Can I ask the utlity provider to disconnect the utilities?

Mondayschild

Hi

My sister has taken over the house that we own jointly and changed the locks so I cant enter. The house was left to us by our dad and has been empty since he died.

My name was previously down for all the utilities but now I want to take my name off as I dont want to be liable for any bills that she runs up. My sister is a spiteful cow and will purposefully run up bills to get me in trouble.

She wont let me enter the property to take meter readings so I can close my account down.

Can I call the providers and say that I dont live there so please take my name off of the bills. What can I do?

McKneff

Surely,,if you own half the house she cannot just take possession just like that.

Break awindow and get in. Its half yours, you wouldnt be burgling the place.

Take up residence if you can.

Is she paying you rent for your half.

See a solicitor

BargainGalore

I assume you cant get in because you have no keys or she has changed the locks

If so get a locksmith and get locks changed I think you need to give her a key though

This wont be cheap probably couple of hundred if they overcharge on lock

Mondayschild

BargainGalore wrote: »

I assume you cant get in because you have no keys or she has changed the locks

If so get a locksmith and get locks changed I think you need to give her a key though

This wont be cheap probably couple of hundred if they overcharge on lock

I dont mind paying.

The problem is that both dont own the house yet. The solicitor is in the process of putting our names on the deed.

I just want my name off of the bills.

DUTR

Mondayschild wrote: »

Hi

My sister has taken over the house that we own jointly and changed the locks so I cant enter. The house was left to us by our dad and has been empty since he died.

My name was previously down for all the utilities but now I want to take my name off as I dont want to be liable for any bills that she runs up. My sister is a spiteful cow and will purposefully run up bills to get me in trouble.

She wont let me enter the property to take meter readings so I can close my account down.

Can I call the providers and say that I dont live there so please take my name off of the bills. What can I do?

I'm confused as to why your name is on the utilities if neither of you are living there until recently.
Hope you sort a resolve with your sister, I'm sure your father never intended the estate to become blood money ground :eek:

Good luck.

McKneff

Mondayschild wrote: »

I dont mind paying.

The problem is that both dont own the house yet. The solicitor is in the process of putting our names on the deed.

I just want my name off of the bills.

Speak to the solicitor involved, he will be the best person to advise.

chippytea

I think if you explain to the supplier that you no longer have access to the property it is reasonable that you are no longer responsible for the utilities.You may have to accept an estimate though

Mondayschild

DUTR wrote: »

I'm confused as to why your name is on the utilities if neither of you are living there until recently.
Hope you sort a resolve with your sister, I'm sure your father never intended the estate to become blood money ground :eek:

Good luck.

For insurance purposes, we had to put the central heating on a few hours day and we also put timer light on so the bills were small but there were bills.

As probate is taking a while to be sorted, the gas company said that a name needed to go on there so I put my name. The solicitor also said that because the house was ours, albeit not on paper yet, that we should be responsible for the bills. The house was empty at that time.

The utility providers knew the situation regarding my dad dying.

DUTR

Mondayschild wrote: »

For insurance purposes, we had to put the central heating on a few hours day and we also put timer light on so the bills were small but there were bills.

As probate is taking a while to be sorted, the gas company said that a name needed to go on there so I put my name. The solicitor also said that because the house was ours, albeit not on paper yet, that we should be responsible for the bills. The house was empty at that time.

The utility providers knew the situation regarding my dad dying.

Seems odd, as my Bro passed away last year and the utilities and other bills never ran like that
I do hope your sis and yourself sort things out, as I fear this is just one of many 'problems' to crop up .

molerat

Strange about the names but the util companies will tell you anything to get a "live" person named purely as there is more chance of getting paid. The bills are the responsibility of the estate until title is transferred or at best being in the name of the executor in their official capacity. Speak to the solicitor and get him to tell your sister to allow access then get a locksmith to let you in to read the meters and then contact he utilities.

Mondayschild

molerat wrote: »

Strange about the names but the util companies will tell you anything to get a "live" person named purely as there is more chance of getting paid. The bills are the responsibility of the estate until title is transferred or at best being in the name of the executor in their official capacity. Speak to the solicitor and get him to tell your sister to allow access then get a locksmith to let you in to read the meters and then contact he utilities.

Is there any law regarding this that I can quote to the solicitor?

She was adamant that the estate wasnt responsible for the bills.