Landlord pays bills but says we are using too much gas and electricity

bryanb

KimYeovil wrote: »

Why? The OP has said they live in basement flat, plus they have seperate gas boilers, also has said the LL is responsible for power bills. Not really a equal shares from all situation.

savingsuperstar

KimYeovil wrote: »

You pay more than if you were living frugally on your own but you receive a higher level of comfort and pay less for that level of comfort than if you were on your own.

I don't really understand how we get a higher level of comfort from being frugal with energy but having to split the bill equally. I suppose we could have the heating on as much as they do, and at least we'd be all be paying the cost of all living in perpetual warmth. But I'd prefer to be frugal. I suspect our energy bills for the basement are much less than half of what they spend upstairs.

savingsuperstar

bryanb wrote: »

Does your tenancy agreement say bills are included? If it does I guess you could insist on no change. Difficult though with the family connection.

Not entirely sure. Think it doesn't. I also think he wants to keep bills in his name because he might not have registered the house as an HMO...

Pincher

£120x12= £1,440 a year, sounds about right for a four bedroom house.

If there are four accounts, wouldn't there be four lots of standing charge? Hidden in Tier 1 rate. of course. Using one account and getting maximum discounts is obviously of benefit to every resident, but there has to be limits.

The tenants regard the current situation as status quo, and any renegotiation means they will lose financially, which is true, but better than moving out when the renewal comes.

The landlord should never have allowed the inclusive setup in the first place. Without constranit, tenants will abuse the energy without limit.
The rent is wholy taxable, so he has to pay income tax on the energy portion as well. If he tries to have a fixed part that he pays, and a variable part that the tenants pay, good luck trying to keep track comes tax return time.

The landlord should change the terms of the rental agreement come renewal time. Anyone who does not agree can move out.
The simplest is to put the energy account into the name of the son of the landlord, who needs to keep track of:

1. Who moved in and out and when, taking meter readings each time.
2. When the quarterly bill arrives, work out the units used for each resident, some of whom may have moved in half way through that quarter.
3. Tenants moving out also need to pay, according to meter reading.
4. Collect the money and put it into his bank account.

Anyone who does not pay up will be given notice and the amount owing taken from the deposit.

The new rental agreement is obviously a negotiable amount invloving an inflation related increase in rent, minus the reduction for the energy exclusion.

The account itself can be on a fixed direct debit, attracting maximum discount, and minimising standing charge.

Bark01

I live in an old 4 bed house spread over 3 floors sash windows minimal insulation etc (but I am in the south). All bills Council, water, elec, gas, cable come in at around £75 per month per person. Gas and elec combined is £27 but i'm in credit after winter so the DD's are higher than they need to be.

bryanb

savingsuperstar wrote: »

I also think he wants to keep bills in his name because he might not have registered the house as an HMO...

Ah, then there could be other things he's not doing, eg. Safety certs? deposit protection?

savingsuperstar

To be honest until someone mentioned HMO I didn't realise any of those things were a requirement, so I suspect he does none of them. Although we do have a contract so I'm not worried about the deposit not being held in the right place. I'm fairly sure at least one of the other tenants knows about the lack of HMO license and the LL knows he knows, if you catch my drift.
Could it be time to look at moving?! Like you said, difficult what with being related and all, but am dropping strong hints to bf.

melorablack

Just a random thought I'd like to throw in - If you are in the basement flat of a badly insulated old house, the heat from your flat will be rising up into theirs anyway.

I used to live in a 3rd floor flat and never needed to put my own heating on. They could benefit more from you having to pay the gas bill.

bryanb

savingsuperstar wrote: »

To be honest until someone mentioned HMO I didn't realise any of those things were a requirement, so I suspect he does none of them. Although we do have a contract so I'm not worried about the deposit not being held in the right place. I'm fairly sure at least one of the other tenants knows about the lack of HMO license and the LL knows he knows, if you catch my drift.
Could it be time to look at moving?! Like you said, difficult what with being related and all, but am dropping strong hints to bf.

Yes I'd be looking to move in the situation you describe, I'm ex Fire brigade, and would be very wary of an un-registered HMO.

Fire_Fox

savingsuperstar wrote: »

Bit of a tricky situ. All bills are included in our monthly rent.
I live with my bf in the basement flat of a shared house with four other residents.

Somewhat off topic, but is this property/ tenancy even legal? Is it registered as a HMO if it needs to be? Either you live in a shared house with shared utilities OR you live in self contained accommodation in which case you would be liable for you own council tax and, usually, your own utilities. You do know that if a council tax rebanding occurs for your you can be liable for the backdated bill (absentee landlord is never liable for CT)?

As landlord your BF's dad is responsible for supplying adequate heating and adequate insulation and, if the tenancy agreement says he will pay the energy bills, then he is legally obliged to do so. The OFT considers a landlord expecting to maintain control over the utility supplier but expecting the tenants to foot the bill to be an unfair clause.

Quite frankly your situation screams amateur landlord which makes me wonder what other laws are being flouted ... do you have a copy of the gas safety certificate for your boiler (mandatory)? Are there fire doors, fire alarms and accessible fire escapes? If not my vote would be to jump ship now and anonymously report your BF's father to Environmental Health for the safety of the other residents.