Getting bill money off other tennants

BitterAndTwisted

Get a pre-payment meter! If these a-holes are not waning to pay for utilities they have already used they are not going to feed a meter to buy it more expensively. The end result will be the OP either paying or sitting in the dark.

kiss_me_now9

Right, I've been told by the estate agent this morning that I should ring the company up, explain that I am not the lead tenant and ask them to change it to the lead tenant as responsible for the bill. If I do this, does that mean that the outstanding bill is still my responsibility or that it goes over to the lead tenant?
If I offer to pay my portion of the bill, will they be happy with this or will they expect it in full?

I have a feeling that they've all gone off for Chinese New Year, the house is silent, I haven't seen anyone all morning (I've been up since 9am) and when the estate agent spoke to the guy who has his girlfriend living here yesterday, he said that they were going away for CNY until the 11th of February The bill is due on the 26th...

Interestingly, everyone I've spoken to has said that 90% of Chinese internationals will !!!! off at the end of their year in Bangor leaving landlords with substantial debts to utlity companies.

DVardysShadow

If you change it yourself to the lead tenant, you will be guilty of doing the very thing which put you on the bills in the first place .... And whether you are still responsible for the current bill depends upon how determined you are to overturn the initial assignment to you.

kiss_me_now9

DVardysShadow wrote: »

If you change it yourself to the lead tenant, you will be guilty of doing the very thing which put you on the bills in the first place .... And whether you are still responsible for the current bill depends upon how determined you are to overturn the initial assignment to you.

True, but it should've been in her name in the first place, it was only in mine because I was there for a week before them and no-one bothered to move it over (I was certain it'd been done). I'm a bit worried now that they'll turn around and say well, you've already paid one bill, pay this one too.

kiss_me_now9

Just rang the company and their advice was... get everyone in one room, phone us back up and get the contract changed to include everyone. Until then you owe us £650.

So, now the question is how do I get them all in one room at one time when the company is open and get them to agree to take the bills?

Bennifred

The trouble is, even with all the names on the utility bill, it doesn't mean that you are only liable for your proporption of the bill. You will all be "jointly and severally" liable, which means that if the others disappear without paying you will still end up being persued by the utility company or the civil enforcement company they hand it on to. This has happened more than once to my sons (shared student houses). The system needs overhauling - it is always the honest tenants who end up being chased and either paying up for everyone :mad: or with a CCJ against them:mad: Very unfair system - there must be a fairer way of doing things. Landlords (not liable for the bills) mostly don't seem to care and won't hand over contact details for absconding tenants.

HappyMJ

Bennifred wrote: »

The trouble is, even with all the names on the utility bill, it doesn't mean that you are only liable for your proporption of the bill. You will all be "jointly and severally" liable, which means that if the others disappear without paying you will still end up being persued by the utility company or the civil enforcement company they hand it on to. This has happened more than once to my sons (shared student houses). The system needs overhauling - it is always the honest tenants who end up being chased and either paying up for everyone :mad: or with a CCJ against them:mad: Very unfair system - there must be a fairer way of doing things. Landlords (not liable for the bills) mostly don't seem to care and won't hand over contact details for absconding tenants.

There is a company who will bill each individual tenant but they add a fee on that makes it very expensive. The company is called Glide.

kiss_me_now9

Bennifred wrote: »

The trouble is, even with all the names on the utility bill, it doesn't mean that you are only liable for your proporption of the bill. You will all be "jointly and severally" liable, which means that if the others disappear without paying you will still end up being persued by the utility company or the civil enforcement company they hand it on to. This has happened more than once to my sons (shared student houses). The system needs overhauling - it is always the honest tenants who end up being chased and either paying up for everyone :mad: or with a CCJ against them:mad: Very unfair system - there must be a fairer way of doing things. Landlords (not liable for the bills) mostly don't seem to care and won't hand over contact details for absconding tenants.

I have a feeling this might happen here, I have no job atm and no way of getting one before I graduate, no savings and my parents can't really afford to bail me out. I have no idea what to do now. I refuse to get a black mark against my name for something I haven't done

Bennifred

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

I have a feeling this might happen here, I have no job atm and no way of getting one before I graduate, no savings and my parents can't really afford to bail me out. I have no idea what to do now. I refuse to get a black mark against my name for something I haven't done

I am so sorry for you - we have ended up bailing out my son who was in the same position as you are. The civil enforcement company's suggestion that we track down the other tenants and take them to the small claims court just wasn't feasible, as they were foreign and the ex-landlord refused to co-operate with contact details. Son is now paying us back. I feel bad for him, because it isn't really his debt, but not ours either and at least he is no longer being chased for it.
I'm sorry not to have any constructive advice for you.....:(

A_Phoenix_of_Tangerine

If they still have this term left at University before they receive part of their degree, I doubt they'll want to waste all that money spent on international student fees by absconding before the term is through... Equally, it is damn cold outside at the moment, and without heat / electricity (turned off by you, until they pay up) I'm not sure they'll be quite as willing to keep up this selfish charade. I guess you'll have to wait until they return now, but write to the LL and utility company in the mean time (recorded delivery), and categorically state that you never signed up as the lead tenant and that you are not assuming sole responsibility for the bills being paid. I also live in Bangor, I've noticed that the Chinese student population has increased hugely in the past 3 years but had no idea that it is common place for them to leave without paying bills... Surely student LLs will soon stop renting to Chinese students if this is so prevalent? Not a good situation for anyone