Not paying utilities........

kleapatra

Not sure this is the right place to post but here goes.

I live in a block of 2 properties, my 1 bed house and a 2 bed flat ( think old Victorian property with a shop at the front) We have a communal front door where all the post is delivered so usually I pick up all the post, chuck the junk mail, chuck next doors post outside their door (no internal letter box) and then take my own. Next door is rented and the current tenants moved in in February (2013). I've noticed that all their utility bills still come addressed to the occupier or the letting agents ( there was a gap of a few months between these tenants and the previous ones). The letters now are coming thick and fast, 3 today alone, 2 of them from the electric board. This as I'm sure most people will agree indicates that they are not paying their utilities. This includes, water, sewage (separate company in this area), gas and electric.

While I find this extremely irritating (I pay a fortune on utilities so why should they get away with it!) I realise it's none of my business and have no plans to confront them in any way.

What I need to know is could this have any impact on me? I'm aware the credit rating issue is all theirs and they do have a different flat number so not my problem but can any of these people gain access to the building ie breaking in via the communal door? Once they have got through the communal door they would have no idea which property to access as we don't have letters on the internal doors so could they 'accidentally' break into my house in error?

I'm the kind of person (as I'm sure you all are) that wouldn't dream of not paying any bills so I have no idea what happens if you don't!

Thanks for your help

spiro

Yes they can break in through the front door. As the property has been divided, do you have you own address e.g. Flat 4, 21 Any Street, Any Town? If so put you flat number on your front door.

skitler

there is more involved than just breaking in, that will be a last resort but as spiro says put a letter a/b ect on the doors however if that is not on the bill ie mr smith, flat b, 100 house on street, they still wont know who lives in which flat once entry is gained.
so you my consider putting your name on the door with some sort of warning on illegal entry.

lemontart

Personally I would take the letters to the letting agents and/or you could also report the possible theft of gas/electricity to the suppliers named on the letters with a simple phone call - so they can investigate further and take the appropriate action.

skitler

lemontart wrote: »

Personally I would take the letters to the letting agents and/or you could also report the possible theft of gas/electricity to the suppliers named on the letters with a simple phone call - so they can investigate further and take the appropriate action.

you have no proof of theft, who mentioned theft, not paying a bill is not theft. some folk eh.

macman

Credit rating is against a person, not an address. Their bills don't have any names on them, so they've clearly never registered.
Why don't you put your flat number on your internal door if concerned?