tenants have not registered to a utility provider and are not paying bills?

ginashamz

Hi,

I have recently let out my 1 bed flat through a letting agent for 6 months - start date 25th November. Today, I went over to the property to collect my letters and the tenant informed me that they are moving out on the 31st January.

I have also found out that the tenants are not paying any utility bills or council tax! the agreement was that the tenants are responsible for these bills. I have informed my utility provider to stop the billing so I have no idea why the flat is still receiving electricity and gas is no one is paying.

what should i do now? the tenants has told me that he can pay me directly for the utility bills and council tax but I am worried for any liability charges for no paying for 2 months?

Pixie5740

ginashamz wrote: »

Hi,

I have recently let out my 1 bed flat through a letting agent for 6 months - start date 25th November. Today, I went over to the property to collect my letters and the tenant informed me that they are moving out on the 31st January.

I have also found out that the tenants are not paying any utility bills or council tax! the agreement was that the tenants are responsible for these bills. I have informed my utility provider to stop the billing so I have no idea why the flat is still receiving electricity and gas is no one is paying.

what should i do now? the tenants has told me that he can pay me directly for the utility bills and council tax but I am worried for any liability charges for no paying for 2 months?

Surely you informed both the utility suppliers (giving meter readings) and the council when you moved out. Why are your letters going to the tenant's home?

System

ginashamz wrote: »

I have informed my utility provider to stop the billing so I have no idea why the flat is still receiving electricity and gas is no one is paying.

Not your responsibility. As a landlord though it was your responsibility to inform the energy suppliers when your previous tenant left and to submit a meter reading and then inform them of the new tenant and give a meter reading so you could be billed for the period it was unoccupied.

The flat is still receiving it because the energy companies haven't yet decided they're in arrears sufficient enough to warrant disconnection, possibly because they've only just moved in so wouldn't be due a bill anyway. If you only let it out to them on the 25th of November it is barely 6 weeks since the tenancy started and if they were on standard quarterly billing they'd not be due a bill for another month and a half at the very earliest anyway and still wouldn't have by the end of January.

In short you appear to be getting yourself in a tizz about them not paying utility bills when you don't even know what tariff they're on or even if they've had a bill yet which they're not likely to have done. Likewise you seem to be getting yourself in a tizz about the council tax bill which again isn't your worry assuming you informed the local council tax office they'd moved in as you should have done.

Lorian

Does the tenancy agreement allow this early termination?

Pixie5740

Tarambor wrote: »

Not your responsibility. As a landlord though it was your responsibility to inform the energy suppliers when your previous tenant left and to submit a meter reading and then inform them of the new tenant and give a meter reading so you could be billed for the period it was unoccupied.

The flat is still receiving it because the energy companies haven't yet decided they're in arrears sufficient enough to warrant disconnection, possibly because they've only just moved in so wouldn't be due a bill anyway. If you only let it out to them on the 25th of November it is barely 6 weeks since the tenancy started and if they were on standard quarterly billing they'd not be due a bill for another month and a half at the very earliest anyway and still wouldn't have by the end of January.

In short you appear to be getting yourself in a tizz about them not paying utility bills when you don't even know what tariff they're on or even if they've had a bill yet which they're not likely to have done. Likewise you seem to be getting yourself in a tizz about the council tax bill which again isn't your worry assuming you informed the local council tax office they'd moved in as you should have done.

The OP says, "I have informed my utility provider to stop the billing," which reads to me like the OP is being billed for the tenant's utility usage because no one told the utility supplier(s) otherwise. Perhaps the OP could confirm.

ginashamz

I have told the energy suppliers when I moved out of the property and they gave me my final bill which I had paid.

The letting agent told me they will inform the local council about the new tenants but seems like they have not done so.

Pixie5740

ginashamz wrote: »

I have told the energy suppliers when I moved out of the property and they gave me my final bill which I had paid.

The letting agent told me they will inform the local council about the new tenants but seems like they have not done so.

Why have you informed your utility supplier to stop the billing then? That makes no sense.

I would expect the check-in report to have photos of the meter readings, does it?

How do you also know the council hasn't been informed? Have you spoken to the letting agent about any of this?

Norman_Castle

ginashamz wrote: »

the tenants has told me that he can pay me directly for the utility bills and council tax but I am worried for any liability charges for no paying for 2 months?

The tenant fobbed you off by telling you he would pay directly. Expect him to move out promising to come back later to pay.

AdrianC

ginashamz wrote: »

I have recently let out my 1 bed flat through a letting agent for 6 months - start date 25th November. Today, I went over to the property to collect my letters and the tenant informed me that they are moving out on the 31st January.

They've signed a six-month tenancy, starting on 25/11/18, which will expire on 24/5/19...? They can move out if they want, but they're still legally liable for rent until the termination of their fixed period, unless you choose to release them from the tenancy.

And why aren't you having your post forwarded? I presume this used to be your own home, and your mortgage lender have given consent to let?

I have also found out that the tenants are not paying any utility bills or council tax! the agreement was that the tenants are responsible for these bills. I have informed my utility provider to stop the billing so I have no idea why the flat is still receiving electricity and gas is no one is paying.

Electricity and gas are down to the tenant, if you correctly notified your suppliers. If they haven't changed supplier, then the same supplier will be billing them. I presume there's a valid gas safety certificate?


CT needs to be paid - if you've notified the LA, then that's fine. But it will ultimately roll uphill to you, as leaseholder.

G_M

ginashamz wrote: »

......Today, I went over to the property to collect my letters and the tenant ...........

:eek:


This throw-away remark speaks volumes when interpreting the rest of the post.

AdrianC

G_M wrote: »

This throw-away remark speaks volumes when interpreting the rest of the post.

Those of us who frequent the motoring forum here will find the OP's name very familiar indeed, so I'm not sure I'm feeling overly sorry for this "tenant".