Flat hardly occupied - Standing Charge

Premier_2

Energyman wrote: »

...Not sure if lit will stand up in court or not - do you think a tenant would want to pursue this when they leave - I don't....

Yes I think they would pursue you if you tried to unlawfully keep their £600+

However, as I indicated, if you are required to protect the deposit under a DPS, they won't need to - you won't be allowed to make such deduction

Energyman_2

Premier wrote: »

Yes I think they would pursue you if you tried to unlawfully keep their £600+

If they can't afford to pay bills, they would be unlikely to afford a solicitor!

I am owed £800 by the way in back rent from another tenant, who spent their housing benefit on xmas presents instead of paying their rent.

A large sector of society have no interest in 'playing fair' and expect everything to be given to them on plate (including not paying utility bills) If a utility company fits a pre payment meter, in the circumstances described above, who pays for it? You and I in the form of higher bills for the rest of us. We are paying for the meter change over and subsidising their debt, which they will pay back at a few pounds per week. If they do a bunk and don't pay - even higher bills for the rest.

Do they care ? Yes or no?

Premier_2

Energyman wrote: »

If they can't afford to pay bills, they would be unlikely to afford a solicitor!

No solicitor required.
Either to get their deposit back or better still to ensure you protect the deposit in the first instance

Energyman wrote: »

A large sector of society have no interest in 'playing fair' ...

Try not to judge everyone else based on your own intentions

Energyman_2

Premier wrote: »

Try not to judge everyone else based on your own intentions

I do not judge anyone - I find it disrespectful for a tenant to make changes to someone elses house without permission and disrespectful to energy companies for customers not to pay their bills - as I stated we all pick up the extra costs for the minority that don't pay.

ps Can we get back on topic

Premier_2

Energyman wrote: »

I do not judge anyone - I find it disrespectful for a tenant to make changes to someone elses house without permission and disrespectful to energy companies for customers not to pay their bills - as I stated we all pick up the extra costs for the minority that don't pay.

ps Can we get back on topic

I find it disrespectful, not to mention unlawful, when a LL plans to trouser a tenant's security deposit.

Do you also provide your tenant with details of the deposit protection scheme the bond will be protected under when you are informing them that if the meter is changed you'll be keeping their bond in full irrespective of how much cost, if anything, you actually incur yourself due to such change?

Maybe if LL's such as you weren't unlawfully withholding tenants deposits at the end of a tenancy, the tenants would have the money to pay their utility bills

Energyman_2

I thought this discussion board was for electrcrity pre-payment meters for flats?

Just for the record most of my houses are let through registered letting agents - they are part of the deposit scheme.

There is a clause in letting agreement that tenant cannot change meter without my permission. This was done once, before we alterted the agreements and so no action will be taken. All tenants are aware of the clause and CHOOSE to sign. For the house with the pre-pay meter I will have to take time off for an all morning appointment when it becomes void - cost = 4hours x my hourly rate (+VAT) - not cheap! Why would anyone change a meter against the express permission of the owner and after agreeing in writing not too? This hasn't happened yet (as I stated) and so we will cross that bridge when if it happens.

On a self managed house a Polish tenant requested that I organise removal of a pre-payment meter - they don't have them in Poland and were 'amazed at how backward Britiain was!' (don't pick my up for this because this is a direct quote)

Both of my self managed houses have tenants whom I consider as friends (one is downstairs now and my wife is helping to fill in forms for her) and I hold minimal deposits (£0 and £200) This is the utilities board so I don't particulaly want to discuss this further here.

I am wrong in my views or do other people agree it is wrong to change a meter against express written agreements signed with the owner odf a propertyy

KimYeovil

Get a room, you two.

Premier_2

KimYeovil wrote: »

Get a room, you two.

I'd be very wary of taking one from a rip-off Landlord such as Energyman!

Premier_2

Energyman wrote: »

I thought this discussion board was for electrcrity pre-payment meters for flats?

It was originally, until you moved the conversation onto withholding tenants deposits in full they happen to change the meter. Thats the nature of forum threads

Energyman wrote: »

Just for the record most of my houses are let through registered letting agents - they are part of the deposit scheme.

It doesn't matter whether your agent is signed up to a scheme or not. The question was are you sure as Landlord that your tenants are given the required information concerning how their deposits are being protected. That needs to be done within 14 days of the tenant paying the deposit.

Energyman wrote: »

There is a clause in letting agreement that tenant cannot change meter without my permission. This was done once, before we alterted the agreements and so no action will be taken. All tenants are aware of the clause and CHOOSE to sign.

As I said, you can write what you want in your agreement - but that doesn't mean it can be lawfully enforced

Energyman wrote: »

For the house with the pre-pay meter I will have to take time off for an all morning appointment when it becomes void - cost = 4hours x my hourly rate (+VAT) - not cheap!

Will you be declaring that income to the taxman, paying tax and NI on it? Are you already registered with the taxman as self employed as a landlord? (as well as your consultancy in energy brokering?)

Energyman wrote: »

Why would anyone change a meter against the express permission of the owner and after agreeing in writing not too?

Who knows? Peoples personal situations change. A credit meter is often cheaper than a PPM, and many companies (except ebico ) apply a standing charge for PPMs (e.g. E.on)

Energyman wrote: »

...Both of my self managed houses have tenants whom I consider as friends (one is downstairs now and my wife is helping to fill in forms for her) and I hold minimal deposits (£0 and £200) This is the utilities board so I don't particulaly want to discuss this further here.

How can you hold a deposit of £0?
Is the deposit of £200 protected by one of the 3 deposit protection schemes? Have you provided your tenant with the legally required details within 14 days of the tenant having paid that deposit?

Energyman wrote: »

I am wrong in my views or do other people agree it is wrong to change a meter against express written agreements signed with the owner odf a propertyy

Perhaps you should get yourself over to the House Buying, Renting & Selling board where you'll soon discover the errors in trying to run a rental business and assuming your customers are 'friends'. If you want to run a business, run one that has customers, not friends paying your bills. A tenant seeking advice, and there are plenty of people on the House Buying, Renting & Selling board willing to explain to any tenant their full rights, will run circles around an amateur Landlord.

Energyman_2

Premier

I have stated twice in two previous posts that the topic in question was pre-payment meters - Why are you insistant on having a go re other matters and a hypothetical situation regarding at event that hasn't happened.

If you have queries re my letting agents I can supply you with their details.

If you have queries regarding my taxes / NI / VAT I can recommend a good accountant - You know nothing regarding my circumstances so I refute your allegations and ask that you withdraw any insinuation or allegations regarding my tax matters immediately and apologise. Are you man enough?

This is a board for discussing energy matters - can we return to subject? or else drop this thread and stop posting allegations.

The 2 questions which you did not answer (amongst your rants) are below - perhaps you would like to answer these questions instead?

'I am wrong in my views or do other people agree it is wrong to change a meter against express written agreements signed with the owner odf a propertyy'

'If a utility company fits a pre payment meter, in the circumstances described above, who pays for it? You and I in the form of higher bills for the rest of us. We are paying for the meter change over and subsidising their debt, which they will pay back at a few pounds per week. If they do a bunk and don't pay - even higher bills for the rest.

Do they care ? Yes or no?'