Unpaid shared gas account.

Timislov

Hello,

As a condition of renting my flat I had to agree to the gas bill being shared between two flats.
So my and my neighbour's names are on the account.
He has since moved out without paying his share of the bill.
I have sent emails to him about the account which he has not replied to.
He seems to have disappeared.

I have contacted the gas supplier OVO and explained this, I am willing to pay my share, but there seems to be nothing that they can do.
The total amount is about £900 so my share is £450.
The landlord says it is nothing to do with him.

What should I do?

marcia_

Timislov said:

Hello,

As a condition of renting my flat I had to agree to the gas bill being shared between two flats.
So my and my neighbour's names are on the account.
He has since moved out without paying his share of the bill.
I have sent emails to him about the account which he has not replied to.
He seems to have disappeared.

I have contacted the gas supplier OVO and explained this, I am willing to pay my share, but there seems to be nothing that they can do.
The total amount is about £900 so my share is £450.
The landlord says it is nothing to do with him.

What should I do?

 You have gotten in to a mess here. I would never agreed to such s set up. 

 You are both equally liable for the whole amount and if they cant find him they can demand you pay in full. 

thegreenone

Small Claims Court?  Not sure if they can issue against him if you don't have an address but might be worth a look.  To suddenly find he has a CCJ might be a wake up call when he goes to rent somewhere else.  May not be this year but in the future.  Would also go against him if he wants a mortgage.  Small revenge.  

Albermarle

As a condition of renting my flat I had to agree to the gas bill being shared between two flats

The landlord says it is nothing to do with him.

As presumably the landlord set the condition, and it is their tenant that has done a runner, then it is something to do with the landlord. Maybe not legally but they do have some involvement in the situation.

theartfullodger

The gas company are owed the money.  ALL the debt from either or both of you. A sensible creditor goes after the easiest person to get the £££ from, ultimately via court.  In OVO's shoes I'd go after you as they know your details and where you are.

They don't care about "shares".

Any info you can supply them about the other may help, albeit data protection issues.

Schwarzwald

pay the full amount first.
then try to recover the other share.
do you have anything in writing?

Timislov

I have the rental contract for my flat which states that the gas bill is shared between the two flats.

penners324

Pay the full amount and take the other party to court yourself.

There should have been separate accounts. Ensure this happens for the next person who moves in.

Timislov

There cannot be separate accounts because there is low gas pressure, so one meter has to cover the two flats.
The same applies to the two downstairs flats as well, they share one account.

Timislov

It was a condition of the rental that the gas account is shared.
When I queried this the landlord told me that if there were any problems, he would sort them out his self. He now denies this.
I have no proof of what he said.

marcia_

Timislov said:

It was a condition of the rental that the gas account is shared.
When I queried this the landlord told me that if there were any problems, he would sort them out his self. He now denies this.
I have no proof of what he said.

 So not in your tenancy agreement? Which means you cannot hold the landlord responsible.