Flat mates won't pay utility bills - can I turn off supply?

ed_r

My daughter is at university and has ended up being owed £150 each by two flat mates with whom relations have declined all year. The daughter has paid the gas and electricity (which is in my daughters name). There is a verbal agreement and practice established that bills are shared.

I pick her up at the weekend, and we will stay locally before returning to our home the following day.

Can I remove the electricity, and get the gas turned off until payment is received? Surely my daughter doesn't have to allow her debt to increase, knowing that she will probably not get repaid.

I consider removing the fuses and plugs overnight if they won't pay when I arrive, and the return the following day to see if they have changed their minds.

If they haven't we can go back the following week to see how the land lies.

G_M

Well - it's a tactic. Of course it asumes hat the Consumer Unit has removable fuses. Modern ones often don't.

Not sure about the gas. You turn it off, they'll turn it back on!

This is really about having a serious chat and reaching a fair agreement. Being students, you might be met by " Haven't got the cash right now but I'll pay next week......"

Or maybe something ruder. Who knows.

Ultimately the problem is the accounts are in your daughter's name. How much longer does the tenancy have to run? Might be worth getting the account transferred but you'll need a willing recipient.... Hmmmm....

Are there other accounts? Phone? Broadband? TV licence? Who's name? Can daughter withold money elsewhere?

ed_r

Nothing of same value.

Downside is that two flat mates have paid,two haven't. So it hurts good guys as well as bad.

Really the trick is to threaten it, it's a week until I go over. Just don't want to do anything illegal.

They will probably all have resolved it with this threat hanging over them all this week.

They have been really awful all year, so it would give me great pleasure to return the favour.

The tenancy come to an end in July. When the two girls and their friend they moved in for nothing without permission and my daughter and friends part company.

anselld

It is part and parcel of going to University, learning to sort these things out without intervention my Mum and Dad.

ed_r

So what do you suggest she does?

It's all very well to leave someone to learn, but sometimes you need to intervene - especially when they are £300 out if pocket!

whitewing

Can your daughter seek advice from the university or student union, as I am sure similar situations will have been encountered before.

SunReader

For a rented student house it should be a modern MCB and RCD split load consumer unit - no fuses to pull.

There will be a removable 100 Amp main fuse before the consumer unit which has anti-tamper crimp seals - although sometimes these are missing or get cut by electricians for isolation purposes when rewiring, ( although strictly speaking it is I think illegal for anyone to touch this as it is the electric board's property).

Also this main fuse terminal is live and unlike domestic wiring there is no human safety protection - it is about protecting their substation and the local grid. Main supply fuse is best left well alone and there is no other easy and safe way of cutting the power.

whitewing

Saw this on anoother website

http://www.twinkler.co/

ed_r

Yes twinkler would be fine if they got on. But this is just a case of can pay, but won't pay. "Suck it up". Difficult to take, but easy to over react. It's a bit like being bullied.

No question if it is a modern fuse box then this is not an option. I would also worry if it was an old one that they might start to play with it and hurt themselves. I wouldn't want (even them) to fry themselves.

I am not sure the bluff will work.

So it's back to her applying pressure, and hoping for the best. Not sure the uni will help, although it is likely to be a problem that many face.

I wonder whether you can put a lock on fuse boxes somehow. It's the prospect of no gas overnight which will do the trick.

Is it as simple as turning off the gas supply outside and leaving with the key, perhaps.

Another option would be to ask the landlord to hold back the £150 from their deposits. He might want legal advice to do this, if he is willing.

Ulfar

She could ask for key meters to be put in, have the debt put on the meters.

She and the others that have paid then need to plan to be able to cope without any power or gas. Leaving those that haven't paid to struggle.

The other option is to move, this will depend on her contract and how long it has to run. This is one of those painful lessons unfortunately. While a 1 bedroom flat may cost more in rent it avoids these issues.

Can she not complain to the University, in some cases I have heard they will take action.

Takeaway_Addict

does she techincally own the house or do you? If she owns it then would they not be lodgers and she could just kick them out?