Water and tv license nightmare student house

Lady_K

Nightmare happening in my daughters student house. 4 of them sharing they each have a bill in thier names and have to collect the payments from everyone each time they come.

They got a water bill which came in the name of occupier which was supposed to be changed to the lads name there when it was paid. They split the cost and each gave the lad a cheque in september, he cashed them and then paid the bill so he says. They got a reminder in december saying occupier bill unpaid. We rang and theres no trace of payment anywhere they said the lad shou ring them and give them the payment code and they would issue a reciept. The girls told him and he said he rang severn and it would be there in 10 days. When it came it has same heading as severn trent but no signature which apparently they always have when sending conformation letters of payment so they know which member of staff issued it.

They have now recieved a bill for almost £500 (unmetered) which includes arrears from the last bill which he should have paid. We have rang and they have checked everything possible and said the only contact there has been for the account has been from myself or my daughter never by the lad and no request for a reciept has been made. The occupier bill has a different account number to the new one because they had all thier names added to it by someone we think the landlord but theres been no payment on any.

The lad did give my daughter a personal reciept which he signed saying he had recieved a cheque from her on this date for the said amount bill which was her 1/4 cost towards it so she is the only one with that evidence. The severn trent have said the proof of payment reciept hes supposed to have recieved from them does not sound at all genuine as its not the way they do it.

They have said it could go to court and all costs added to the bill. The main account is in all 4 names and I think the main account holder is the lad.

They are so worried because they have been told the new bill has to be paid again even though they have paid it once themselves and he also went out and got a tv license very quickly which they were surprised about so they paid him each for that but they are questioning if that is genuine aswell now

Where do they stand with this?

irnbru_2

Lady_K wrote:

They have said it could go to court and all costs added to the bill. The main account is in all 4 names and I think the main account holder is the lad.

Without proof of payment, they need to pay it again. They need to pursue the rogue tenant to recover their money.

Lady_K wrote:

he also went out and got a tv license very quickly which they were surprised about so they paid him each for that but they are questioning if that is genuine aswell now

You could ask the TV License people if it's genuine.

You could ask the police if the monies have been obtained by deception.

pingu79

If this lad has paid the money to the water company surely he should have something on his bank statement to prove this. I would ask him to check that water co has indeed cashed cheque/taken card payment and to see the proof on statement.

I guess either he has taken everyones cash and not paid the bill or has paid somebody the cash.

Bun

I had friends who had this problem at uni. When I was there (a while back) we had all bills in all names, and cheques from each of us ADDRESSED TO THE COMPANY were sent by post or paid at the post office. I believe that if you do this you have proof that you have paid your share, nobody is giving anybody money, and even if a reminder is sent, you aren't paying twice. Don't give this guy cheques made to himself, or any cash again under any circumstances. I hope you sort out the bill problem. If he has taken it 9 (the tone of your post leads me to think this is the case?) I would chase him for it (maybe part of his deposit at the end of the year) or say he needs to move out if he is unreliable or a thief. Maybe the company would be happy for the payment to be in installments?

Lady_K

He wont show his bank statement a simple thing that would clear a lot up. The reciept he may have faked shows switch payment and last 4 digits but nothing else. It says at the base of letter thankyou for your card payment taken from your account on 4th October but we described the way the letter is done to severn trent and they say they do not do them that way and they are always signed and this one isnt

I have rang the police and they said they have to report it and they can investigate but I guess it will go to small claims court. If hes faked the tv licence and the water reciept and my daughters personal reciept its fraud aswell, hes taken money by deception and fraud I'd say

They are really worried though as they cant afford these bills they are paying twice aswell as covering his part of it as hes not going to pay. I thought they could all pay severn directly thier share leaving 1/4 unpaid which is his part then try and get the money back later through small claims. Would they still be in trouble if they did that?

Bun

I would have thought that that would be ok, check with them, I'm sure they would rather get 3/4 of the money back. They may be able to come to some agreement. This is sounding dodgier than dodgy. I would either get him to leave if he is not paying the current bills let alone the old ones, report him to the police (or threaten to if he won't sort it) and also to the uni, and the landlord. Does he pay his rent and other bills at all? Get rid definitely.

As another aside in terms of getting the money back,is there any way you can contact his parents. Easy enough to get the number from his mobile I would have thought. Threaten to tell them before you do, that may sort it. Or does he have any belongings that could cover the debt?

Lady_K

We have his parents number but havent called them yet till we see if he will give us some evidence this last time.

He is very strange, he disappears for for days or weeks and doesnt answer text messages or calls. He also stayed in the student house all christmas on his own as he said he was working at a bar there but no one has seen him there so they dont even believe hes worked there. He stays in his room all the time hes at the house and comes out for food late in the night when everyone else is in bed.

His mum and dad apparently pay all his bills they pay the landlord direct. I don't know whats exactly going off but everything is weird

They couldnt contact him for a long time at one stage and they had to ring his parents home, they were instantly nasty and reluctant to put thier son on the phone saying well he is busy you know. They didnt know the girl that rang or what she was ringing for they just went on the defensive straight away so we are guessing they wont be very helpfull. I really wanted to phone them myself but my daughter just wants to check this last chance to see if he can produce evidence

After that I don't know if its better to call the police or ring his parents but as hes already got a black mark against his name I dont think he will care really if the police get involved

Bun

He should do as this sounds quite a detailed deception if that's what it transpires to be. Not really going to help his job prospects and I don't know what the uni stance on him attending would be. Write a letter to the parents by recorded delivery when the time comes - you could send the bill, ask for it to be settled and they will hear no more about it.

Good luck, and I hope your daughter has more luck next house!

Lady_K

OMG My daughter and her friend pushed a note through his door as he wouldnt speak to any of them they went out to look at another house for next year and on the way home my daughter dropped her friend off at the excersize class and went back on her own. She knocked on his door again and said please let me in or come out and talk to me. He answered saying that he had put a note under her door and to please read it.

Hes admitted everything on paper and says he got into debt and spent thier money. He said he planned to pay it back later but when he got his next loan but he spent it again before he did. He says he cares for them and hates himself more than they ever could for doing this to such lovely people and he will phone severn trent up tomorrow and sort something out. I dont know what he can sort out but why should they pay his share when hes just wasted his loans. I am out of work through illness and my daughter doesnt see her dad so she struggles like hell to get through and has to keep her car on the road too as shes a nurse. They were also burgled at the house and my daghter lost more than anyone in the place and she was the only one without insurance as she hadnt been able to afford it. This lad has claimed everything back.

What should they do, I don't know what to say is best hes got no money so hes not going to pay it back and they still have really big bills to pay for the rest of the year. I have told her to speak to her flatmate when shes back from excersize class I'm so worried the water bill is almost £500 th elec is over £200 and the gas is going to be even bigger because the last one was underestimated

Hes told her in this note that he found out his nephew has got cancer at the weekend but does that mean they have to pay his share. I don't know what to do I don't think his parents are going to help

I think more than likely the TV licence is not genuine either but as they are questioning over the water bill hes just admitting to that one at the moment

Bun

At the end of the day he has still stolen money that people can ill-afford to lose. He still needs to pay all his bills, others can't carry him. I think his parents will have to help. If he speaks to everybody that will help but he has to find a way of paying it back. I can't really suggest more than I have already, sorry.

Anarchist

He needs to be careful that he's not dragged into court for obtaining by deception :I