I have been paying my neighbours electric for 10 years without knowing and my landlord knew about it

sheramber

If you have no money you need ot have a family meeting to sort out paying the bills.

canaldumidi

Forum rules and etiquette are to stick to a single thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6333266/private-tenant-guarantor-what-are-the-rules#latest

Grumpy_chap

Helen-Back said:

Grumpy_chap said:

If there are 5 adults in the property, why does the OP pay for everything?  There might be good reasons or good preferences but the other adults may need to make a contribution.

I live with my partner and kids, my youngest is almost an adult. I don't charge them for anything, but they were helping with the business we ran, family business. I'm too easy going on them I know. But I don't like asking for anything from them.

Your situation is perfectly normal. 
You and your partner presumably operate "as one".
It may be appropriate to charge the adult children something as a contribution to board and lodging - how much etc. will depend on details as it is quite different for adult child at University to adult child in full time work.
Good luck resolving.

elsien

Have you spoken to the neighbours about the situation - have they not wondered where their electricity bill is? 

Jack_bauer24

Helen-Back said:

Grumpy_chap said:

If there are 5 adults in the property, why does the OP pay for everything?  There might be good reasons or good preferences but the other adults may need to make a contribution.

I live with my partner and kids, my youngest is almost an adult. I don't charge them for anything, but they were helping with the business we ran, family business. I'm too easy going on them I know. But I don't like asking for anything from them.

Not being funny, but why is your partner not contribute towards bills? can he/she look for work? or is he/she ill preventing them from working?  

steampowered

Gosh, what a mess.

Why don't you search for a new property and move out? It doesn't sound like either the house or the warehouse are fit for purpose.

Have a read of your contract to see what it says about utilities. 

Personally I'd be tempted to deduct the cost of 10 years electric for the other flat from the rent - very little the landlord can do about it other than rant and rave, at least for a few months. The landlord could bring a legal claim against you or the guarantor; but equally you could defend that claim and countersue for the cost of the damaged costs due to the lack of repair of the warehouse. 

Helen-Back

Jack_bauer24 said:

Helen-Back said:

Grumpy_chap said:

If there are 5 adults in the property, why does the OP pay for everything?  There might be good reasons or good preferences but the other adults may need to make a contribution.

I live with my partner and kids, my youngest is almost an adult. I don't charge them for anything, but they were helping with the business we ran, family business. I'm too easy going on them I know. But I don't like asking for anything from them.

Not being funny, but why is your partner not contribute towards bills? can he/she look for work? or is he/she ill preventing them from working?  

My partner has a separate job, and works for the family business as well, our kids were working for us as well but they are now doing their own thing as they have been needed less and less over the past year.
I don't want anything from them anyway, I just want to pay my bills without being mugged off.

Helen-Back

sheramber said:

If you have no money you need ot have a family meeting to sort out paying the bills.

It's not that I have no money. I just don't like giving my money away to people that are cheating me out of money.
Why do I need to speak with my family about paying bills?
I'm not paying bogus bills, and I wouldn't let my family pay bogus bills, I want to know the best way to challenge the LL that's all.

Helen-Back

elsien said:

Have you spoken to the neighbours about the situation - have they not wondered where their electricity bill is? 

I spoke to my neighbour recently, they pay the LL for the electric. The LL deducts what he says they have used from my oil bill. But like I said before, LL charges what he likes, I never get full payment, and neighbour gets overcharged.

Helen-Back

steampowered said:

Gosh, what a mess.

Why don't you search for a new property and move out? It doesn't sound like either the house or the warehouse are fit for purpose. Moving out is an obvious option, but defeatist way of doing things. And extremely costly, I don't feel I should be out of pocket, ive done nothing to deserve this treatment.

Have a read of your contract to see what it says about utilities. Contract says nothing about utility.

Personally I'd be tempted to deduct the cost of 10 years electric for the other flat from the rent - very little the landlord can do about it other than rant and rave, at least for a few months. The landlord could bring a legal claim against you or the guarantor; but equally you could defend that claim and countersue for the cost of the damaged costs due to the lack of repair of the warehouse. This is what I believe should happen, so would this arise by me not paying rent and let them take me to court? This is what I do not understand, I really want to know the best way to go about this as I believe they have committed criminal offence by making profit from utility for the approximate amount of £10k over the 10 years just got oil. Possibly more, without seeing invoices for oil I cannot guess. Electric is probably £5k, possibly more.
They will not want to produce invoices as it will show the offences they have committed.
Legal advice is needed I feel.
Oh and I don't think my letting agent is gonna defend me as it is not in their interest, they manage over 30 properties for LL