Troubles with the landlord regarding electricity meter. Please help us!

Clear_Sky

Hi!
We live in a rented cottage. There was only an oral rental agreement between our landlord and us. When my fiance moved in this cottage he was not informed that on the electric meter there are connected lights from the landlord's stables, garden, sensor lights for the front gate and lights on the front gate. More than that, our electric meter is in the landlord's garage and we don't have access at it. Our landlord asked to the electricity supplier to put the contract in my fiance's name without informing him. On 1st december we were forced to sign a 'guests agreement' with our landlord in which he says we share the cottage with him (that is not true). I say forced because there were only 2 options: sign it or leave. He cut our electricity in a night. I have a son who is 13 years old. What can we do now to pay the right amount for the electricity? We've never seen any bill. Please, give us an advice. We are desperate!

bungle4x4

move im afraid, the guy is an !!!!

zzzLazyDaisy

I suppose it depends somewhat on how much rent you are currently paying? If it is significantly less than anything you could rent elsewhere, then it might be worth you coming to some sort of arrangement with the landlord.

As far as having no contract is concerned - if you have exclusive occupation of the property, then you have an assured short-hold tenancy, regardless of whether there is anything in writing or not. In brief this means that you have the right to stay there for 6 months, but he can give you 2 months notice to quit effective at the end of the six month period or any time afterwards. I suspect that the 'guest arrangement' is an attempt to avoid giving you any tenancy rights.

I suggest you speak to Shelter - they are not just there for the homeless, they advise tenants about their rights too.

Clear_Sky

bungle4x4 wrote: »

move im afraid, the guy is an !!!!

Thank you! We've already contacted the Council. We can't afford to rent another place because we are not too much money. He's harssed me. I am Romanian and my fiance is English. He frightens me. It's a nightmare what we live now.

Clear_Sky

I am so sorry I might have some misspellings. We have no proof we have paid him the rent. He tries to intimidate me because ('I am the weakest link' in this family). He has'n had no licence to rent this cottage and it's damp and needs to be eefurbished almost completely. More than that he's advertized his property for selling it. Thanks very much for your advice.

zzzLazyDaisy

verginicu wrote: »

Thank you! We've already contacted the Council. We can't afford to rent another place because we are not too much money. He's harssed me. I am Romanian and my fiance is English. He frightens me. It's a nightmare what we live now.

I wouldn't pin my hopes on a council house - by all means apply, but waiting lists are long and you are unlikely to be deemed to be in priority need.

Your best bet is to look for private rented accommodation elsewhere. If you and your fiance are on a low income, you may be entitled to Local Housing Allowance, so it is worth checking with your local authority.

As I said before contact Shelter as they will tell you your rights and what you can do about this situation.

EDIT: as far as I am aware private landlords do not need a licence to rent out their own property, so I am not sure what you mean by this? Also the landlord is perfectly within his rights to advertise the house for sale. You do not have long term security of tenure.

Cardew

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2128647

You raised this issue in the above thread.

It looks as if he is(for tax purposes) declaring you as a lodger.

macman

Tell him that unless the harassment stops you will report him to the IR for tax evasion. However since you apparently have no security of tenure it does seem that you are going to have to move out anyway if the property is sold.

Cardew

Before you 'cut off your nose to spite your face', what sort of rent are you paying?
Are you paying Council Tax?
Water Charges?

If the cottage is not considered a separate residence, but part of the main property, then separate water charges and council taxes are not payable.

In that case(where the cottage is considered an annex of the main property) it is perfectly legitimate IMO to class you as lodgers. In fact could be greatly to your advantage to be treated as a lodger and a few lights is neither here or there.

That said you should obviously have access to your meter.

Premier_2

verginicu wrote: »

...On 1st december we were forced to sign a 'guests agreement' with our landlord in which he says we share the cottage with him (that is not true). I say forced because there were only 2 options: sign it or leave. ...

No.

Whether or not you have a written Tenancy Agreement, by you renting a property from the LL, you have a tenancy agreement and are protected by all the usual rights associated with such.

Seek advice from Shelter or the CAB.

verginicu wrote: »

...Our landlord asked to the electricity supplier to put the contract in my fiance's name without informing him...

He can ask what he likes, but without the approval of the proposed new account holder, the supplier shouldn't set up an account (unless possibly the supplier has good reason, such as a copy of a signed TA).
Otherwise, we'd all be calling up our suppliers and telling them to put our bills in the name of Mr G. Brown, c/o 10 Downing Street.

Clear_Sky

Cardew wrote: »

Before you 'cut off your nose to spite your face', what sort of rent are you paying?
Are you paying Council Tax?
Water Charges?

If the cottage is not considered a separate residence, but part of the main property, then separate water charges and council taxes are not payable.

In that case(where the cottage is considered an annex of the main property) it is perfectly legitimate IMO to class you as lodgers. In fact could be greatly to your advantage to be treated as a lodger and a few lights is neither here or there.

That said you should obviously have access to your meter.

So, the cottage is part of the main property but in the agreement we signed our landlord says he 'shares the cottage with us' thyat is completelly unreal. Then we pay 50 pounds rent a week + 30 pounds Council taxes. There is no separated water meter and he has a pond (water supplied not natural) and a big water tank for the horse. We haven't got a rent booklet and he has never showned us any bill. When my fiance asked him to show him the proof for Council Taxes he said just to pay the money to him because there is no need of proof. I am afraid my fiance has tollerated too many to him and I have to sort all these things out. I asked him to be fair regarding our bills.
I forgot to tell that he gave us a 'Notice to quit the cottage we share' and he says we have to live it in 'let's say a month'. These are his words! Unbelievable!