Check Tenant Has Paid Bills

dh247

Hi All,

I have been renting my flat for a number of months and it's come to the time where my first tenant will be moving out.

Is there a good way of ensuring that the tenant has paid all of his bills and they won't appear through the post in a few weeks time?

Thanks
dh247

Werdnal

As soon as tenant leaves, take meter reading for all utilities and contact them to give the final readings for the tenant's liability. Also contact Council tax office and advise tenant has moved.

I assume you contacted all utilities at the beginning and gave reading for bills to be put in tenant's name? ALWAYS do this even if tenant says they will sort it themselves, as they can conveniently forget, and then you can have difficulty proving you were not liable during their tenancy.

gazfocus

It always frustrates me when landlords ask for proof that bills have been paid. It's nothing to do with the property and nothing to do with the landlord. If a tenant doesn't pay his/her bills, the utility company will chase the tenant for the outstanding bill, not the owner of the property.

As Werdnal says, all you need to do is phone the utility companies with the meter readings and (if you have it) a forwarding address for the tenant.

rpc

gazfocus wrote: »

As Werdnal says, all you need to do is phone the utility companies with the meter readings and (if you have it) a forwarding address for the tenant.

If you do this without permission from the tenant, you would be breaching the Data Protection Act.

Take meter readings, advise the supply company that you are responsible with X Y and Z starting readings, but leave them to sort the final bill with the tenant.

If the utility company asks for a forwarding address, they are breaching the Data Protection Act as are you if you provide it.

gazfocus

rpc wrote: »

If you do this without permission from the tenant, you would be breaching the Data Protection Act.

Take meter readings, advise the supply company that you are responsible with X Y and Z starting readings, but leave them to sort the final bill with the tenant.

If the utility company asks for a forwarding address, they are breaching the Data Protection Act as are you if you provide it.

Depends what the tenancy agreement says I guess. Ours says that at the end of the tenancy, should our utilities be outstanding, the landlord will pass our forwarding address onto the utility company.

antrobus

rpc wrote: »

If you do this without permission from the tenant, you would be breaching the Data Protection Act.

Take meter readings, advise the supply company that you are responsible with X Y and Z starting readings, but leave them to sort the final bill with the tenant.

If the utility company asks for a forwarding address, they are breaching the Data Protection Act as are you if you provide it.

Can a landlord pass the names of new tenants to the utility companies?

Yes. A landlord has a legitimate interest in making sure that utility charges are directed to those responsible. However, landlords should tell individuals when they first agree to the tenancy that their details will be passed on.

Can a landlord pass forwarding addresses of former tenants to the utility companies?

Yes. Sometimes a landlord will become aware that a tenant has moved leaving behind an unpaid utility bill or an account in credit. In addition a utility provider may need to contact a former tenant regarding continuing social support. In these circumstances landlords can pass a forwarding address (where known) to the utility companies as the Act is not intended to be an obstacle to disclosure in these situations. However, landlords must make tenants aware of these possible disclosures at the start of the tenancy
http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/housing/landlords.aspx

And since that's from the ICO, I think it can almost be taken as gospel.

G_M

At the start of a tenancy I always prepare letters in the tenants name to the utility suppliers. At key hand-over, we read/insert the meter readings into the letters, the tenant signs, and I post them - I give the tenant a copy and keep one myself.

That way I know the utilities have been transferred into the tenants Names. Any bills at the end of the tenancy are a contractual matter between the tenant and utility company.

mchale

gazfocus wrote: »

If a tenant doesn't pay his/her bills, the utility company will chase the tenant for the outstanding bill, not the owner of the property.

Not quiet correct, I have known were a Elec company insist on a prepayment meter after tenants left a outstanding bill.

Werdnal

mchale wrote: »

Not quiet correct, I have known were a Elec company insist on a prepayment meter after tenants left a outstanding bill.

Rubbish! The prepayment meter is installed to recover the debt created by the tenant. Tenant moves, debt moves with them. If prepayment meter is installed, LL/new tenant can usually request it be removed as long as they have proof the debtor no longer lives there. If Elec company refused to replace with a normal meter, threatening to take the account to another supplier usually makes them rethink!

dh247

Thanks all!

mchale

Werdnal wrote: »

Rubbish!

Maybe in your opinion, I think you will find that utility companies are taking steps in this direction if a property has a history of non paying tenants.