Am I responsible for these boiler charges? (Tenant)

Jinks

Hi everyone,

I’m going to try to talk to my landlord about this asap, but I’m quite nervous about it and wanted some advice and suggestions before I do. This is my first let and I’m uncertain about how some things work.

I have been at my current flat for about three years, and in my initial rental agreement, all bills except electricity were included in the rent. A couple of years ago, my landlord was very unhappy about how much the boiler was costing him (it needed numerous repairs and then a replacement) and told me that he was currently having the boiler isolated so it was only used by the ground floor flat (mine) and that he therefore wanted me to pay future boiler charges, including both gas charges and standing charges (which he said, very vaguely, would be “a very small amount”). This was a verbal statement only and I agreed to the principle, assuming that he’d supply me with more information when he wanted that to go ahead.

“Isolation” of the boiler only partially happened. The other two flats in the building were given their own electric heating systems, however, they still use the boiler in my flat for their hot water supply (at least the flat above me does, as its tenant is very vocal about his annoyance when the boiler is off for any reason – such as if my electric meter runs out – and he doesn’t have hot water. I never speak to the other tenant so I’m not sure about him). I assumed that my landlord never got around to fully isolating the boiler as he said he was going to, as he commonly says he’s going to do things and they don’t happen. He never contacted me about paying gas charges, but because I had agreed to be responsible for my gas use, I was extremely careful about my usage – I basically never use the boiler and if it wasn’t a necessity for the tenant above me I’d keep it switched off to conserve electricity.

In December 2014 the building received a debt collectors’ notice from British Gas saying the gas bill hadn’t been paid. I was a bit puzzled and forwarded the documents to my landlord asking if he could sort out/clarify the situation. I didn’t hear anything further from either him or British Gas and so I thought that he had dealt with the issue (I realise now that that was rather naive).

Last week, a bill arrived at the property from British Gas addressed to “The Occupier” and saying “welcome to your first gas bill”. The bill had no charges for gas usage, but billed £163 in “standing charges” for the boiler over almost two years. I assume that the time it took for this bill to arrive is an error on the part of British Gas and I’m starting to think that, after our brief conversation a couple of years ago, my landlord just cancelled his account with British Gas and then ignored the situation without letting me know anything. I know that I didn’t handle the previous situation well and should have asked him about it, but I have difficulties with anxiety and find approaching him very stressful. I also thought he’d have to let me know in writing or at least with a clear verbal agreement about any changes to my rental agreement and the amounts involved (which is why I didn’t think anything had changed just on the basis of our conversation in 2014).

As I now suspect that his intention was for me to pay these charges, what I’d like to know is, can he or British Gas make me pay them? What should I say when I see him? I’m a part time student/part time worker and have to budget very carefully to afford my rent (I’m already going slightly overdrawn this month) so I certainly can’t pay this British Gas bill. The idea that I might have to is making me very worried.

Thank you for reading and for any advice!

anselld

Your verbal agreement to pay was conditional on the work to isolate the boiler from the other flats. That has not happened therefore there is no agreement.

Send British Gas a copy of your tenancy agreement which states the Landlord to be liable.

Marvel1

Personally I would move out, this is one poor set-up by a greedy landlord, the above are using your boiler and you pay for it - which sounds it shouldn't happen in the first place when isolated.

Soot2006

Bit confused.
You're not paying for gas (boiler), but you are paying for electricity (via your meter)? What do the neighbours contribute and to whom?

^ I agree with previous posters re: lack of formal agreement, and also moving out. It sounds confusing.

Jinks

Thank you for the responses!

I’d like to move out, but there are upsides to my current rental as my landlord doesn’t mind that I own a cat and receive some benefits. I’ve looked for somewhere else which will accept a tenant with these things but it’s a bit of a “needle in a haystack” search! I’m also moving out of the area next year so I'd decided to stay where I was so I didn't have to move twice in a short amount of time.

I did think that was the case re: the isolation of the boiler, but it occurred to me to wonder if my landlord doesn’t actually realise that work was never fully carried out. As you’ve probably guessed, he’s not very attentive! Unfortunately my tenancy agreement doesn't specifically mention who pays which bills (it says something vague like, "tenant agrees to be responsible for any agreed additional costs") so it's not very helpful in this situation.

All of the tenants in the property pay for their own electricity via individual electric meters and the other two flats have their own electric heating system (also paid for via their electric meters). I understood that my landlord was paying British Gas for any boiler charges, though after he mentioned my paying for my gas usage, I stopped using the boiler so I wouldn’t receive any unexpected bills – my shower and heater are electric so I don’t need it, and the gas usage charge on the bill I received is zero.

Therefore I'm not very happy that I seem to have received an unexpected bill anyway! I think I've decided to write a letter to him explaining the situation as I think I will do much better at explaining the situation than I would face to face.

G_M

Jinks wrote: »

Hi everyone,



... my initial rental agreement, all bills except electricity were included in the rent.
Please quote the EXACT wording in your tenancy agreement

...
....my landlord was .... told me that he was currently having the boiler isolated so it was only used by the ground floor flat (mine) and that he therefore wanted me to pay future boiler charges, including both gas charges and standing charges .... This was a verbal statement only and I agreed to the principle, assuming that he’d supply me with more information when he wanted that to go ahead.
Please quote the EXACT words used by you, and him. It seems from what follows that:
* you thought no agreement was actually reached
* he thought agreement HAD been reached

But as it's all verbal, neither of you can prove anything anyway.

“Isolation” of the boiler only partially happened. ...........but because I had agreed to be responsible for my gas use, I was extremely careful about my usage
Ah! So you DID think an agreement had been reached?

In December 2014 the building received a debt collectors’ notice from British Gas saying the gas bill hadn’t been paid.
addressed to who? Whose name was/is on the BG account?
.....
Last week, a bill arrived at the property from British Gas addressed to “The Occupier” and saying “welcome to your first gas bill”.



As I now suspect that his intention was for me to pay these charges, what I’d like to know is, can he or British Gas make me pay them?

I would
1) write to British gas with a copy of your tenancy agreement showing the landlord is responsible for gas costs (depending on the answer to my 1st question above!). Ask them to
a) not cut off the gas and
b) send the bill to your landlord. Make sure your landlord's name AND address are show on the tenancy agreement

Write to your landlord explaining that
a) you are still waiting for the promised isolation of the boiler to be completed, and
b) until that happens, you have not agreed to any change in the terms of your tenancy