being chased for unpaid bill...please help!

tbagfish

Hi,

I moved out of a flat in February where for the whole year we weren't billed for our gas or electricity. I had written to every company posting mail to old tenants through our door informing them that we were new tenants and therefore needed new bills. We received no correspondence over our gas or electricity bill and assumed that this was being taken care of by the landlord, or that we were to be sent a bill at a later date.

Just recently I got a phone call from the gas and electricity company saying that we owed a total of £1800 for the year, and that as all three of our names were on the bill (no idea how, maybe the estate agent passed our names on?) we were all liable to pay the debt.

Now, this would be fair enough, if it wasnt for one of my flatmates neglecting to pay his last 3 months rent in the flat without telling us. This meant that our entire deposit was withheld. As he missed 3 months rent, and there were 3 of us, he essentially owed my other flatmate and I a month rent each. This is about equivalent to a third of the gas/electricity bill, and I need the gas company to chase him instead as he basically stole money from me in the first place and should be made to pay this bill. Any advice on how I can go about doing this?! I don't want the company calling me up any more when I shouldnt have to pay this bill!!!

grimsalve

Was the tenancy in all three names? Are you still in touch with the other two people?

If I were you I'd try explaining this situation to the energy company and see what they say. If you or the energy company have contact details for the other two people then you could offer to pay your third of the debt otherwise you might have to pay the debt off in full and then see if you can get the money back from the other two people amicably or through the small claims court.

adprob

unfortunately what your flatmate did in relation to the rent is not relevant when it comes to the utility bills.
as far as the letting agents giving your name to the energy supplier this is normal in rented properties as the supply is generally out into their name / owners name when no tenants are there.
Unfortunately you are all jointly liable for the bill and the supplier can chase all of you, or if they cannot locate everyone, those they can locate for the bills. the only way i can think they will go after your erstwhile flatmate is that you all right to the supplier agreeing he takes the bill on.

sorry it's probably not what you want to hear.

tbagfish

yes the tenancy is in all three of our names. however, i dont think the energy company has my address, just my phone number. I have reason to believe that they have the address of the flatmate who owes me the money (who i'm no longer in contact with as he ignores my correspondence), so should I tell them to stop calling me and pursue the money at that address?

I'm in contact with the flatmate who didnt steal money from me and we're both in the same boat really, unsure as to how to go about this. The energy company has told me that as all our names are on the bill, my debt won't be cleared until the entire debt is cleared. however, if they have the other guy's (who owes me money) address and not mine, surely they would chase him when the bailiffs get involved?

Vestra

tbagfish wrote: »

yes the tenancy is in all three of our names. however, i dont think the energy company has my address, just my phone number. I have reason to believe that they have the address of the flatmate who owes me the money (who i'm no longer in contact with as he ignores my correspondence), so should I tell them to stop calling me and pursue the money at that address?

I'm in contact with the flatmate who didnt steal money from me and we're both in the same boat really, unsure as to how to go about this. The energy company has told me that as all our names are on the bill, my debt won't be cleared until the entire debt is cleared. however, if they have the other guy's (who owes me money) address and not mine, surely they would chase him when the bailiffs get involved?

The electric company will chase who ever is easiest, as you have phoned and they have a phone number for you they will probably chase yourself and don't worry about them not knowing your address as they can find that easily.

You are all jointly and solely liable for this bill and you need to make sure some how it gets paid in full or a repayment plan is set up, the energy company will also not care if your old flatmate owes you money.

tbagfish

I can understand that they have my mobile number, but how on earth would the company find my address? I'd be very surprised if that was at all searchable, as I've googled it myself extensively and found nothing. Surely they would find it more productive to chase the address that they do have?

I know they won't care if he owes me money, but that's not what I'm asking. What I'm asking is if there's a way I can get them to focus their attention on him instead of me, by making myself unchasable and him easy to find. At the end of the day I know that if i have to then I'll have to set up a payment plan, but I'm asking if there's any way I can get them to focus on him as this would only be just.

Vestra

tbagfish wrote: »

I can understand that they have my mobile number, but how on earth would the company find my address? I'd be very surprised if that was at all searchable, as I've googled it myself extensively and found nothing. Surely they would find it more productive to chase the address that they do have?

I know they won't care if he owes me money, but that's not what I'm asking. What I'm asking is if there's a way I can get them to focus their attention on him instead of me, by making myself unchasable and him easy to find. At the end of the day I know that if i have to then I'll have to set up a payment plan, but I'm asking if there's any way I can get them to focus on him as this would only be just.

Hmm sorry we don't usually help on this board on how to evade debt when you do actually owe the money. The company does not use google to find your address they can just do an experian check and find it in minutes.

You really need to get in contact with your flatmates and come to some arrangement before the debt is passed to a collectors.

p.s meant to quote your post rather than thank it.

tbagfish

As I've already said I'm not trying to evade any debts, perhaps I haven't explained myself very clearly; I'm trying to bring the other flatmate into the equation so I don't end up having to paying the entire amount myself. I would have hoped Vestra that you could have perhaps offer me some useful advice on how to make sure that he pays his share rather than me taking it all on.

He doesn't answer my phone calls or respond to my emails and so I was just asking if anyone knew of any way to stop him from evading his debt.

I understand that legally we're all on the bill, but for this very reason it shouldn't be my sole responsibility to pay for all of it. The law is of no use to me here, and so in the interest of justice I am merely asking if anybody knows how I can direct some of the energy company's attention towards my elusive flatmate.

I would be most grateful for any advice that anyone can give. Thanks!

KimYeovil

You can't force the supplier to bring him in. You are liable for the whole amount. The supplier has tracked you down. They are (rightly) not going to waste any money or time chasing someone else. That is not their responsibility.

If you want others to pay their contribution it is up to you to chase them down, not the supplier. If they don't pay then it is bad luck. It is you they have 'stolen' from, not the supplier. It is you who needs to pursue them. Call Pinkertons.

tbagfish

It saddens me that I have to somehow pay the amount when the other guy gets away scott -free. I know that I can bring a claim in the small claims court, but I'm also aware that the law is heavily weighted against people like me who have been taken advantage of.

On to the subject of actually forking out £1800 (or hopefully half as I'm still in contact with one flatmate) - obviously I've not anything like this amount of money because I was expecting my other flatmate to pay the bill. I'm currently on jobseeker's allowance because I lost my job fairly recently, and I'm concerned that even if I set up a payment plan, I won't be able to offer an amount that they would deem acceptable as I am currently living on the minimum income support. I am really worried now as to how I'm supposed to pay the money having been left in the lurch like this

KimYeovil

Surely you already have the £600 set aside to cover your fair share? So that's only an extra £300 each for the two of you to find.

And being on JSA is in your favour - if it comes to it the supplier will only be able to claim a trivial amount from your benefit - probably only three or four pounds per week.