Ex-housemate still hasn't paid her half, now it's on my credit file.

Munch

Ok guys, really need some sound advice.

My housemate won't pay her half of the gas/electric/water bills and now this due payment has appeared on my credit file, causing it to plummet by 120 points! (I've worked very hard to bring it up).

I do have my own company so I could invoice her for the total cost, add on vat and my day rate... Not sure if that is wise though. These companies won't let me remove my name from the bill without the 'permission' from the other named person despite not needing her permission to add my name. Should I tell these companies where she works? I don't have her mums address without visiting the street, her mum is on the electoral roll though. Should I try to take her to court?

Here is more info...

I moved into a house a month after my ex-housemate, and moved out over a month before the 6 months were up as I had a work opportunity to go to India for a few months.

I paid 50% of every bill, including the month of June despite moving out on the 10th (which on my water bill, I accidentally paid twice). I have all the evidence to show this.

I sent my letting agency an email to tell them to keep half of the damage deposit as it would exactly match my half of the rent for the final month. I left the house exactly as I found it and owed them nothing.

I rang the local council to pay my half of the tax bill, they confirmed I was no longer living there. My housemate said she was going to move back to her mums so this house would be empty so actually, there would be no council tax bill for anyone, which I thought was a good idea.

* * *

Any suggestions? I won't want to have to pay for another adult's debt.

pigpen

fill out a 'notice of disassociation' and if you have informed the utiliies you are no longer living there and given them your new address and moving date there should be no issue.

or, if it is one half of one months utility bill and your credit rating is so important just pay it, chalk it to experience and don't let yourself get in the position again.

if you refuse to pay while doing nothing they could get a CCJ which will look worse!

peachyprice

I think you'll find you're both jointly and severally liable for the entire bills, meaning you are both equally liable for 100% of the bills, not 50/50 as you seem to think.

They will go after the person they have details for, which is you, and can have the outstanding amounts legally enforced against you. They won't care that your ex-housemate hasn't paid her share, you will have agreed that you are both equally liable when yo took out the contracts.

The easiest, and by far the best option for your credit score, is to pay the bills then pursue her through small claims court if necessary. Just telling the companies that you've paid your share won't work, neither will disassociating yourself from her.

Guest101

Munch wrote: »

Ok guys, really need some sound advice. - Ok here goes.

My housemate won't pay her half of the gas/electric/water bills and now this due payment has appeared on my credit file, causing it to plummet by 120 points! (I've worked very hard to bring it up). - Credit score is meningless. It's a made up number.

I do have my own company so I could invoice her for the total cost, add on vat and my day rate... - No you couldnt. Not sure if that is wise though. - It's not. I dont think it's wise you actually run a company though... These companies won't let me remove my name from the bill without the 'permission' from the other named person despite not needing her permission to add my name. - Close the accont... Should I tell these companies where she works? - what would that do? I don't have her mums address without visiting the street, her mum is on the electoral roll though. Should I try to take her to court? - Who? her mum? Either way, what for, have you paid the bill now?

Here is more info...

I moved into a house a month after my ex-housemate, and moved out over a month before the 6 months were up as I had a work opportunity to go to India for a few months. - did you have joint tenancy, or seperate contracts?

I paid 50% of every bill, including the month of June despite moving out on the 10th (which on my water bill, I accidentally paid twice). I have all the evidence to show this. - And?

I sent my letting agency an email to tell them to keep half of the damage deposit as it would exactly match my half of the rent for the final month. I left the house exactly as I found it and owed them nothing. - That's not how renting works. But would need to know if you had a joint tenancy? It sounds like you did. Which means there are no 'halves'. (also not YOUR letting agent, the LLs)

I rang the local council to pay my half of the tax bill, they confirmed I was no longer living there. My housemate said she was going to move back to her mums so this house would be empty so actually, there would be no council tax bill for anyone, which I thought was a good idea. - Irrelevant.

