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Utility bill - can a joint tenant who is not the account holder be legally liable?
bye_bye_band_G
Posts: 160 Forumite
Help!
My daughter shared a house with three other girls as joint tenants, this has now finished and they have moved out.
One of the others took responsibility for gas/elec, they each paid her a monthly amount, she said she was paying this in to npower by Direct Debit each month, and the account was set up only in her name.
Now it has come to light that in fact she didn't pay any of their money in at all, and there is an outstanding bill of £750! I think she probably tried to set up a DD but it didn't work and then she just forgot/didn't realise/what an idiot.
This is hers to pay, but I am absolutely sure she has no money and has spent all the money the girls paid her over the months.
I know npower will chase her first because she is the account holder.
BUT if they get no joy from her, can they legally then turn to the other joint tenants ie my daughter, and demand payment from her and her friends?
We hope that because the account was set up in her name only, then only she is legally liable for the debt, but does being a joint tenant mean that eventually npower can sue the rest of them?
We are very worried and any advice would be most welcome. Thanks.
p.s. I posted this first on the gas/elec board and was advised people over here would know the answers better.
My daughter shared a house with three other girls as joint tenants, this has now finished and they have moved out.
One of the others took responsibility for gas/elec, they each paid her a monthly amount, she said she was paying this in to npower by Direct Debit each month, and the account was set up only in her name.
Now it has come to light that in fact she didn't pay any of their money in at all, and there is an outstanding bill of £750! I think she probably tried to set up a DD but it didn't work and then she just forgot/didn't realise/what an idiot.
This is hers to pay, but I am absolutely sure she has no money and has spent all the money the girls paid her over the months.
I know npower will chase her first because she is the account holder.
BUT if they get no joy from her, can they legally then turn to the other joint tenants ie my daughter, and demand payment from her and her friends?
We hope that because the account was set up in her name only, then only she is legally liable for the debt, but does being a joint tenant mean that eventually npower can sue the rest of them?
We are very worried and any advice would be most welcome. Thanks.
p.s. I posted this first on the gas/elec board and was advised people over here would know the answers better.
0
Comments
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I believe utility bills are to be paid by those who live in the property, where ultimately the account holder is liable.
If your daughter can show she made her proportion of the payments, then hopefully that will be sufficient as the payments were given to pay for the utility bills.
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