Water company wants paying twice for the same bill

dawnofthedave

Hi everyone, I am hoping someone might be able to help with some advice thoughts or similar previous experiences that they might have had on this issue with my water supply. 

I am a tenant at my address, which is an apartment / flat within a larger building made up of about 7-8 flats. I have been informed by my landlord that:

a) there is only one water metre for the whole building and that water for all flats in the building (including mine) goes through that one shared water metre.

b) that the water bill for the building / that water metre (including my flat) is paid by the management company for the building, and therefore I don't need to pay anything to mh water supplier.

 

My landlord tells me that the management company is regularly paying the water bills for the whole building. However, my water company are now trying to issue me with back dated bills for the water at this address and are insisting that I have to pay for this. I have asked them why, given that the water at this address has already been paid for by the management company, and they are refusing to engage with me on that question.

 

Where do you think I stand legally on this? On the one hand, I am responsible for paying the water at my address. However, the water that I use has already been paid for by the management company and still is being paid for by them.

 

It seems unethical that that the water company would insist on being paid twice (once from me, once from the management company) for the same water usage.... but is there a legal basis to say they can't do that? Or are they legally allowed to charge me and the management company for the water and expect payment from both of us? 

Thank you in advance for any thoughts!

QrizB

Welcome to the forum.

Does your tenancy agreement state that the rent includes water?

dawnofthedave

Thank you QrizB

I’m not totally sure at this point, but I suspect it doesn’t. Do you think that would impact it.

Management / landlord are telling me the bills have been / are being paid for water at this address.

If I have to pay it, then I have to pay it.

But either way, it does seem a bit wrong somehow they could expect payment for the same thing twice. E.g. I’m not sure Curry’s would get away with billing two customers full price for 1 laptop (or maybe they would these days, who knows?)

QrizB

dawnofthedave said:

Thank you QrizB
I’m not totally sure at this point, but I suspect it doesn’t. Do you think that would impact it.
Management / landlord are telling me the bills have been / are being paid for water at this address.

If it's in your contract, you can simply pass the water bills on to your landlord for them to sort out. You can also send the water co a copy of your contract and your landlord's contact details, and tell them to hassle him not you.

If I have to pay it, then I have to pay it.

If you're certain it's already being paid, you can ignore the water bills. But without a piece of legal paper to show you're not liable, it's a high-risk strategy.

Are the bills addressed to you personally, or to eg. "the occupier"?

dawnofthedave

Thanks QrizB

I’ll have to try and get a copy of the tenancy agreement. 

They’re addressed to me personally sadly! The letting agent called the water company to tell them I moved in as part of their standard processes, without knowing about the situation with the water.

If I had some written proof from the landlord or managing company showing that they’d paid the bill for this address, do you think that would be enough?

QrizB

dawnofthedave said:

Thanks QrizB
I’ll have to try and get a copy of the tenancy agreement.

You should have a copy anyway; it tells you your rights and obligations.

They’re addressed to me personally sadly! The letting agent called the water company to tell them I moved in as part of their standard processes, without knowing about the situation with the water.

There was another thread with someone in a similar situation a few months back. The letting agent shouldn't have done this. Make sure your landlord knows that the agent is responsible for all this hassle (it could be hassle for the landlord, too, and landlords employ agents to avoid hassle not cause it).

If I had some written proof from the landlord or managing company showing that they’d paid the bill for this address, do you think that would be enough?

I would hope so, yes.