Can landlord use housemate's deposit to retrieve unpaid electric bill contributions (England)?

RAS

It's not just unusual. It's damn odd. As the tenant of a single room, you should not be liable for any utility bills pertaining to the whole house.  

It's normally utilities included (maybe with a right to increase above a certain usage or price increase) or separately metered for individual rooms.

kimwp

This is a very weird setup, because if the landlord is going to get it from the deposit, when do you get the money? After the landlord gets it from the deposit? What if that's not agreed to, do you then not get the money? How does the landlord know that you won't get it at some point from the other tenant?

Ask the landlord for the money now and for the arrangement.to be changed.

theartfullodger

Did you or landlord put your name on bill?  Have you been paying the leccy bills?

Any tenant unhappy about funds being taken from deposit should dispute it through relevant deposit scheme.  Schemes brought in through parliament, twice, to protect tenants who had previously been ripped off by money grabbing landlords.

I'm a landlord in England.  Tenants pay utilities, never had a problem in 19 years (except me paying in short voids between tenancies.

Your esteemed landlord sounds like he doesn't understand the job.  Twit.

saajan_12

catsprout said:

Renting in a house share with separate ASTs, 4 bedrooms, landlord nominated me to be in charge of electricity as I've lived there longest. Just my name is on the bill. One of my housemates lost his job and gave notice. He owes me 3 months of electricity. The landlord has said he can get this from my housemate's deposit. I believe his deposit is protected in one of the government schemes. So is my landlord right or would I need to chase my housemate/potentially go to Small Claims? I'd like to avoid the bother of chasing the guy, but my gut tells me that the scheme is not going to care about money that isn't actually owed to the landlord...

In your shoes I'd chase both and see who hands over the money first. If the housemate and LL can agree to deposit deductions which cover the bill, and if the LL pays it to you, then whats it to you? Until that point, I'd ALSO chase the housemate directly though, don't absolve him of his share of the bill (presumably you've verbally agreed that he'll pay you 1/4 or whatever?). Basically whichever route works first. 

kimwp

theartfullodger said:

Did you or landlord put your name on bill?  Have you been paying the leccy bills?

Any tenant unhappy about funds being taken from deposit should dispute it through relevant deposit scheme.  Schemes brought in through parliament, twice, to protect tenants who had previously been ripped off by money grabbing landlords.

I'm a landlord in England.  Tenants pay utilities, never had a problem in 19 years (except me paying in short voids between tenancies.

Your esteemed landlord sounds like he doesn't understand the job.  Twit.

Aren't you doing the same as this landlord, by having your tenants pay the utilities?

theartfullodger

kimwp said:

theartfullodger said:

Did you or landlord put your name on bill?  Have you been paying the leccy bills?

Any tenant unhappy about funds being taken from deposit should dispute it through relevant deposit scheme.  Schemes brought in through parliament, twice, to protect tenants who had previously been ripped off by money grabbing landlords.

I'm a landlord in England.  Tenants pay utilities, never had a problem in 19 years (except me paying in short voids between tenancies.

Your esteemed landlord sounds like he doesn't understand the job.  Twit.

Aren't you doing the same as this landlord, by having your tenants pay the utilities?

Thank you for your kind words,  It just reflects the tenancy agreement that both myself & tenants signed (neither had to) . As it happens I provide broadband (10 times faster than my hone has..at my expense,

kimwp

theartfullodger said:

kimwp said:

theartfullodger said:

Did you or landlord put your name on bill?  Have you been paying the leccy bills?

Any tenant unhappy about funds being taken from deposit should dispute it through relevant deposit scheme.  Schemes brought in through parliament, twice, to protect tenants who had previously been ripped off by money grabbing landlords.

I'm a landlord in England.  Tenants pay utilities, never had a problem in 19 years (except me paying in short voids between tenancies.

Your esteemed landlord sounds like he doesn't understand the job.  Twit.

Aren't you doing the same as this landlord, by having your tenants pay the utilities?

Thank you for your kind words,  It just reflects the tenancy agreement that both myself & tenants signed (neither had to) . As it happens I provide broadband (10 times faster than my hone has..at my expense,

I'm just trying to understand your post. You say the landlord in the OP is a twit, but describe your approach as the same as his?