report you to trading standards. This could result in your licence under the Consumer Credit Act being withdrawn and your company not being able to trade. Do you understand?"

"No"

I then repeated myself until he said yes.

I then told him I did not owe any money and asked him if he understood. By this point he was broken and said "yes"

I then told him there was no point in him calling me back and wished him good day.

In all seriousness, send a letter to the utility companies and the debt collection agency under the Data Protection Act asking for all the information they have about you. From this you will find that you don't owe them anything, so when they threaten legal action you have nothing to fear. Also a Data Protection Act search seems to be dealt with by the organ grinders, so gets your file onto more important desks. When I did this I got an appology and nominal £30 compensation.

jacnorm

I am a tenant and the LL had the same thing happen here when the previous tenant left she rang the gas and electricity companies and explained the situation and they said they would chase the tenants. It should be straighforward really.

aliEnRIK

It turns out they are in fact debt collectors.

The gas/electric company must have hired them

For the record, its a friend of mine whos the landlord ~ NOT ME