paying bills for previous OWNER????????

myright

so if they contest it, would they just go with the estimations? also Im not sure if his parents will even know what the readings of that period are. unless if they have saved the bills. so for all we know they could be way off the mark? would that make a difference

macman

The utility co. will not be that bothered, this is a (bizzare) 3rd party dispute, not their fight.

hermante

How have his parents conned him if he now owns the house??? Unless the mortgage was £100 a month and the utilities were £200?

Cardew

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

I don't think you'd be allowed to transfer a bill into a different name without consent.
Might your friend have given consent without realising? (e.g. "sign this to get the bills in your name, as agreed")
Might the parents have forged the consent?

Let us be realistic about the transfer of an account.

If you either own or rent a property and are moving, you simply ring the gas/electricity company tell them you are moving and supply them with closing meter readings.

Nothing is signed, no consent is sought from, or given by, the new occupant. Indeed in many cases - particularly if renting - the occupant has no idea of the new tenants name. This happens a million times a year; what are the utility company supposed to do in those million cases - get sworn affidavits?

As somebody said above, in this case it is now a 'third party dispute' and the Utility company cannot get involved. How can they tell who is telling the truth? It is perfectly plausible that the son might have agreed to put the account in his name.

In fact I had exactly that situation, I bought a flat in London for my daughter when she was at university. The Utility company wouldn't put the account in her name and insisted she have a pre-pay meter. They were however happy for it to be in my name so that is what happened. A couple of years later, I rang up and said I was no longer responsible and on my 'instructions' they transferred the account to my daughter's name.

myright

The other problem is that the parents never had closed the account. They left it on their own name even after they moved out. So where does Jason stand here?>

Cardew

myright wrote: »

The other problem is that the parents never had closed the account. They left it on their own name even after they moved out. So where does Jason stand here?>

The reason being his parents never CLOSED the account and simply transfered it onto James name,

I am getting confused!

Jason = James?

JimmyTheWig

Cardew wrote: »

Let us be realistic about the transfer of an account.

If you either own or rent a property and are moving, you simply ring the gas/electricity company tell them you are moving and supply them with closing meter readings.

Correct.

But any outstanding balance (whether positive or negative) will still pertain to the old account holder.

myright

So if the old account holder didn't take the name off the account. are they still liable to pay for the bill even after they claim they moved out.?

Cardew

myright wrote: »

So if the old account holder didn't take the name off the account. are they still liable to pay for the bill even after they claim they moved out.?

A couple of us have stated above it is now a 'Third party Dispute'.

That means your friend(whatever his name is) and his parents have to sort it out - possibly by going to court.

The Utility company will not, and cannot, decide who is telling the truth. i.e. who used what! who was responsible for payment! etc etc.

As your friend has been living in the house, and owns it, the bill has come to him as his name is on the account. Of course there is an argument that his name shouldn't be on the bill - but it is!

So it is now his problem to deal with the bill if his parents deny responsibility. He then has to deal with his parents.

spinningsheep

Which friend? James or Jason, there appear to be 2 :question: