Water Bill for block of flats

irobot8

G_M wrote: »

Well that seems clear.

If and when 'the authorities' send you a bill for 'the property' (ie your flat), then you will have to pay it.

Exactly what I thought. I'm going to double-check there aren't any caveats to this with the Citizen's Advice Bureaux, but thanks for the advice!

irobot8

bouicca21 wrote: »

I don't understand. Surely the water bill for each flat is based on the council tax band. If the water company can't install a meter for an individual flat they offer to 'deem' you on one.

They do charge you based on rateable value or a fixed rate, but only if there is no meter. The building has always had a meter, but only a single one - even after the building was converted into a number of separate flats. The water supplier is holding the landlord liable for the supply based on the single meter readings. I tried a number of times to get a separate unmetered bill during my tenancy (which has now ended), but the supplier would not provide this - because they insisted on a separate meter being fitted.

irobot8

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Is this unmetered bill for the whole property before conversion into flats rather than for just the one flat?

There is no unmetered bill, but the landlord has a bill based on the single meter that has always been in place for the building. The building never had multiple meters fitted (i.e. one for each flat), and has been on a single meter since it was converted into flats, and during the whole of my tenancy (a number of years).

irobot8

diamond_dave wrote: »

How long have you lived in the flat? When the property was converted all the flats would have had to have separate water supplies and meters as a condition of the planning consent,no? I can't see that the landlord can now ask for a "donation" to the bill - surely you could argue that the water charge was included in the rent? Why has the landlord not paid the bill monthly? What about the other flat tenants? What have they paid?

I lived in the flat for 4 years, and moved out recently. If the separate meters were ever a condition of planning consent for conversion into flats, the landlord hasn't carried this out.


I don't know why the landlord didn't paid the bill monthly - I dealt with a managing agent only. I gathered from the water supplier during my tenancy that only one flat was on an unmetered bill, but I couldn't manage to get an unmetered bill myself (despite trying multiple times). Not sure what other tenants have paid (existing and previous), but am guessing the landlord is trying to limit his losses by attempting to contact them for a donation.

theartfullodger

G_M wrote: »

Well that seems clear.

If and when 'the authorities' send you a bill for 'the property' (ie your flat), then you will have to pay it.

Completely agree with G_M on this one (he/she is very thorough, v reliable with advice).

Ignore the bills! Stupid, stupid landlord! (Hey, I made bigger, more expensive, mistakes when I started as a landlord...)

I have a suspicion landlord may not have fully sorted out the planning permission/building regulations with this meter mess -

irobot8

theartfullodger wrote: »

Ignore the bills! Stupid, stupid landlord! (Hey, I made bigger, more expensive, mistakes when I started as a landlord...)-

Unfortunately, my deposit has not yet been returned. The managing agent is requesting that the contribution/donation towards the landlord's water bill is deducted from my deposit!


As such, if the deposit is withheld for much longer, I suspect I'll have to raise it as a dispute with the tenancy deposit scheme.

CIS

G_M wrote: »

Well that seems clear.

If and when 'the authorities' send you a bill for 'the property' (ie your flat), then you will have to pay it.

Exactly what I would say as well.

Craig

G_M

Since the LL/agent is proposing to deduct this cost from your deposit, raise a dispute.

Make sure you clearly identify
* the amount being claimed
* the fact that it is being claimd by the LL to cover water charges
* the relevant clause in the tenancy agreement
* your acceptance of liability for water to the water company but not to the landlord.

irobot8

Thanks for all your help G_M. I'll likely raise it as a dispute, and will let you know the outcome.

Norman_Castle

If you raise a dispute referring to the supply as shared or separate will be much clearer than metered or unmetered.