Ex-Housemate not paying share of electricity bill - advice please?

the-siren

Hi there, I hope it's ok to post my query here (if not, please do feel free to move/delete it). And I'm sorry for how long this is but it's a bit complicated

My best friend is in a dilemma about her former flatmate. She moved in with him 2 years ago due to her own flat being uninhabitable and letting agency not caring. They withheld her deposit so this man offered to pay her half of the deposit for their shared flat, and said she could pay him back over time. She did this, but when they moved to a different property, he told her she had never paid him back. She didn't have proof as she just took money out of her account as the weeks went on to pay him back. And he's a smooth talker so he had her convinced she'd never paid him back, even though she knows now in retrospect that she did.

In the second property, her name was on the electricity bill and each month he did pay her his half. But when she decided to move out this year, he initially seemed ok and then kicked up a fuss. She moved out anyway, and discovered that an electricity bill for £50 had been taken from her account despite her closing the account that was in her name. She contacted the former flatmate and told him that she was being charged for electricity that he was using and he told her via text that he would pay this money to her by bank transfer.

That was 4 months ago. The bank transfer never happened so she got a refund through her bank, and told the electric company to issue the bill to him. He hasn't paid it and has refused to answer all texts, calls, emails. and now they are trying to take action against her.

Could anyone suggest a course of action? My friend has been screwed out of hundreds of pounds by this man (incidentally, he has £20,000 in a trust fund, and £30,000 in the bank) and she is terrified she'll be taken to court for an unpaid electricity bill DESPITE the fact that he told her in a text that he would pay the bill. It might only be £50 but she's on a very low wage and he is 'rolling in it'.

Cardew

Firstly electricity companies will never get involved in a 'Third person Dispute' as they have no idea who is telling the truth.


The only issue is the £50 taken from her account by the company. If she notified the company of the date she moved out, and provided meter readings, she might have grounds to claim a refund if the £50 is for supply after those meter readings.


If not she has no option but to pay the £50 and if she feels strongly enough take the flatmate to the small claims court; although for £50 !!!!


It is certainly not worth getting involved with Debt Collection Agencies for that sum.

Andy_WSM

Sounds like "he" could be inline to be one of our future Politicians / MPs.

Without anything in writing I don't think your friend can do very much about this. It's really a life lesson I think. Doubtful this could go to small claims without substantiating evidence. However. if she can prove when she moved out (started a new tenancy somewhere else) then she should give this evidence to whoever the supplier is and demand they refund money paid after this date as the account was closed, correctly at the time.