Daughter given wrong information by private landlord

DRP

The_shuffs wrote: »

There was no account open only details of the tenant before the estimated reading from May last year I was asked to read both the meters call back and an account would be created so my daughter would know how much she owed She has been living and using the G and E for the last year

They haven't sent a single bill to the address for almost a year?

Wow edf weren't that slack with me when my DD went awry in 2013...

m0bov

This smells of a wind up! EDF not billing for over a year, a LL suddenly asking tenant to pay for G and E for the last year cos he made a mistake and a mother who has agreed for her daughter to pay for it! No billy no payee!

silvercar

MamaMoo wrote: »

As has been said, if your daughter's rent included G & E, presumably she stated this in her housing benefit application forms, and has therefore not been receiving full HB?
If this is not the case, then if she pursues this and is successful, the council may try and reclaim any overpaid housing benefit as it will have been claimed fraudulently.
However, if she did declare this, it may be worth speaking to the housing in order to see if they will allow her to clown back any of the underpayment.

Only would apply if the daughter's HB claim covered all her rent. If she had to top-up the rent then the G&E amount could be covered by the top up.

This is a secondary issue to accepting a bill that should have been the landlords.

The_shuffs

silvercar wrote: »

Only would apply if the daughter's HB claim covered all her rent. If she had to top-up the rent then the G&E amount could be covered by the top up.

This is a secondary issue to accepting a bill that should have been the landlords.

She is on HB but has to top up each month

The_shuffs

m0bov wrote: »

This smells of a wind up! EDF not billing for over a year, a LL suddenly asking tenant to pay for G and E for the last year cos he made a mistake and a mother who has agreed for her daughter to pay for it! No billy no payee!

I wish it was I thought I was being honest by making sure we found out who the supplier was, how much she owes, Getting a payment card up and running for all future G and E usage others have said even if she has used the G and E she should not be paying the bill

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

The_shuffs wrote: »

I wish it was I thought I was being honest by making sure we found out who the supplier was, how much she owes, Getting a payment card up and running for all future G and E usage others have said even if she has used the G and E she should not be paying the bill

Would you pay a bill that isn't yours?

You've been informed that it probably isn't your daughters liability, why that is the case and the next steps to take, and you've seemingly ignored it all.

I'm out of this one, and I have to agree with the wind-up theory.

silvercar

I can understand how someone would think to keep the tenancy you need to keep the landlord sweet. So a misunderstanding that results in an unpaid bill (rather than the landlord wanting reimbursement) could mean that you accept responsibility.

All the people giving advice are one step removed from the situation and have more knowledge, so it seems that OP has caved in easily, but OP is looking out for her daughter being homeless.

picket_fence

It seems to me, and this is only my own humble opinion, which will no doubt be corrected where necessary by the more knowledgeable members of the boards:

1. Your daughter in good faith agreed to live there in the belief that the bills were inclusive - (you seem really hung up on the idea that she used the G and E and therefore should pay)
2. The landlord has admitted that the error was his, and his alone, both verbally and by text.
3. As such, it is his responsibility to pay the outstanding balance (the fact that he got confused between this and another flat, is irrelevant to your daughter). The fact that he can't run his business is not your daughter's responsibility. A genuine mistake, would presumably be noticed within a matter of weeks, not a whole year ?! We all make mistakes, it doesn't mean that we can hold other people liable for them though.
4. It is very reasonable of your daughter to consent to pay for the bills from now on and that you have helped her to set the account up etc, is surely proof that she is trying to be accommodating.

maninthestreet

The LL must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Annie1960

The_shuffs wrote: »

I wish it was I thought I was being honest by making sure we found out who the supplier was, how much she owes, Getting a payment card up and running for all future G and E usage others have said even if she has used the G and E she should not be paying the bill

But she does not owe anything. It was agreed with LL that it was included, so LL owes.

You are really letting your daughter down by getting her to pay.