Shared house who is liable for utility bill?

singsong_2

Thank you for all your responses. She has the tenancy agreement so hopefully that will help resolve the issue

lozhockey

how would it be different if it was just one tenants name on the bill?

I'm in a bit of a complicated situation at the moment. There are 6 of us in our house, 1 of whom is in the process of moving out..

Girl 1 is saying that as she doesn't stay at the house she shouldn't have to contribute to the bills. We receieved one the other day for the months of oct-jan, when she was living here, and yet she still refuses to pay. So we were going to pay the bill between the other 5 of us and then split any money we receive from her.

Girl 2 is now saying she doesn't see why she should have to cover the first girl and so is refusing to pay this addiational amount, which of course means now the 4 of us have to cover the rest of the bill

Girl 3 is the one whose name is on the bills.

Is there anything we can do to get the money from Girl 1? We've contacted her, contacted her parents, girl 3's parents have contacted her parents, to no avail. And we're talking of a bill that came to £80 each!

Anyone got any advice?

thanks

singsong_2

Hey its the daughter...I would chase up the other people but they are in germany and Italy. The landlord has the contact details for 2 of the others but not home addresses for where they are in their respective countries. I didnt really talk with them so do not have a personal relationship where I know a way of contacting them. British Gas have told me that they do not send letters abroad. Does anyone know if this is correct??

Premier_2

illuminate wrote: »

Neither is it the OPs role to chase BG customers for money.....
..Unless you are the only person named on the bill. That of course changes everything...

It changes nothing, the OP's daughter is fully liable for the entire bill as anyone named as an account holder is 'jointly & severally liable'

Premier_2

singsong wrote: »

Hey its the daughter...I would chase up the other people but they are in germany and Italy. The landlord has the contact details for 2 of the others but not home addresses for where they are in their respective countries. I didnt really talk with them so do not have a personal relationship where I know a way of contacting them. British Gas have told me that they do not send letters abroad. Does anyone know if this is correct??

That's well bad, innit?

It'll be difficult to get those no longer in this country to pay up if they don't want to. BG wont want this hassle when they can pursue a UK resident for the total amount.
The only trouble is, you'll end up with the issue of getting the money from your ex-HMs. If you don't know how to contact them, you've little chance of getting any money out of them.

I'm afraid it looks like you'll have to put this one down to experience

SwanJon

lozhockey wrote: »

Anyone got any advice?

There's not much Girl 3 can do - the supplier doesn't know who (if anyone) else is living there.
What you could do is ask the supplier to generate a bill to the day Girl 1 moved out and see if she'd be more ameniable to paying that.
If not, Girl 3 (and the rest of you) have little choice - you coulod look at small claims but it's a big step.

kjsmith7

If only one name is on the bill, then only that person is liable, regardless of said tenancy agreement. It's something I worry about - I am on the water bill in my property alone, with the others as 'nominees' which I think means they can discuss the bills with the supplier, but are not liable for them