is the landlord liable for unpaid gas/electric bills

MHedge

I am a landlord for a property and have recently found that there is a substantial unpaid bill for gas and electric under my name.
The property has been occupied by students for the last 2 years. The bill is for the period September 2016 to September 2017. During this time none of the tenants contacted the energy company to inform them that they were living there. However, the property was vacant from June 2017 to September 2017. During that year there was originally 5 tenants although 2 left around January 2017.
Two of the tenants returned to live in the property for the period September 2017 to June 2018. However, this time they did contact the energy supplier and paid the bills until they recently vacated.
I am not sure how to precede or who is liable for the unpaid bill during the September 2016 – June 2017 period. I have not contacted the energy supplier to inform them of metre readings. Also, I issued no tenancy agreement indicating clear guideline regarding who was responsible for the bills.
The only document I had tenant sign was a deposit agreement, for each year. This stated the date the deposit was received.
From reading other forums I think I am probably liable. However, is there a way I can prove that tenants were living in the property. After all the energy company should have a record of the two who continued living there and paid the bill for the following year.

need_an_answer

You will probably get a definitive answer more over on the housing and renting board,someone like GM will advise.

If the supply was in your name I suspect that it remains your responsibility,however if there was a valid tenancy agreement in place then that may change things to that of tenant responsibility.

What does concern me is the fact that you didn't have clear instructions either to yourself or your tenants who was responsible.

Going forward please look at amending your tenancy agreement to reflect tenants responsibility when they have a tenancy and your responsibility when they vacate.

FullForce

MHedge wrote: »

I am a landlord for a property and have recently found that there is a substantial unpaid bill for gas and electric under my name.
The property has been occupied by students for the last 2 years. The bill is for the period September 2016 to September 2017. During this time none of the tenants contacted the energy company to inform them that they were living there. However, the property was vacant from June 2017 to September 2017. During that year there was originally 5 tenants although 2 left around January 2017.
Two of the tenants returned to live in the property for the period September 2017 to June 2018. However, this time they did contact the energy supplier and paid the bills until they recently vacated.
I am not sure how to precede or who is liable for the unpaid bill during the September 2016 !!!8211; June 2017 period. I have not contacted the energy supplier to inform them of metre readings. Also, I issued no tenancy agreement indicating clear guideline regarding who was responsible for the bills.
The only document I had tenant sign was a deposit agreement, for each year. This stated the date the deposit was received.
From reading other forums I think I am probably liable. However, is there a way I can prove that tenants were living in the property. After all the energy company should have a record of the two who continued living there and paid the bill for the following year.

Your understanding is correct; you are liable for the bill as it is in your name.