* * *

Any suggestions? I won't want to have to pay for another adult's debt.

It's your debt. Thats why its on your creit file.

If you've not paid it, you cnt sue anyone for anything...

Kynthia

So you left the tenancy early and didn't pay the last month's rent? The deposit is your money and is held in a protection scheme primarily to be used if there is damaged to the property. It is not acceptable to not pay the last months rent and expect the landlord to wait until the tenancy has ended, claim it from the scheme, and have nothing left to claim from if there is any damage.

When you have a tenancy or utility accounts in joint names you are both 100% liable for tge bills. If you don't want your credit to be affected you need to pay the whole bill and take her to small claims court for her share, stating you had a verbal contract to pay half each.

Delree

The utility company doesn't want to get involved in your personal dispute , that why you're jointly and severely liable.
Could you imagine if utility companies had to intervene in petty disputes all the time, there would have to be entire departments set up to resolve these squabbles.

mrsammyp

Get the debt paid before it turns into a default, then as another has mentioned, pursue the debt through a small claims court or treat it as a lesson learnt.

peachyprice

I'm guessing the above were not answers OP was hoping for as they haven't been back

TBagpuss

To stop issues with your credit record, you need to pay the bill. You can then, if you wish, pursue your ex housemate for her share, assuming you can satisfy a court that the agreement between the two of you was for each of you to pay half.

Hindsight is a great thing, but for future reference , if you move out, you need to take final readings, notify the company and close the accouht. They can then set up a new account for the new person, whether that is an ex housemate or a totally new tenant.

If you are saying that your name was added to the account without your consent you could have made a complaint at the time nd had it removed.

You can tell the company to close the account now, so no further liability builds up. I would also suggest that you double check that all other accoutns are closed

Munch

peachyprice wrote: »

I'm guessing the above were not answers OP was hoping for as they haven't been back

Been moving to a new place, lots to sort out and picking up post from previous address so I can see how bad it really has become. Quite a bit! :eek::(:eek::(:eek:

Hi all, great replies!

I can see a common themes here, and it's hindsight - learn your lesson.

The tenancy where I moved out early was unfair to the letting agent, but they were pretty poor at being letting agents, employing staff who couldn't understand English, didn't fix basic problems (you couldn't open my bedroom window as the hinges weren't connected is one of the examples, I have extensive emails and photos and nothing was done) so them having to wait until the end of the agreed tenancy for their money did not fill me with guilt at all. I took photos of my room to show I had left it undamaged. They could have easily took the last month as compensation and re-rented it out as my ex-housemate claims she was not living there either.

I do now have her mums address, and I have picked up all letters from the old house and calculated that her half was not paid for 5 months (on all bills) prior to her leaving the property. I've sat down and calculated it all, and I simply don't have enough money to cover it all, barely half, so I plan on simply passing on her details as with the now damage to my credit file, I very much doubt I could get a loan out.

As for disassociation I've spoke to my credit check company and they said this wouldn't be applicable as we were not registered as a couple, just both liable for 100% of whichever bill.

If I am forced to take out a loan (and can get it approved) and take her to court, do you guys believe it's likely to also get back fees that I would incur from having to pay her half of the bills? Like loan interest? (I've never had a loan so I'm unfamiliar with the details, but I should consider it an possible option). Her name was on all the bills and I added mine once I'd moved in.

I feel like such an idiot for trusting someone who I believed to be my very good friend. *sigh*

Thanks again for all your input, even the sarky people have some good points, I do deserve to be made fun of for letting this stress me out as much as it has.

SeduLOUs

Munch wrote: »

I took photos of my room to show I had left it undamaged.

You still seem to be missing the point. If it's a joint tenancy it doesn't matter whose room it is. If her room is damaged then YOU are equally liable to pay for it.

When getting into agreements along with friends you always have to be aware that in the worst case scenario, they could disappear off the face of the earth and you will have to pay everything.

The only consolation that you have is that any damage to your credit file will also be happening to hers.