Landlord, water and electricity

MissC101

Afternoon all,

I seem to be going round in circles with my landlord and their agents.
I am renting a house on a fixed term tenancy.
My landlord also owns the stables and land next door that he started to rent out, via a different agent, last October.
I raised a complaint with the agents of the house I rent as:
1. The electricity for the stables is from my home. I pay for it. The agent eventually got back to my saying that the landlord would give me £10 for this.
2. The water is charged at rateable value as LL refused to allow a water meter and yes, you've guessed it. The water supply that I pay for also feeds the stables and the surrounding land.
I argued my case. The LL then offered me £25 pm.
I pay the electricity supply costs as well as for units used.
I pay for the water at £66pm.
No one so far, CAB and Shelter, have been able to give me a positive course of action.
I just want to leave but my contract is until August 2019.
I wondered if the MSE community could help? Please?

theartfullodger

When you paid for advice from a solicitor, what did they tell you?

In your shoes I'd switch off electrics completely and shut off water whenever possible, especially when not there.

If you can work out which circuit the electric is on just flick that breaker. They'll soon change their approach.

But you will be aware that thanks to Thatcher's 1988 Housing Act the landlord can evict you for no reason at all.


You may be entitled change the meter: See
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/water/water-supply/paying-your-water-bill/changing-to-a-water-meter/
&
https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/prs_lft_101117meters.pdf

Pixie5740

MissC101 wrote: »

Afternoon all,

I seem to be going round in circles with my landlord and their agents.
I am renting a house on a fixed term tenancy.
My landlord also owns the stables and land next door that he started to rent out, via a different agent, last October.
I raised a complaint with the agents of the house I rent as:
1. The electricity for the stables is from my home. I pay for it. The agent eventually got back to my saying that the landlord would give me £10 for this.
2. The water is charged at rateable value as LL refused to allow a water meter and yes, you've guessed it. The water supply that I pay for also feeds the stables and the surrounding land.
I argued my case. The LL then offered me £25 pm.
I pay the electricity supply costs as well as for units used.
I pay for the water at £66pm.
No one so far, CAB and Shelter, have been able to give me a positive course of action.
I just want to leave but my contract is until August 2019.
I wondered if the MSE community could help? Please?

Whilst it is true that a landlord doesn't need a reason to issue a Section 21 the OP appears to be in a fixed term until August.

Is £10 for the electricity and £25 for the water enough to cover the extra usage every month or do you think the landlord should be paying more? If so then ask the landlord to pay you more. If the landlord won't play ball then cut the supply.

If you there's a RCD unit it should be easy enough to work out which circuit is supplying the stables and then turn it off. The stopcock should stop the water flowing.

xylophone

You rented a house, not the land and stables.

With regard to the water, would you be paying the same amount regardless of how much is used in the house or stables?

With regard to the electricity, do you know your average usage before the landlord let out the stables/land?

Can you see by how much this has increased since the stables/land were let out?

Ask for a payment from the landlord based on the above and make a prompt start on looking for a new home within the next couple of months?

tacpot12

Have you tried to work out what this arrangement is costing you? Have you put this to the landlord?

I think your best course of action is to get the landlord to agree an acceptable reduction in your rent to cover the costs you are incurring on the behalf of this other tenant.

Your tenancy agreement might not prohibit you from cutting off the supply of water and electricity to the other tenant, but I think it will pay dividends to remain on good terms with your landlord. To this end, you should consider if it might be worth agreeing to an arrangement which still disadvantages you slightly.

MissC101

I haven't seen a solicitor yet as, quite frankly, I can't afford to at the moment.

Water: I am entitled to put a water meter in regardless of what the landlord had written into the contract.
I would be paying the same regardless of the house, stables and land use.
Electricity: There is a separate meter in the stables but I can't access it as it's locked and I'd be trespassing. My bills have increased but I don't know how much the stables are responsible for/my winter increases.

The LL is charging the tenants for electricity and water in their rent. But the LL isn't the one paying for it as I am.

I could cut off supply but I wouldn't want to inconvenience my neighbours or put any animals at risk.

I would welcome a Section 21 to end this nightmare.

And then gear up for the damage deposit argument ��

MissC101

And the LL is just offering £25 for water and electric.
In my caculations, he should be paying half the unmetered water at £66 pm plus half the daily electricity supply charge and stable useage.
Am I being unreasonable?

theartfullodger

You seem to be unwilling to take the options I would, 1st: Not even turn off water & electric for a few hours one day?


That being the case, sue landlord small claims, sending LBA 1st. Good guidance on CaB website as to how etc.


? Is there a letting agent involved? If so follow their complaints process and then if not fixed, the letting agent redress scheme.

MissC101

What is LBA?

chunkytfg

MissC101 wrote: »

What is LBA?

Letter Before Action.

unforeseen

chunkytfg wrote: »

Letter Before Action.

MissC101 wrote: »

And the LL is just offering £25 for water and electric.
In my caculations, he should be paying half the unmetered water at £66 pm plus half the daily electricity supply charge and stable useage.
Am I being unreasonable?

I would say that for stables they should be paying more than half the unmetered water. They are probably the majority user unless the OP takes 2 baths a day.