First time renters - advice please

7roland8

Hi - son, girlfriend and another friend renting their first house.

Landlord said that they will be contacted by Council Tax, electric and phone people so they need to do nothing (they have recorded the meter reading).

Is this correct?

They are happy to pay and don't want to get in arrears - is it worth contacting council regarding Council Tax themselves?

With the other utilities they don't know the firms anyway.

RAS

They might better contacting the Council themselves. Otherwise the LL can tell them that they moved in on April 1 if he wants.

They need to ask the LL who is supplying the electric and phone. Ask in writing.

Has he supplied them with the precribed information regarding the deposit?

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

http://www.ukpower.co.uk/who-supplies-my-gas-and-electricity#.U3uUlvldWSo

7roland8

Thanks both - most helpful.

kitty_kins

Our Landlord contacted the Council Tax and Utilities companies for us before we moved in and everything was effective from the day we took over the lease.

We've had absolutely no issues doing it this way, but of course there's no harm in getting your son to double check that it is all correct!

(We are 22 and 24 respectively and moved into our first house together last April if this helps!)

AlexLK

Roland: Whilst landlords should contact council tax and utilities, it is ultimately your son's responsibility to maintain the accounts. Thus, in my opinion it is advisable for your son to check such things himself. There are professional and not so professional landlords out there, is this through an agency or private?

With regards to the utilities, the landlord should have informed him which companies they are with and that should he wish to swap companies he needs to inform the landlord (though it should not be a problem). Also, make sure he checks the meters himself upon moving in and make sure it tallies with what the landlord has said.

Please make sure your son reads through the tenancy agreement (usually "Assured Shorthold") thoroughly, questions any clauses he wishes to and that his deposit is protected.

Hope this makes some sense.

7roland8

Thanks - its through an estate agent and he did take a pic of the meter reading. They did need the landlord though.

Yes I thought the landlord would do it all but son said they were told to just wait for letters - so maybe he has and maybe he hasn't!

Thanks - he'll do it himself.

AlexLK

He can do no more than wait for letters from the utility companies other than call and (as this is MSE) see if there are better deals to be had. If dealing with an estate agent, it will be them sorting all the administration out, not the landlord personally.

Are all parties named on the tenancy and utilities?

enigmo

Having been through a few rentals, my advice is to not trust anyone else to do it for you. Call the council yourself, call the utility companies yourself, make sure they have it recorded that you moved in on X date and at that time the gas/electric/water meters read Y. That way, they are not liable for anything used before that date. Same when they leave; call all the utilities and tell them you are leaving that day/the next day and these are the final readings and where they can send the final bills. Cover yourself all the way because it's really in no-one else's interests to do so for you. We've done this through several lovely landlords and one absolute nightmare, and always been armed when the utility companies come back to you and start asking questions about an unpaid £350 electricity bill from months before you moved in!

7roland8

Thanks all - am forwarding the replys to him.

Not sure about who is named on agreement - I think the three of them but of course they all did it themselves - until they wanted to ask me this of course!

Never having rented it is hard to advice and they don't really want mum interfering either!