Moving out ffrom shared rental with ex-bf

When_the_going_gets_tough

You are not legally liable for bills once you move out. That is quite separate from the rent. So I agree with other posters that you should take your name off the utilities and council tax bills from the day you move. You need to speak to your landlord as others have said and make sure your contract is ended at the end of the fixed term.

Person_one

heartbreak_star wrote: »

This happened to me - I gave ex a month's leeway where I still paid my share of the bills.

HBS x

That seems like the right thing to do, if its a mutual and amicable split.

You know his and your financial situations better than we do OP, will he manage fine if you just stop paying the bills or will you be really helping him out by giving him a bit of time to get organised? Where will you be living? Will you be paying a new set of bills in a new place and can you afford to help him out?

Kynthia

When you move out you give final readings and your new address to the utility companies in order to send you final bills. You would be incredibly daft not to do this as if your ex stays and doesn't pay it's your debt and credit history ruined, and the same if a new tenant moves in and doesn't change things to their name.

If you or your ex doesn't move out by the last day of the fixed term a statutory periodic tenancy (rolling monthly contract) begins in both of your names and the landlord can still chase one or both of you for the whole rent. You can't end the joint tenancy alone during the fixed rearm but once the periodic tenancy begins then either you or your ex can end it with a whole period's notice.

viscachaz

He won't be paying the same elec, as you won't be living there, so the bill will be for just him, not both of you. I'd pay half up to the end of what you used, then you can go with a clear conscience.

marisco_2

Why are your parents so bothered by the way you handle the break up of your relationship? You are an adult who has lived away from home, and whilst them having your best interests at heart is nice, I wouldn't be encouraging them to interfere here. Base your decision of how to handle this by what sits well with you. The suggestion of contributing to the bills for the next month, so as you ex can get financially straight before going it alone seems fair. You aren't obligated in any way to do this though so it is entirely your choice.

Saturnalia

Kynthia wrote: »

When you move out you give final readings and your new address to the utility companies in order to send you final bills. You would be incredibly daft not to do this as if your ex stays and doesn't pay it's your debt and credit history ruined, and the same if a new tenant moves in and doesn't change things to their name.

Yes. Agree with your ex to get the legal liability part sorted out as above. Then after that, if you want to pay him something towards the bills after you've moved out, it's a moral matter between the two of you, not a legal risk of being saddled with the lot.

It does sound like you are both on friendly terms and able to work out a fair split by yourselves - but it never hurts to keep your back covered.

miss-scrimpy

Hello,

Sorry I am very sleepy however thought I would send a message to share my experience, I hope this makes sense.

I left my partner in a rental house, mainly actually down to his domestic abuse to me however because I left, I felt bad and him being clever and manipulative made me feel incredibly sorry for the situation I put him in (however in hind-sight he was the problem!) ANYWAY... I left my name on the contract because I knew changing it and without me on there the agency would then do a financial check etc and probably not let him live there.

I also agreed because I had left him in a sicky situation I would pay half of the rent for about 4 months till the tenancy ran out. I had very little money, being vulnerable due to abuse, having to leave my job and actually getting sectioned at the time so was very unwell I paid my Disability Living Allowance to him every month to cover my half.

The ex boyfriend even visited me in hospital and he asked me to help him list all the bill companies so he could remove my name off them too. So I wrote a list for him.

Being unwell, feeling sorry for him and trusting him still I never thought much of this. All the bills came out of a joint bank account which I never had details of or a card (due to the abuse etc) so thought nothing or any more about it nor was it a priority at the time.

Time passed, the payments to him stopped and I met an amazing supportive boyfriend who in honestly has helped me change my whole life around. Now what I am trying to say here is however much you think someone would NEVER turn nasty you never know when your situation changes, especially if you meet someone new.

He sent me a spiteful message expressing his anger and loads of poo because I had a new boyfriend about 9 months later. Again, I ignored it. It was when my parents recieved a lot of post addressed to me at their address that had been forwarded? I was puzzled and when opening them I had the biggest shock of my life...

Being apart from be for just over a year he had NEVER paid any bills!? and by the sounds of things he was getting evicted from the property and also having bailiffs taking processions etc. There was also non-attended court dates and thousands to pay in bills, collection agencies, court stuff...the list was endless!

Both our names were on all bills (so I was jointly responsible!). I am actually quite proud of how I handled the situation, I did try and contact him however was not able to. It was a stressful time and the process went on for ages but slowly by communicating, writing letters and providing some evidence of living with my parents I was able to actually not be responsible and my name removed of some debts.

Some of the bills I still had to pay and I did end up paying quite a few hundred but the relief of no stress was worth it in some respects.

I was also able to get the CCJ Court thing sorted too which was a major stress too.

I suppose what I am trying to say in this long-winded message is not to trust anyone. Yes, I was stupid however I am luckily the one who was wise enough to leave this horrible man and learn by my mistakes :-)

Good Luck x

Voyager2002

kitrat wrote: »

Here is the situation, I'd appreciate your opinions:

Currently living with ex-boyfriend, mutual breakup.

Contract on flat rented with him runs for another 3 months after I plan on moving out. I will be paying him my share of the rent up to the end.

Who do you think should be responsible for paying the gas/elec/water/council tax after I have moved out? I understand that I am still legally responsible for them as per the contract but wondered what you felt on a 'moral' level?

Also would he be able to get single person discount on council tax? Or not as my name is on contract?

My parents are v. keen that I am not responsible for these bills, part of me feels some responsibility as that was the expectation when we moved into the place together. However arguably my non-financial expectations of him living together have not been met so not really sure how I should approach this.

Thanks for any opinions.

As others have said, you really have no obligation (neither legal nor moral) for the bills after you leave, apart from rent. You will probably have to pay your own water and electricity before you start paying for someone else's.

Of course, both of you will find that living separately is in general more expensive than living together. If you choose to help out your ex with these extra costs then that is generous of you, but please don't get into debt in order to do so.

silvercar

Voyager2002 wrote: »

As others have said, you really have no obligation (neither legal nor moral) for the bills after you leave, apart from rent. You will probably have to pay your own water and electricity before you start paying for someone else's.

Of course, both of you will find that living separately is in general more expensive than living together. If you choose to help out your ex with these extra costs then that is generous of you, but please don't get into debt in order to do so.

Morally it is difficult. The ex moved into the property fully expecting to have to meet half the utility bills, now he is lumbered with all of them. The bills will be lower, but they won't be halved.

Kynthia

Whether the OP contributes after moving out is a separate issue to leaving accounts in her name. Don't leave any accounts in your name when you leave, close them and transfer to the occupants name. Also give notice to end the joint tenancy a month later once the fixed term ends, and keep evidence if this.