Will letting agent not paying bills affect my credit rating?

gabythompson

Hi, I am looking for some advice on my situation as google hasn't come up with any conclusive results:

I live in a private rented flat where my bills are included in my rent, this is specified in the tenancy contract.

However the letting agent does not always pay the bills, specifically the gas and electric which are both provided by n-power. We have received final payment letters, the most recent including a court date for a warrant of entry, and have had debt collection officers come round.

These letters are addressed to "The Occupier" suggesting the letting agent has no formal online payment account. Whenever these arrive we always tell the letting agent who says he will collect the letters and sort it.

In the case of the debt collection officers, we explained the situation and they we very reasonable and left and we immediately told the letting agent.

So we are always keeping the letting agent in the know of post arriving and you'd assume someone in his job would know what he is required to do!


My main concerns are:
I am registered on the electoral register at this address, is there any way that credit rating agencies could "connect the dots" and assume it is me not paying the bills at this address and damage my credit rating?

Also could the debt collection officers ever take any of my belongings for payment?

Thanks for any advice.

G_M

If the utility accounts are not in your name, you have no legal obligation to pay them, cannot be taken to court for non-payment, so your credit rating cannot be affected.

This won't help, however, if the electricity is cut off.........

pmlindyloo

Personally I would be contacting NPower and sending them a copy of your tenancy agreement which shows that your landlord (not letting agent) is responsible for the bills. This should stop NPower from sending round debt collectors (have your tenancy agreement available for them) and sending them to the correct address.