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Subletting - overcharged for utility bills
peace_lily_2
Posts: 15 Forumite
Hello
For the last year I have been subletting a room from a tenant, who is renting a whole flat from a landlord.
I have reason to believe that she has overcharged me for utility bills.
When I moved in, our agreement stated I would pay £25 per month towards gas and electricity. Fine, I agreed to this.
Around September, the tenant told me bills had gone up (from total £50 to total £70) and that I owed her and extra £20 for the last 2 months, and from then on I should transfer her £35 per month for bills. I did this without asking for a copy of the bills, as I had no reason not to trust her.
In January, she told me I owed another £10 for that month (so total £45 for that month).
It transpires that the tenant (my landlord) had been fraudulently claiming single person discount on council tax. Not only that, she had been underpaying the council, and wanted me to split the difference underpaid between us, despite me having paid over £200 more to her than what she had paid!
I've now moved out, and paid the £35 up until the end of my tenancy.
She's told me that she will get a total bill for the period I've been living in the flat and that she believes there's about £30 left on the account to pay. However, I do think based on past experience with her and that she makes the bills up as she goes along based on what suits her, that it is possible she won't do give me the total bill if she realises I have paid more than half the bills.
I am aware that it is illegal to overcharge for utility bills - I am assuming that this also applies to our situation, seeing as she is the landlord in this case.
Is she allowed to refuse to let me see the bill? If she does, what action can I take?
For the last year I have been subletting a room from a tenant, who is renting a whole flat from a landlord.
I have reason to believe that she has overcharged me for utility bills.
When I moved in, our agreement stated I would pay £25 per month towards gas and electricity. Fine, I agreed to this.
Around September, the tenant told me bills had gone up (from total £50 to total £70) and that I owed her and extra £20 for the last 2 months, and from then on I should transfer her £35 per month for bills. I did this without asking for a copy of the bills, as I had no reason not to trust her.
In January, she told me I owed another £10 for that month (so total £45 for that month).
It transpires that the tenant (my landlord) had been fraudulently claiming single person discount on council tax. Not only that, she had been underpaying the council, and wanted me to split the difference underpaid between us, despite me having paid over £200 more to her than what she had paid!
I've now moved out, and paid the £35 up until the end of my tenancy.
She's told me that she will get a total bill for the period I've been living in the flat and that she believes there's about £30 left on the account to pay. However, I do think based on past experience with her and that she makes the bills up as she goes along based on what suits her, that it is possible she won't do give me the total bill if she realises I have paid more than half the bills.
I am aware that it is illegal to overcharge for utility bills - I am assuming that this also applies to our situation, seeing as she is the landlord in this case.
Is she allowed to refuse to let me see the bill? If she does, what action can I take?
0
Comments
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Not your problem as far as the council are concerned. Whether you have any contractual agreement with the other party is another matter - does your agreement council tax ?It transpires that the tenant (my landlord) had been fraudulently claiming single person discount on council tax. Not only that, she had been underpaying the council, and wanted me to split the difference underpaid between us, despite me having paid over £200 more to her than what she had paid!I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
Yes, our agreement does state council tax. However she demanded I pay the money once the council found out.
Which I did. Because I was still living with her at this point and she can be very difficult.
So that bit is dealt with- I just put it in my post for some context.0 -
all discussed in your previous post here
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/73844111#Comment_73844111
plus the assumed tax issue here
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/57903340 -
The issue of overcharging for utility bills is not covered there from what I can see? This is a separate question0
This discussion has been closed.
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