Utility- Landlord dictating where i must get it from?

dizziblonde

Our letting agency tried this one on us - they'd basically set themselves up as a Utility Warehouse reseller and wanted to switch all their properties over to them (so they got a cut in the cash essentially) - we stood firm and they backed down and people reckoned it was an unenforceable term of the tenancy anyhow.

In the end they quietly dropped that money making scheme!

theartfullodger

Utility Warehouse remind me, in their methods of selling/distribution/management of a dodgy Pyramid scheme... UW have told me they are not a Pyramid scheme so that's all right then.(They attract much attention on the Utilities board).

Personally, I wouldn;t trust UW or any other of these bung-a-back-hander to the agent/landlord deals any further than I could throw them, & I've a bad back.

What the OP has been asked to do is unlawful, specifically "unfair". The OFT have issued guidance (google oft356) and state

The tenant should have the choice of supplier although he may be required to keep the landlord informed of any change and to return the account to the original supplier at the end of the tenancy.

- however it would be considerate of the Landlord & any subsequent tenant to let LL know who you are switching to so they don't spend time, money & agro trying to find who to contact for a new account...

The agent and/or landlord are almost certainly just trying to get some backhander from the current supplier: Bleedin' blood-sucking c****s!!

Cheers!

Lodger (Landlord since 2000)

Ypaymore

I read that due to the higher administration and bad debt costs of servicing rental properties, Telecom Plus and its distributors are now focusing their efforts on home owners.

They have their own special discussion area situated here.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=387161

byebyedebt

Hi,

The person paying the bill can choose their own supplier, regardless of what your agreement says, you can switch. However it is a real pain for the landlord if you change the supplier. Especially if you use different suppliers for Gas, Electric, Telephone etc.

I am a landlord and its a real problem if a tenant changes the supplier and doesn't tell. If you do change, let the landlord know before you go.

As a landlord I prefer Southern and Utility Warehouse as Southern dont charge sillly bills for the period between lettings (for example a standing charge), where as Utilities Warehouse can also manage the phone services.

Some landlords charge if you change the service and don't tell them when you move which is reasonable if they have to spend 2hrs ringing the utility companies.

My own policy is not to forward mail, until I know that utilities are sorted.

bramble1

we were told we couldn't switch gas and electric supplier, turns out landlord still owes british gas money from when he lived at the place, i think that might have something to d o with it in our case.

DawnW

most standard tenancy agreements state that the tenant needs to inform the LL if they change supplier. This is to avoid the nightmare situation of the tenant leaving and there being arrears owed - and the LL not knowing which company it is owed to :eek: which might lead to problems for subsequent tenants. That is all, as far as I can see.

I have reiterated to my tenants that they are welcome to change (and get the best deal - please) but please let me know who the supplier is

edgex

byebyedebt wrote: »

Hi,

The person paying the bill can choose their own supplier, regardless of what your agreement says, you can switch. However it is a real pain for the landlord if you change the supplier. Especially if you use different suppliers for Gas, Electric, Telephone etc.

I am a landlord and its a real problem if a tenant changes the supplier and doesn't tell. If you do change, let the landlord know before you go.

As a landlord I prefer Southern and Utility Warehouse as Southern dont charge sillly bills for the period between lettings (for example a standing charge), where as Utilities Warehouse can also manage the phone services.

Some landlords charge if you change the service and don't tell them when you move which is reasonable if they have to spend 2hrs ringing the utility companies.

My own policy is not to forward mail, until I know that utilities are sorted.

this is quite easily done then
you pay for the utilities, & just include it in the rent
then you as the landlord get to choose who provides those utilities, as its you that is signing the contract

Fire_Fox

As a landlord, the obvious thing to do is to wait until the tenant gives notice (or you give them notice) and as part of the communication ask for a written list of who each utility is with. Surely if the tenant tells you as they go along you are going to be forever updating your records. Or am I missing something??

faerie_girl

We are allowed to change our supplier, but only once
How they would know we had only changed once I don't know, and what would they do if we had!?

property.advert

A tenant can decide to change supplier for many reasons and not only to cut costs. I personally do not think it unreasonable for the landlord to retain some control but perhaps limited to being informed and any penalty to switch out of that deal and into another with a different supplier is taken from the despoit.