*Updated*Council billed me £6500 for work I didnt ask for? Rental house

anselld

dimbo61 wrote: »

Not allowed in a HMO due to fire risk.

Care to quote source for that?

anselld

I_have_spoken wrote: »

You could have installed C/H and written off the cost against tax. Were you using an agent to handle everything?

Why do people state this as if it makes it free money? A basic rate tax payer can write off 20% of the cost against tax. Higher rate 40%. There is still a significant cost to the OP which may or may not be sensible depending on the type of property.

Thrugelmir

anselld wrote: »

There is still a significant cost to the OP which may or may not be sensible depending on the type of property.

Will also provide the OP with an increased value property.

The tenants heating bills must have been shocking. One good reason why let property should be regulated.

Marktheshark

The tenants that have done this behind your back would be getting a S21 by recorded delivery in the next post.

The bonus is, the rent can now go up, it has central heating.

anselld

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Will also provide the OP with an increased value property.

The tenants heating bills must have been shocking. One good reason why let property should be regulated.

Depends on the level of insulation, etc. Plenty of flats are electrically heated.

travelchick

I appreciate that they are more costly however it's not a legal requirement to put central heating in.
The house is rented to a single mum with 3 children.
Not a HMO
Her tendency states £600 a month but her benefits only covered £400.
It's a house my ex and I are fighting over in court, so the mortgage is covered I didn't chase her for the missing extra as I knew it would cover the extra cost of the heating.

pinkshoes

I would write to the council stating that there seems to be some mistake, your house is sufficiently heated, so have they sent the bill to the wrong landlord.

I would then go on to say that you have received no notice of this, despite them having your address, and that your tenant always contacts you directly if they have a problem.

It seems odd to have CH installed without your tenant even mentioning it to you, so my first thoughts are that they have the wrong landlord.

If they have gone ahead and done the work, you could perhaps they'll them to remove it at their cost! Or ask to see three quotes that they got prior to doing the work? I'd just say that should the heating in the house be insufficient, then as you do not have the funds to pay for this, you would need to evict your tenant if they were unhappy.

regprentice

Pink shoes is right.

Have you confirmed the property has actually had the new central heating fitted?

travelchick

I haven't as yet as the council letter arrived yesterday, I don't want to speak to my tenant as my current feeling is instead of coming to me and saying there's a problem, she's gone straight off and got the council to do this which has upset me because we have had good communication in the past, she clearly was aware this work was being done and didn't once contact me to say "just so you know"
If I'm wrong I don't want to go in there all accusations and upset without being armed with the true facts.

I live 4 hours drive from the house so I can't even pop in.
I'm at the place where I will inform her the rent has now gone upto £650 and she will be required to cover the difference or move out.
The rent she is currently owing (the bit between her benefits and her tenancy is approx £7000) so I do have the right to evict her as I can prove she's never paid it.

It's not a route I want to go down but she's been living in my 4 bed house for free for 6 odd years and has done this on the sly.

travelchick

pinkshoes wrote: »

I would write to the council stating that there seems to be some mistake, your house is sufficiently heated, so have they sent the bill to the wrong landlord.

I would then go on to say that you have received no notice of this, despite them having your address, and that your tenant always contacts you directly if they have a problem.

It seems odd to have CH installed without your tenant even mentioning it to you, so my first thoughts are that they have the wrong landlord.

If they have gone ahead and done the work, you could perhaps they'll them to remove it at their cost! Or ask to see three quotes that they got prior to doing the work? I'd just say that should the heating in the house be insufficient, then as you do not have the funds to pay for this, you would need to evict your tenant if they were unhappy.

I do like this idea, my partner said the same thing tell them we will be suing for vandalism (your more eloquent about it :-)