water bill and housemate

appletoothpaste

Hello all,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I live in a shared house, I rent the room separately, but pay bills with my other three housemates. My landlord should be in charge of changing names on the utility bills. However, she only named me and another housemate on there (who left around a month ago). My water bill has been coming to the house addressed to the housemate who left, so I didn't see the bill. I paid my section of the water bill as soon as I found out it was due. However, now the bill has gone to a collection agency because my other two housemates still haven't paid it their sections, and the third housemate (the other guy named on the bill) left and is no longer contactable for his share. My landlord said it was my problem and refuses to help. I don't know if I can do anything, I'm incredibly worried about being liable for the bill, even though I've paid my part and am worried about my credit rating too.

Does anyone know if there's anything I can do?

HappyMJ

Not much as you are named on the bill you are responsible for the whole bill.

Technically you shouldn't even be on the bill. The landlord as it's a HMO should be paying the bill and charging you extra rent to cover the bills.

You could try talking to the water company and saying it's not your house and you are not responsible for it and name the landlord to send the bills to.

It won't affect your credit rating and your water won't be cut off so don't worry too much about it until the water company takes you to court.

macman

I'm not clear if this is a tenancy or an HMO-OP which is it? If the former, then you are jointly and severally liable for the whole bill, not just one quarter of it. And the utility accounts are your responsibility to register for, not the LL's.
However if it is an HMO, then the opposite applies and the LL needs to get their act together.

pooch

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=79

If as you claim, you rent the room separately, why did you agree to take on the bill for the whole property?

You sure you are just not renting a house together, and happen to have a bedroom each as is common?

Post us a copy of your tenancy agreement... if you ever return to MSE :cool:

Cardew

I paid my section of the water bill as soon as I found out it was due.

To whom did you pay?

As said above, you are 'jointly and severally liable' for the whole bill and Utility companies simply will not get involved in a 'third party' dispute about arrangements between occupants/landlord for paying the bill.