previous occupant left with owing large water bill

dboswell

just got a shock at new property today when I came home. I moved in on friday and got a letter from thames water addressed to someone, I assume the previous occupant (though not the previous owner). As it was in red and I could see final demand poking out I opened it to find a huge water bill.

I advised over weekend, thames water that I am new occupant. Am I liable for this bill as I have no forwarding details or will they trace the named person or just write it off? I am concerned my water supply will be effected as I was told it will take 7-days to set up DD.

PaulLuke

It's not your responsibility to have forwarding details. If the bill relates to a period of time prior to your tenancy then no you have no liability.

They may well chase you for details of the previous occupant but that is about all that will happen.

FinAdv

Hi,

It is very common for the tenants to leave large outstanding bills.

No you won't be liable for the bill under any circumstances. You haven't used the water so you won't have to pay for it.

Call Thames Water andtell them about the situaton. Also, try to find out about the previous occupants and see if you can get some details.

Its not responsibility or liability to provide forwarding details to Thames Water. Morever, the bills are on his name so you dont have to worry about it.

Yorkie1

If you are on a water meter, also make sure that you've taken the reading and supplied it to the company - so that any bill you receive is based on correct figures and not estimates.

satchmeister

Yorkie1 wrote: »

If you are on a water meter, also make sure that you've taken the reading and supplied it to the company - so that any bill you receive is based on correct figures and not estimates.

Worth while taking a dated photo of all the meters when you move in. Not strictly evidence but will be sufficient for the utility companies as this happens all the time and they will not cut you off either.

dboswell

thanks for the comments. they are very helpful.

there is no water meter at the property so it looks like the build up of 2 or 3 years! It is nearly £900.

we have informed the water company that we have just moved in and we have no idea of the named person. will the water company leave it at that or will bailiffs turn up as part of a process?

Im concerned as my wife is at home during the day and she is 8 months pregnant so we dont really need undue stress

skint-student-nurse

i think what will happen is that they will update the account with your details and then take it upon themselves to find the previous owner,likely to get passed on to a debt collector who will try and trace the tenant. However, it is worth having a copy of some i.d and your tenancy agreement handy just incase someone does turn up and you can prove that you are not who they are after. It is worth remembering as well that debt collectors have no right to come to your house anyway so you are well within your rights to tell them to leave. Bailiffs as well can only turn up once they have a court order to do so,so you dont really need to worry about that happening. Hope this helps!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Please don't stress- the date you started occupation of the property is clearly defined on your tenancy agreement so you cannot legally be charged for the previous occupant's arrears. Companies only pay bailiffs to go round as a last resort after lots of letters.

wessexw

I had exactly the same with a rented property I moved in to 2 years ago, a large outstanding bill with Thames Water was on the doormat. I rang up to explain that I'd just moved in, mentioned the bill and to be honest they weren't all that interested in the outstanding bill, they just took my details, I started received regular bills and that was it, end of story. Outstanding bill was never mentioned again.

poppysarah

FinAdv wrote: »

Hi,

It is very common for the tenants to leave large outstanding bills.

You make it sound like all tenants don't pay their bills. Some do, and some take their chances.

I know someone who moved out of their rented place into a new one nearby. They knew the people who took over the old place and one day they dropped a letter off at his new place.
It was from the water board - a urgent bill reminder.

Much to his amusement he opened it as it had his name on, and found the new tenants hadn't actually registrred with the water board and so the bill had been left in his name. As he was paying water rates at his new place it took a few moments for the water board to change the bill and chase the new tenants for the outstanding bill.

dboswell

ah thanks everyone. feeling much better on a grey day