Housemate refuses to Pay Bills

AdaF

Hi, me and my housemates finished Uni in June but the tenancy on our rental house is until the end of August, so we are liable to pay bills until then.
One housemate who I shall call Chelsea is refusing to contribute to any of the remaining bills from June until August with the argument that she hasn't been living there (neither have we!).
She hasn't been living there for a while, choosing to stay with her boyfriend mostly, but has still signed the tenancy agreement for the year and never withdrew from the contract.

I was the one who dealt with the bills and admin over the last 2 years so they are in my name, and because I don't want a bad credit rating I have had to pay it all. What are my chances of winning in Small Claims Court? Usually I wouldn't care about such a small amount of money but Chelsea has turned rather nasty and I want to know if there is anything I can do to claim my money back? (I know there are fees to pay but I want her to know that she can't treat people like this).

kazwookie

If no one is there, how much are the bills?

Is everything turned off that can be turned off?

How much are you talking about ££ ?

theartfullodger

Who's name are accounts in? They are responsible, possibly modified by any other evidenced (eg written, email...) agreement

letitbe90

I commend you for not being put off by "process" and "fees" to teach people a lesson. Too often people (especially landlords) let tenants get away with murder, which only makes people more likely to do it in the first place.

TBagpuss

I am sorry that you have been taken advantage of in this way.
It's too late for the current situation, but in future, if you are sharing a property, it can be useful if you arrange for each person to have a bill in their name, as that way, no one person gets stuck with all the debt if things go wrong (plus if Bill doesn't pay his share of the gas bill, you can off set it against what you owe him for the electricty bill in his name, and so on!)

You can also have a written agreement spearaste to the lease, between the housemates, recording that you will each pay x% of

, - a signed agreement of that kind will make it easier to suceed in making a claim. I think if you an show that there was an agreement (for instnsace, statemtns from the other housemates, bank statemetns showing payments in from Chelsea in the past) then you have a reasonable prospect of suceeeding if you pursue her. one thing you may want to do is tofill in the application and then send her one final letter, telling her you are about to issue and that if you don't get your payment within 7 days you will go ahead - knowing you are serious about recovering the money may push her into paying up.

Paul_DNAP

If her name was on the tenancy that she really ought to be paying up for a fair share of the flat-rate stuff (standing charge, line rentals etc.) - you may have a harder time demonstrating she ought to be sharing the usage portion of the bills.


But yeah, go for it.

comedyseeker123

If you aren't mates with her anymore and she's refusing to answer your request, contact her parents.

steampowered

Letter before action followed by small claims court is an option.

Comms69

comedyseeker123 wrote: »

If you aren't mates with her anymore and she's refusing to answer your request, contact her parents.

How would that help?

comedyseeker123

^always worked with me.

The parent will most likely be a guarantor and is invested in their child.

Comms69

comedyseeker123 wrote: »

^always worked with me.

The parent will most likely be a guarantor and is invested in their child.

Not a guarantor to the OP, just to the landlord.