Landlord attempting to force us to pay utilities for months before we moved in

Etheon6000

Hi, a little frazzled and stressed at the moment.

We moved in 1st September 2016 (three of us in the house, all students) and there was two envelopes waiting for us. One was from energy provider, and the other from the water company, one addressed solely to me, and one addressed solely to one of my housemates.

They were bills for July and August, and as the company had no meter reading, they were just average usage, so a lot more than an empty house should have used. We queried it with the landlord, and they informed us that they had contacted the companies on our behalf (without mentioning at any point they would) and put one of our names on the new account. When we pointed out that our contract only allowed us to move in on the 1st September, and therefore shouldn't be liable for the previous months, they told us we were, as we had payed half rent for those months as a security.

We tried contacting the companies in question, but they deferred to the landlord, saying that if the landlord said we were viable, we were, and the bills were now long overdue.

Is this right? Do we have to find a few hundred pounds for these bills we weren't expecting, or are we right to think the landlord is in the wrong here?

Thanks in advance,

Etheon

Marvel1

Etheon6000 wrote: »

Do we have to find a few hundred pounds for these bills we weren't expecting,

:eek: How much are the bills for those 2 months? Especially since no-one was living there.

HouseBuyer77

The landlord doesn't get to say who pays the energy bills.

Does your contract mention anything about bills?

I'd phone the energy company and firmly explain that you were not resident til 1st September. State you will only be paying bills for usage following from 1st September and given them the meter readings you took when you moved in (I hope you took meter readings!). Do no accept no for an answer, ask for the call to be escalated to a manager or similar if needed. You may also consider writing (paper, envelope, stamp, not email) to the company.

Though if the house was actually unoccupied and usage low you may find the current meter reads are way below what you're currently being billed for. So whilst paying for the extra months worth is annoying isn't actually that much money (if you paid the bill as it stands right now, most of it would end up as credit on your account because the predicted meter reads are too high).

Etheon6000

The landlord did work in the house over the summer, so a fair amount of power was used by them reading the contract again, its quite confusing, and apologies if this is wrong, I've never rented before.

Our contract says start date 1st July, but our landlord said we weren't allowed to move in until 1st September. We therefore assumed (i guess wrongly?) that that meant bills would be payed by them, and they would be the ones using?

pmlindyloo

Etheon6000 wrote: »

Hi, a little frazzled and stressed at the moment.

We moved in 1st September 2016 (three of us in the house, all students) and there was two envelopes waiting for us. One was from energy provider, and the other from the water company, one addressed solely to me, and one addressed solely to one of my housemates.

They were bills for July and August, and as the company had no meter reading, they were just average usage, so a lot more than an empty house should have used. We queried it with the landlord, and they informed us that they had contacted the companies on our behalf (without mentioning at any point they would) and put one of our names on the new account. When we pointed out that our contract only allowed us to move in on the 1st September, and therefore shouldn't be liable for the previous months, they told us we were, as we had payed half rent for those months as a security.

We tried contacting the companies in question, but they deferred to the landlord, saying that if the landlord said we were viable, we were, and the bills were now long overdue.

Is this right? Do we have to find a few hundred pounds for these bills we weren't expecting, or are we right to think the landlord is in the wrong here?

Thanks in advance,

Etheon

What does your contract say about paying half rent to hold the accommodation for you during July and August? Did you, in fact, pay half rent for July and August?

Does it mention in the contract that you are liable for the utility bills during this time?

It is quite common for students to pay half rent to hold the property during the summer holiday.

If you find that you are liable then ask the utility companies to do proper readings so that you are paying only what you have used.

Guest101

Etheon6000 wrote: »

Hi, a little frazzled and stressed at the moment.

We moved in 1st September 2016 (three of us in the house, all students) and there was two envelopes waiting for us. One was from energy provider, and the other from the water company, one addressed solely to me, and one addressed solely to one of my housemates.

They were bills for July and August, and as the company had no meter reading, they were just average usage, so a lot more than an empty house should have used. We queried it with the landlord, and they informed us that they had contacted the companies on our behalf (without mentioning at any point they would) and put one of our names on the new account. When we pointed out that our contract only allowed us to move in on the 1st September, and therefore shouldn't be liable for the previous months, they told us we were, as we had payed half rent for those months as a security.

We tried contacting the companies in question, but they deferred to the landlord, saying that if the landlord said we were viable, we were, and the bills were now long overdue.

Is this right? Do we have to find a few hundred pounds for these bills we weren't expecting, or are we right to think the landlord is in the wrong here?

Thanks in advance,

Etheon

No ofcourse not.


You contact the companies and remind them that there is no contract between you and them until your tenancy begins. And the tenancy can only begin when you take possession of the property.


Make a complaint. Escalate to ombudsman if necessary.


In the mean time start a new account with someone not (edit) on the bill but named on the tenancy, giving the meter readings when you moved in.


Mention that they should not be discussing your account with the LL due to DPA.

Guest101

Etheon6000 wrote: »

The landlord did work in the house over the summer, so a fair amount of power was used by them reading the contract again, its quite confusing, and apologies if this is wrong, I've never rented before.

Our contract says start date 1st July, but our landlord said we weren't allowed to move in until 1st September. We therefore assumed (i guess wrongly?) that that meant bills would be payed by them, and they would be the ones using?

Tenancy cannot begin until you take possession.

Guest101

pmlindyloo wrote: »

What does your contract say about paying half rent to hold the accommodation for you during July and August? Did you, in fact, pay half rent for July and August?

Does it mention in the contract that you are liable for the utility bills during this time?

It is quite common for students to pay half rent to hold the property during the summer holiday.

If you find that you are liable then ask the utility companies to do proper readings so that you are paying only what you have used.

Even if they are liable, the LL doesn't get free utilities to do maintenance, bill the landlord accordingly.

marksoton

You agreed to rent a house from 1st July that you couldn't live in till September?!

Etheon6000

the way they said it, the half rent was security, and it worked out because uni didn't start until september anyway. Two of us have never rented before, and had to sign in a rush, but the other housemate had experience, and said it was common have I made a mistake here?

Guest101

Etheon6000 wrote: »

the way they said it, the half rent was security, and it worked out because uni didn't start until september anyway. Two of us have never rented before, and had to sign in a rush, but the other housemate had experience, and said it was common have I made a mistake here?

No you haven't, its common. But that doesn't mean that you owe the utilities.