Landlord using our electric/water

WideAwakeClub

Hi,
We rent a house that has a separate annexe. It is not officially included in our rental but the landlord has given us a key and has allowed eg my parents to stay in it when they visit. He occasionally stays in it or a family member. Has only been 4-5 weeks in the year we've been here so no major issue .
However now the LL seems to have moved in ( hasn't said he's there permanently but I think he is). Gutted as we've just signed another years tenancy but we never would've if we'd known . The annexe is adjoining and you can hear everything.It's not that LL is noisy but we feel we've totally lost our privacy! The other point is that yo the best of my knowledge there are no separate meters so we will be paying all his electric , gas and water to the annexe.
He keeps the council tax in his name and we contribute half. However I think this annexe probably should have it's own council tax band??
Is he under any obligation to pay toward the bills and how can we measure it anyway? Can we get out of the tenancy as we can no longer enjoy the property undisturbed. We wouldn't have taken it in the first place if the annexe had been permanently lived in.
And the council tax issue...are we in any bother if he hasn't reported the existence of the annexe?

Thanks for the advice!

G_M

Please quote here the exact wording on your tenancy agreement. How does it describe what you are renting, and what related clauses are there?

What does the tenancy agreement say about council tax?

What does the tenancy agreement say about utilities?

It would also help to know when the tenancy started, what fixed term now exists with dates, or whether it is periodic (monthly/weekly rolling).

how long has the 'intermittant' visiting arrangement has gone on for?

The presence of the annexe is not really your problem in terms of CT, though I do wonder why he has left the CT account in his name - especially as he seems to expect you to pay half : my guess is he is keeping this rental 'below the radar is
* not declaring rental income to HMRC?
* not telling his mortgage lender if he has one?

What else is he not doing?

* did he give you an EPC?
* if there is gas in the property, do you have an annual gas inspection report?
* did you pay a deposit? Is it registered? Where? When? Did you get the PI? (see link below)

As for the utilitiy bills, have you looked at the electricity meter & Consumer Unit? I too have an annexe. The meter for the property covers both main house and annexe, but there is a seperate power switch next to the main Consumer Unit that cuts off power to the anexe. If negotiations fail, as a last resort you could cut the power....?? I also have a water stopc*ck in the house that cuts the annexe off.

Clearly you need o dscuss this matter with your landlord and try to find out his plans, and reach a compromise. If he plans to stay, perhaps a reduced rent for you? And contribution towards utilities?

Or agreed Early Surrender of the tenancy if you prefer o leave.

Last resort may be some of the irregularities I suspect he is undertaking.....

* Deposits: payment, protection and return