UK Landlord Forum / Life

I was wondering if anybody else has had a problem like mine. I have been given a bill for 8,000 pounds which I did not use. I am a landlord and have a house divided into 3 flats. All bills are paid by the tenants as they signed contracts to do this. Also the tenancy has been arranged by an agency which handles the full management of the property. It came to light at the start of 2011 that there were 4  meters in the house. 3 were for cooking and one was shared between the 3 house for heating. This worked fine until 2004 when a tenant who was collecting all the money left. Since then the gas company has been supplying gas to the house and never cut off the gas. even when the meters are in  common hallway. At the start of 2011 we I found out this happening. I immediately changed all the systems in the house so there was one boiler per flat. As the gas company says it can not collect the money from the other tenants who do not want to say they are not responsible. The gas company says that I am responsible and are going to try and take legal action against me and said if I do not pay it would adversely affect my credit rating.

Has anyone any ideas /help on what to do? I am totally SHOCKED that the gas company would let a bill get so big and also shocked they are trying to get me to pay.

Since then the gas company has been supplying gas to the house and never cut off the gas. even when the meters are in  common hallway. At the start of 2011 we I found out this happening. I immediately changed all the systems in the house so there was one boiler per flat. As the gas company says it can not collect the money from the other tenants who do not want to say they are not responsible.

Ask the Gas company who the contract is set up with, if it was done over the telephone they should have a voice recording of the person who is responsible for the contract other than that it would be a written contract. Whoever set it up will be the responsible person for payment of the £8,000, they will chase them through the courts.....hope this helps

Hello landman.

The answer is "it depends".  It depends on who set up the account for the fourth meter, when they did this, when you bought the house, whether the agency was allowed to deal with utility companies in your name.

Seeing how you posted this in July, I'd be interested to know what's happened in teh half year since.

£8000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

What where they doing trying to do? burn off the North Sea Gas reserves.

Reminds me of Bottom comedy show.

Quote from: landman on July 12, 2011, 10:55:05 PM
I was wondering if anybody else has had a problem like mine. I have been given a bill for 8,000 pounds which I did not use. I am a landlord and have a house divided into 3 flats. All bills are paid by the tenants as they signed contracts to do this. Also the tenancy has been arranged by an agency which handles the full management of the property. It came to light at the start of 2011 that there were 4  meters in the house. 3 were for cooking and one was shared between the 3 house for heating. This worked fine until 2004 when a tenant who was collecting all the money left. Since then the gas company has been supplying gas to the house and never cut off the gas. even when the meters are in  common hallway. At the start of 2011 we I found out this happening. I immediately changed all the systems in the house so there was one boiler per flat. As the gas company says it can not collect the money from the other tenants who do not want to say they are not responsible. The gas company says that I am responsible and are going to try and take legal action against me and said if I do not pay it would adversely affect my credit rating.

Has anyone any ideas /help on what to do? I am totally SHOCKED that the gas company would let a bill get so big and also shocked they are trying to get me to pay.

Personally I would tell them to take you to court. The burden of proof when there is a debt involved is on the collector not the potential owner of the debt. They would have to prove you owed the money, no evidence then the case will be thrown out & you would end up owing nothing. If you dont pay who cares the economic climate isnt going to change until 2021 anyway, by then the six year time for black marks on your credit report will have expired. Plus if you win they will be up for removal by request of the court. good luck.

They are clutching at straws as they know they havent got a cats chance in hell in getting the money form those responsible... IMO they are just trying the easy option by going for the landlord/ mortgage owner.

Hello poppasmurf,

Can I please suggest you don't recommend people to tell folks they are in dispute with to head straight to the courts.  The Small Claims Process of the High Court (aka "The Small Claims Court") always seeks to establish what arbitration and concilliation has been attempted between the parties before they will hear a case.

If one party has refused to participate and a court hearing happens anyway then it is very unlikely that person's own solocitor defncse costs will not be awarded against the "losing" party.  And sometimes the "losing" party could have their legal costs paid by the "winner".  This may not feel very fair, but it's the court's way of saying it should have been settled without coming to court.  And solicitors are expensive.  Any "win" amount could be seriously swallowed up by their costs.