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Taking a housemate to court over unpaid bills
Dan_24_2
Posts: 5 Forumite
I lived in a shared house with three other people back in 2014. We would pay our rent into a house account and pay rent plus extra to cover bills, council tax and a cleaner.
The girl who looked after the account then moved out and wanted to shut the account down and get someone else to look after it with a new account set up and also reassigning the name on the bills, so she could sign out of the house.
One of the other housemates, housemate (A) set up a bank account and said that he would then look after getting the bills paid. In the process of reassigning the name on the bills, my name was put on the gas and electric account (I didn't know this) and all of the four housemates names on the council tax.
All the money from the old account was transferred into this new account so that housemate (A) could start to look after the bills. I have an email chain of this confirming that housemate (A) would pay the rent and bills out of the account he set up and I have the account details that all of our monthly payments were going into.
Fast forward to September 2017, we have all moved out of the shared property. I was replaced by someone else mid way through the contract as was another person. I received a council tax letter with all four housemates listed, stating that for the period that I was in the house not council tax was paid and we owed £1443 of outstanding council tax. I immediately sent an email to everyone trying to find out what has happened, as we had already put the money in the house account to cover these bills. I also set up a whatsapp chat. Housemate (A) immediately removed himself off of the chat and never replied to emails, phonecall or facebook messages. In the end the other three of us had to divide the £1443 between us, having to cover housemate (A) portion. We got board of chasing housemate (A) as we had no forwarding address for them to chase. So we took the hit and wanted to never speak of it again.
BUT.....
Last week I have now received a letter from a debt collection agency, saying they are working for an energy provider and have said for the time that I lived at the shared property no gas and electric was paid for! So housemate (A) has not paid the gas and electric bill either. Now this only has my name on the letter as it was my name on the account. They are saying that I owe £1280 of unpaid gas and electric.
I have no idea what to do. We have already paid the money for these bills into the house account that housemate (A) was in charge of. So he has taken our money and not paid the bills and now I am liable. Can I get the police involved for theft or fraud? I don't know what steps to take now?
Any advice would be much appreciated
The girl who looked after the account then moved out and wanted to shut the account down and get someone else to look after it with a new account set up and also reassigning the name on the bills, so she could sign out of the house.
One of the other housemates, housemate (A) set up a bank account and said that he would then look after getting the bills paid. In the process of reassigning the name on the bills, my name was put on the gas and electric account (I didn't know this) and all of the four housemates names on the council tax.
All the money from the old account was transferred into this new account so that housemate (A) could start to look after the bills. I have an email chain of this confirming that housemate (A) would pay the rent and bills out of the account he set up and I have the account details that all of our monthly payments were going into.
Fast forward to September 2017, we have all moved out of the shared property. I was replaced by someone else mid way through the contract as was another person. I received a council tax letter with all four housemates listed, stating that for the period that I was in the house not council tax was paid and we owed £1443 of outstanding council tax. I immediately sent an email to everyone trying to find out what has happened, as we had already put the money in the house account to cover these bills. I also set up a whatsapp chat. Housemate (A) immediately removed himself off of the chat and never replied to emails, phonecall or facebook messages. In the end the other three of us had to divide the £1443 between us, having to cover housemate (A) portion. We got board of chasing housemate (A) as we had no forwarding address for them to chase. So we took the hit and wanted to never speak of it again.
BUT.....
Last week I have now received a letter from a debt collection agency, saying they are working for an energy provider and have said for the time that I lived at the shared property no gas and electric was paid for! So housemate (A) has not paid the gas and electric bill either. Now this only has my name on the letter as it was my name on the account. They are saying that I owe £1280 of unpaid gas and electric.
I have no idea what to do. We have already paid the money for these bills into the house account that housemate (A) was in charge of. So he has taken our money and not paid the bills and now I am liable. Can I get the police involved for theft or fraud? I don't know what steps to take now?
Any advice would be much appreciated
0
Comments
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You can report to the police - it is theft. BUT they may say it's a civil matter.
Even if they get involved, it wont get you your money back.
So you need to consider taking him to court yourself. Do you know where he lives? Job? etc.0 -
I doubt the police would get involved it isn't really serious enough for them to pursue.
You could take him to the small claims court but you need prove the above, you probably won't get any money back as you don't have a current address but if a CCJ is applied his credit report is damaged.
I would check your credit file as it is probably damaged and regardless of what happens in the small claims court it is won't reverse that damage it would be down to you to ensure everything is paid did you not check when you left the house share? Was the rent even paid?
Next time ensure you see statements showing the money going to the relevant places.0 -
Just think it's madness paying money to someone else instead of where it's due..... Why even bother?0
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I'm not a lawyer but could it be considered fraud - obtaining money by deception?0
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Just think it's madness paying money to someone else instead of where it's due..... Why even bother?
It's what happens in most houseshares, a utilty company will not set up four DDs for 25% each of the bill.
most of the time the bills come out of one account but you ask to see statements0 -
Yes, it is (or was...) standard practice in house shares... all part of the process of learning how to be responsible and cooperative - or not as the case may be! In 90% of cases, it all works OK. Did for me and my house-mates, back in the day! Now as for doing the washing up / hoovering - that was different!!Just think it's madness paying money to someone else instead of where it's due..... Why even bother?0 -
Moving out all happened extremely fast and though that everything was being paid and sorted. Housemate (A) seemed honest enough and quite switched on and on top of things. The rent was paid yes.
I will have bank records of my money going into the house account and I can get statements showing the others money going in. I have the account details, emails from him saying he would look after the finances and I think we may have gotten an address for him.0 -
I've never experienced this. A utility company will typically accept any number of payments online. That is what I've seen happen.It's what happens in most houseshares, a utilty company will not set up four DDs for 25% each of the bill.
most of the time the bills come out of one account but you ask to see statements0 -
Moving out all happened extremely fast and though that everything was being paid and sorted. Housemate (A) seemed honest enough and quite switched on and on top of things. The rent was paid yes.
I will have bank records of my money going into the house account and I can get statements showing the others money going in. I have the account details, emails from him saying he would look after the finances and I think we may have gotten an address for him.
If you have the address send a letter before action include the council tax bill.
Also call up all the utiily companies (don't forget water) and check if there is anything else
outstanding,0
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