UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,I let my property (in England) to 7 students, in the AST agreement it states 'all bills included'. The timer for the heating and hot water has a locked cover over it and they are invited to contact me if it requires resetting. The gas consumption has recently doubled and I have discovered that they have broken the cover and set the timer to constant. Can I charge them for doubling the bill?
Thanks.

Paul

Can you?  What does the contract say on this matter? 

Good luck trying.

Its an issue I have experience of. And in reality, its so hard to get any money back.

Learn from the lesson, and get a gas card installed they have to pay for themselves. Same with the electric.

Hi Riptide, the Tenancy Agreement says 'All bills included - gas, electric, water.' I don't have a problem with that and I understand that I am liable for the bills. But when someone breaks in to the box housing the timer and sets it to constant, it almost feels like theft. Surely they have no right to do this - I have written to them previously inviting them to let me know if it needs adjusting.
Thanks boboff - unfortunately I expect your right!

I think letting a property with "bills included" is a risk you decided to take. I'm certainly not saying it's right, that someone would break a cover. However, I'm also thinking it's not right to have a cover so the Tenants can't have access to control their own heating. So I've tried to look at this from both sides and where "all bills included" goes, then I think the Landlord has to price accordingly working on their knowledge of the bills and what they'll amount to, as opposed to trying to control consumption.

For the time-being, though, it's not clear whether you've even asked the Tenants to contribute to the bill... after all, you should have historic bills going back where you can demonstrate that it's usually £X, but now it's £Y. Did you ask and they refused?

Quote from: pud on May 13, 2015, 04:31:50 PM
Hi Riptide, the Tenancy Agreement says 'All bills included - gas, electric, water.' I don't have a problem with that and I understand that I am liable for the bills. But when someone breaks in to the box housing the timer and sets it to constant, it almost feels like theft. Surely they have no right to do this - I have written to them previously inviting them to let me know if it needs adjusting.
Thanks boboff - unfortunately I expect your right!

It is theft/damage, I'd imagine 1 individual won't own up to it though.

Sounds like your agreement isn't explicit enough concerning this matter.  A re-write, with a fair use clause of £x sounds like it's needed.

Having a locked cover over the timer doesn't exactly sit comfortably with me either, I must admit. I have never restricted it in the past and all our previous tenants have been fairly reasonable with the consumption. It's only after the bills have doubled from previous years that I discovered they have it set on constant. I have appealed to them in the past, to no avail. I haven't asked them to contribute as I've only just found out - I'm pretty sure they wouldn't pay anyway. I thought I'd just see what others have to say before speaking to them.
Hey Riptide, I think it is theft - certainly feels like it.

Little tip that I use.

Leave it on constant, but most boilers also have a knob to adjust the temperature, if you wack this right down the Radiators wont pump out on Maximum, considerably reducing there costs, and most of the numpties don't know how this knob works..... It also has the advantage of keeping the house at a constant temp, which I think is the most efficient way of heating a home.

Good idea boboff and thanks to all of you for your comments, I am most grateful. The reason for posting was to explore what forum members thought about my current position from a legal standpoint, and I tend to agree with your comments.
Just to clarify, only the timer has a cover and is set to come on 3 times a day (morning, lunchtime, evening/night) 10 hours in total. Every radiator has a TRV fitted and the main thermostat can be adjusted by anybody, giving them control over the temperature of the property. I think this is reasonable and fair, especially as I've offered to adjust it for them, just not to constant.
I don't think I'll take it any further as there is little chance of a successful outcome, although technically I still think it's theft.