Landlord rights to read tenants contracts with provider meters

Smodlet

I reckon he has another tenant lined up, possibly a friend/rellie or maybe he even wants your flat for himself.  Who knows?  You can contact Shelter for specific advice; I hear they are good.

SallyDucati

I would be inclined to have a friendly conversation with someone else at the church.  He sounds like someone who has an inflated sense of self importance, but no actual formal right to interfere with your tenancy this way.

Smodlet

What SallyDucati said.  He sounds like a pita to me.  I think reading up on your rights as a tenant would be time well-spent, scopio.  It tends to be the one of the best weapons when dealing with @/^$3#013$.

45002

Just a idea.

scopio

As you pay the bills and accounts are in you name, nothing stopping you asking for Smart meters been installed for gas and electric, making sure they are latest SMETS 2 meters.

https://www.smartme.co.uk/technical.html

No need for LL to keep reading them ....

Smodlet

There is no "need" for the LL to read them at all, ever until the OP leaves.

Norman_Castle

scopio said:

One thing he did ask me about was how I read the water meter and how do I pay for it, to which I answered that that was none of his business at which point he just walked away in a huff.

"Why do you want to know?" would have been a more productive reply.

Morbier

Just wondering (when you say you've 'been there for years') what sort of tenancy you've got.  I think if it's an Assured tenancy (rather than an Assured Shorthold tenancy) then there's less chance of evicting you?  

I'm sure the more experienced LLs will either confirm or correct this!

45002

Morbier said:

Just wondering (when you say you've 'been there for years') what sort of tenancy you've got.  I think if it's an Assured tenancy (rather than an Assured Shorthold tenancy) then there's less chance of evicting you?  

I'm sure the more experienced LLs will either confirm or correct this!

Assured Tenancies

If you moved in between 15 January 1989 and 27 February 1997 and your landlord did not give you a notice (section 20) saying that you have an assured shorthold tenancy.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/private_renting/private_renting_agreements/assured_tenancies

scopio

Thank you 45002 for the link to Shelter.
Unfortunately I have an assured shorthold tenancy which the last time it was issued to me was in 2005. Since then I have paid the rent every month without exception and neve had any problems  and all has been fine until now. I was never given a payment book or even a receipt for my payments, not even at the present time. The other thing is that they do not service the boiler every year and I do not get a gas safety certificate, and there isn't a working smoke alarm which I have made them aware of.
It is all very worrying at my age (72) and in poor health with a small pension.

scopio

Having checked the tenancy agreement the guy stirring all this up is not named in the tenancy agreement as the landlord.