Former housemate taking me to small claims court - help!

-taff

There's nothing stopping this friend saying you never paid her a penny even if/when you do either and taking you to court anyway.

However you pay her, make sure you get proof of payment and what it's for.

19lottie82

£110 a month is not high for 5 people. I'm £97 a month for 2 and we are not particularly lavish with gas and electric.

OP write to her (pen paper and stamp), and ask for her bank details so you can set up a standing order for half when you get paid hand half for the next wage.

harveybobbles

Get a free half hour slot with a solicitor and get them to write you a letter offering payment.

[Deleted User]

OP - hang on now. Why is it all about you and your money worries?

Your former flatmate has been landed with this bill which the energy company are presumably hassling her for. Yet you expect her to pay up and let you pay when it suits you?

To be honest, I dont blame her taking you to court. I would too if all I had was excuses about money.

You knew you'd have to pay eventually but you made no provision to save.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

When I was a student each housemate volunteered to be named on a specific bill and took responsibility for collecting the others' share. There's no way I'd dump any of them in it by not paying on time. Perhaps that's why I'm still friends with all my uni mates nearly 20 years later?

Anyway, ask for a copy of the bill in question if you don't already have one so you can check you are paying the right amount. Then write (a proper letter, not a text message) keeping a copy and proof of postage with a suggested payment plan, enclosing a cheque. You cannot then be accused of not co-operating.

Don't hesitate to ask Security at your workplace to remove the boyfriend if he does that again- that's clearly unacceptable.

matttye

satchmo1 wrote: »

Hang on now, the OP knows she was a tenant and using the fuel, so don't start advising her to try and wriggle out of it.


The OP clearly wants to do the right thing, but is in a tight spot at the moment. The advice to as family for help is useful, as is the advice to make weekly payments starting now.


Maybe OP can contact the person to say she'll set up a standing order for £10 a week (if that's affordable)? It'll save the person the court fees which are a high percentage of the amount OP owes.

There's a way to deal with people and the way this person has dealt with the op is horrendous, given the op's money troubles.

I'm sure the OP could better use the money towards paying less menacing creditors.

You call it wriggling out of it, I call it comeuppance.

On_my_way

Hi

The way I see this is that if you owe the money you do need to pay up as fast as you can. You should probably at least offer to pay in reasonable installments, and cut back any other spending until it is paid.

I am sorry to be the devil's advocate here but imagine if it were that many people owing you money?

I hope you get it sorted out soon.

On_my_way

satchmo1 wrote: »

Hang on now, the OP knows she was a tenant and using the fuel, so don't start advising her to try and wriggle out of it.


The OP clearly wants to do the right thing, but is in a tight spot at the moment. The advice to as family for help is useful, as is the advice to make weekly payments starting now.


Maybe OP can contact the person to say she'll set up a standing order for £10 a week (if that's affordable)? It'll save the person the court fees which are a high percentage of the amount OP owes.

I agree with this. It is important to take responsibility and not just expect others to pay for things just because you're in a tight spot at the moment, so may she be!

sourcrates

Lots of conflicting advice here OP, doubt they will go to court over this, she doesn't have a leg to stand on.


The bill is in her name, courts don't deal in hearsay or speculation, only cold hard facts. She would need to prove you and the others were responsible for paying this, and if she has nothing in writing, then she has no proof.


I'm not taking sides here, so if you did agree amongst yourselves that you would split the energy bills equally, then I suggest you ask for a copy of the bill, and pay your share as soon as you can, and retain proof of payment.


Personally I would pay this first, just to get rid of it, before I paid Wonga.

bargainbetty

I'm going to echo a few people here and suggest that you write to her, and ask for a copy of the bills and a full statement of your share of the account. Explain to her that you will set up a standing order for a payment plan over the next two months. If you have to borrow, sell stuff or work extra hours, do it. She is probably getting very stressed over it too, and you owe her the courtesy of dealing with it as fast as you can.

Set up the standing order, or make the payments by cheque. Do not pay cash, ever. You must have a paper trail of the payments at every step. Tell them that you require security of being able to prove the money was handed over, if they demand cash.

State that you fully intend to meet her demands, but that further interference by her boyfriend, or either of them turning up at your home or workplace will be considered harassment and the police may be called.

If she jeopardises your employment, where does she think the money will come from?