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Bills being capped if you are renting to students

2

Comments

  • calash
    calash Posts: 3,566 Forumite
    I won, I won, I won!
    She was saying that the electric/gas capped it at a certain amount and then they didn't pay anything over that
  • DaftyDuck
    DaftyDuck Posts: 4,609 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Nope!

    too short!
  • Crashy_Time
    Crashy_Time Posts: 13,386 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Name Dropper
    They maybe meant tax bills?
  • 00ec25
    00ec25 Posts: 9,123 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 30 December 2018 at 11:58PM
    calash wrote: »
    She was saying that the electric/gas capped it at a certain amount and then they didn't pay anything over that
    your comment (relayed second or third hand) from "the bookkeeper" may be referring to the particular tariff charged by a few suppliers - these do indeed offer "capped" tariffs already (not to be confused with the standard tariff cap effective from 1 Jan 19)

    such tariffs do indeed mean you pay a fixed amount per month irrespective of usage, but the price you pay is stupendously higher than it could be. Naturally therefore, in the context of a student LL able to set an "all inclusive" rent, it may have been a sensible option for the LL given the guarantee that students will have no care for what they do and will leave it on 24/7 at cost to the LL.

    you can go and do your own further research on "capped" tariffs - see 5 as a start point :
    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/you-switch-gas-electricity/
  • olgadapolga
    olgadapolga Posts: 2,328 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    There's the Watersure scheme - that's capped if on certain benefits, have a water meter and either three or more children under 19 living at the house who are in full time education or someone in the house has a specific medical condition that requires use of extra water.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 18,570 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    calash wrote: »
    She was saying that the electric/gas capped it at a certain amount and then they didn't pay anything over that

    As others say, it's much more likely to be the other way around.

    Bills are included in the rent, but capped at £x (say £1000).

    i.e. The LL pays the bills up to a total of £1000. Anything over £1000 is paid by the tenants.

    Many student lets work like that.
  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    eddddy wrote: »
    As others say, it's much more likely to be the other way around.

    Bills are included in the rent, but capped at £x (say £1000).

    i.e. The LL pays the bills up to a total of £1000. Anything over £1000 is paid by the tenants.

    Many student lets work like that.



    If the property is let out 'by the room', ie separate tenancies, such a clause would be unenforceable
  • dimbo61
    dimbo61 Posts: 13,727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Most student let's are joint and several tenancy with parents as guarantor.
    All inclusive of bills is also popular with students and Yes a cap on the cost of the Gas/Electric and Water can be applied.
    So LL will pay the first £1,000/£2,000 of the utility bills but if the tenant's run the Gas/Electric 24/7 then they will have to pay the extra out of the deposits.
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,512 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    M2808 wrote: »
    Our landlord told us we had a cap of £1000 per year. All this meant was he was watching it and if it went over £1000, we got charged.

    What happens if you are under, do they refund?
  • dimbo61
    dimbo61 Posts: 13,727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    That depends on the landlord and what is agreed in the tenancy agreement.
    If you don't use your gym membership one week do you ask for a refund ?
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