Struggling to get my money back...

Cotenant

Dear all, I currently have an ongoing financial dispute with a former co-tenant who was my co-signatory on a tenancy agreement for over a year.

The situation centres around the fact that his contributions for household bills and utilities did not amount to the 50/50 verbal agreement that was made at the point of inception and now that we have gone seperate ways, despite him actually living there, has begun to evade his responsibilities to the outstanding creditors by having his parents write to the creditors telling them that he does not live at that address.

This is obviously leaving me to pick up the pieces and the debt and is considerable cause for concern as I am due to become a dad for the first time within the next 10 days.

I am aware of my right to pursue him for the debt in court but is it not true that it would be just his word against mine?? What outcome would you anticipate. I know for a fact that he could not prove that he has made any payments to any of the bills as I was lumbered with this responsibility throughout our cotenancy.

Any help would be appreciated!!!!!

Fang_3

Sue him. .

BitterAndTwisted

Were all of the utility bills in your name and have you given meter readings and received the final bills for them? This should be your first priority.

Did you pay a damage deposit to your landlord, were you the lead-tenant and could you withhold some of that to cover what they owe you?

Jo_R_2

Me and a friend has a similar situation a while ago. Housemate moved out without handing over his share of the bills. Being rather strapped for cash students we couldn't cover his share, and one of the utilities started to get v. arsey (understandably) at their bill not being paid in full (we paid our share) as it dragged on and on.

After seeking advice, my friend phoned up his house (naturally he wasn't in...) intending to give a 'friendly' verbal warning that should payment not appear within x days, he would be getting a written warning of said intention, and he would be pursued in the small claims court after that if payment was not made.

She ended up speaking to his dad who had had no idea what was going on, and actually forwarded payment asap with apologies so it was sorted.

Reading between the lines I am assuming that as you dealt with payments, the bills were in your name?