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Water Bill
mackemdave
Posts: 769 Forumite
I posted on here just after Christmas...I had rented a property,via a management company,and the tenants left the property empty for 10 days over the cold Christmas period without heating.The management co had sent them a letter telling them that if they were leaving the property for any length of time the should leave the heating on,the tenants ignored this
When the tenants arrived back after Christmas water was pouring from the attic.Luckily Ive got insurance who should cover the cost of the repair.The tenants requested,via the management co,that they be released from the contract.
I agreed to this on the condition that all the utilty bills were paid by the tenants till the day they vacated the property.They handed the keys back to the management co on 11th Jan and paid the rent upto that day
Yesterday I received at my home address in my name a water bill for £280 for the rented property from the period 17th Dec to 11th Jan.Obviously this is high because of the flooding.
Ive sent the bill to the management Co who are going to inform Anglian Water that the bill needs to be paid for by the tenants for this period.
Ive got no faith in the Management Co so was just wondering is there anything else I should be doing to ensure that I dont get lumbered with this bill.The tenants,knowing that this bill was going to be high,have contact Anglian Water and told them that they vacated the property on 17th Dec and future bills should be sent tp me,getting my address from the contract that was in place.Should I be going to the police or is this a civil matter rather than attempted fraud?
When the tenants arrived back after Christmas water was pouring from the attic.Luckily Ive got insurance who should cover the cost of the repair.The tenants requested,via the management co,that they be released from the contract.
I agreed to this on the condition that all the utilty bills were paid by the tenants till the day they vacated the property.They handed the keys back to the management co on 11th Jan and paid the rent upto that day
Yesterday I received at my home address in my name a water bill for £280 for the rented property from the period 17th Dec to 11th Jan.Obviously this is high because of the flooding.
Ive sent the bill to the management Co who are going to inform Anglian Water that the bill needs to be paid for by the tenants for this period.
Ive got no faith in the Management Co so was just wondering is there anything else I should be doing to ensure that I dont get lumbered with this bill.The tenants,knowing that this bill was going to be high,have contact Anglian Water and told them that they vacated the property on 17th Dec and future bills should be sent tp me,getting my address from the contract that was in place.Should I be going to the police or is this a civil matter rather than attempted fraud?
0
Comments
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Were meter readings taken, agreed, and signed for when the tenants vacated? This should show that the water was used (well, OK 'lost') during their tenancy.
The Water company should have been given the readings when the tenancy ended.
Has the tenants deposit been returned?
If this was genuinely water used during the tenancy, and wasted as a result of the tenants failing to follow the written advice regarding heating, then it is down to them. Either you get the water company to bill the tenants, or you bill them (or deduct from deposit) and/or sue in small claims court.0 -
It may also be worth talking direct to your water company - ours (Veolia) has a one-off leakage allowance that they grant under certain circumstances. Or your insurer?0
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