rent deposit return - bills

FBaby

This happened to my SIL. Tenants left, then she used a bit of electricity and gas (to clean up the mess they left behind), then new tenants moved in. A month later, got a huge bill (rather than smaller one expected for what was used in the few days she was there). It turned out that the company had gone from the readings the old tenants had given them and what the new tenants had.

It was a nightmare dealing with them, but thankfully all had been done appropriately, that is picture of readings taken when old tenancy ended and official pictures in the check-in report with new tenants. Turned out they were the ones who had given wrong readings (probably given at the time they contacted them rather than date they moved in). She had to speak/email/write to the utility company many times before they agreed to divide the bill with them threatening to send to credit agency in between. To make it worse, the bill was sent to the property (the occupier), not to her name, so it's only when the new tenants decided to pass on the 2nd reminder that she was aware of the situation.

New tenants accepted it was their bill (spare £15 which she had agreed to deduct from rent) and it all got sorted in the end but with a lot of headache. That was bad enough, can imagine what it's like when it is the old tenant not paying their share of the bill, so can understand the landlord wanting confirmation that all bills have been paid before releasing the deposit.

csgohan4

The LL/EA are being difficult. If they were on the ball, they would have contacted the council and utilities and forwarded any bills covering the tenancy date to the tenant that has moved out.

FBaby

csgohan4 wrote: »

The LL/EA are being difficult. If they were on the ball, they would have contacted the council and utilities and forwarded any bills covering the tenancy date to the tenant that has moved out.

For a start, they would need to know who the utilities companies are. Then taken from what my SIL had to go through to resolve it (6 weeks in the end, and a lot of stress to avoid being blacklisted), I would expect that this would result in a cost of the check-out process for many EA/Landlords.

Surely sending a few receipt is a lot easier. The question is whether this was made clear at the start of the tenancy to avoid the element of surprise.

Miss_Samantha

It's rather surprising, and worrying, that so many people do not seem to know how council tax works.

Tumtitums

i cant find the gas and electric bill up to the last day so i will ask the company if they can email me confirmation
How does the agency decide on the amount to deduct from my deposit as there is no debt . There is noone in the property which i think is partly due to it beig advertised at £100 more than what i was paying

davidmcn

Tumtitums wrote: »

How does the agency decide on the amount to deduct from my deposit as there is no debt .

If you don't owe them anything then they shouldn't be deducting anything from your deposit.

theartfullodger

Tumtitums wrote: »

i cant find the gas and electric bill up to the last day so i will ask the company if they can email me confirmation
How does the agency decide on the amount to deduct from my deposit as there is no debt . There is noone in the property which i think is partly due to it beig advertised at £100 more than what i was paying

I repeat...

reply that is not acceptable, you require deposit returned in full promptly or you will raise a dispute with the deposit scheme....

Artful (Landlord since 2000).

Guest101

FBaby wrote: »

This happened to my SIL. Tenants left, then she used a bit of electricity and gas (to clean up the mess they left behind), then new tenants moved in. A month later, got a huge bill (rather than smaller one expected for what was used in the few days she was there). It turned out that the company had gone from the readings the old tenants had given them and what the new tenants had.

It was a nightmare dealing with them, but thankfully all had been done appropriately, that is picture of readings taken when old tenancy ended and official pictures in the check-in report with new tenants. Turned out they were the ones who had given wrong readings (probably given at the time they contacted them rather than date they moved in). She had to speak/email/write to the utility company many times before they agreed to divide the bill with them threatening to send to credit agency in between. To make it worse, the bill was sent to the property (the occupier), not to her name, so it's only when the new tenants decided to pass on the 2nd reminder that she was aware of the situation.

New tenants accepted it was their bill (spare £15 which she had agreed to deduct from rent) and it all got sorted in the end but with a lot of headache. That was bad enough, can imagine what it's like when it is the old tenant not paying their share of the bill, so can understand the landlord wanting confirmation that all bills have been paid before releasing the deposit.

To be fair, your SIL handled it terribly.


Tenants move out, she goes in, gets readings, supplies them to the supplier and sets up a new account with them.


When new tenants move in, she closes down her account with the updated meter readings.


The bill being sent to the 'occupier' is the hint there, the tenants have a deemed contract with the supplier. They are using the supply and therefore owe the money.


It's really simple and the debt is always the tenants when the property is tenanted.

Fletch7

Tumtitums wrote: »

Last month I moved out of the flat i have been renting however the estate agent is saying that they wont return my deposit until they have evidence that water, electricity, council tax and gas bills have been paid.

Thankfully this wasn't a thing last time I moved out of rented accommodation, due to the utter incompetence of Scottish Power I didn't get my final gas and electric bills until 4 months after moving out.

theartfullodger

Miss_Samantha wrote: »

It's rather surprising, and worrying, that so many people do not seem to know how council tax works.

Could you kindly explain how it works in these circumstances, please?