UK Landlord Forum / Life

After 9 months of paying £31 direct debit, I had a £400 electric bill with the premise that I wasn't paying enough. So it went up to £55. For a 1 bed it didn't make sense.

It turns out my electric bill and feed is also my upstairs neighbours, so the bill is for both my flat AND his flat, but is all on one bill (in my name only)

After speaking with my upstairs neighbour he informed me that he pays the landlord rent with money for bills and has done this since he lived there. The landlord is then supposed to use that part to pay upstairs utility bills.

He obviously hasn't hence the bill going up and up each month (can prove this through my bills).

When I moved in this flat he said I was to pay my own utilities and that for some reason the electric has always been high here.

In December 2018 when the first issue with the bill arose, he said he was sure that upstairs paid his utilities by direct debit (proof of this in text). Well this is false.

My upstairs neighbour can prove that he pays cash toward his utilities although never gets a receipt.
We have both never had a receipt for rent.

I sat down and worked out my monthly payments, plus the extra I have put in to cover my debt for those 9 months as well as the £140 warm home discount I get.

My landlord told me upstairs should be paying £40 a month cos there's 1 of him and 2 of us (even tho he has had a sublet since February.

So the total bill so far is £343.
For those initial 9 months, if he didn't pay £40 a month using the money given from upstairs, that makes the bill remaining his right?

I can't even compare usage for upstairs cos there's only one reading as there's now a smart meter which has stopped the sub meter from working.

I've also reported him to HMRC for tax evasion cos for me and upstairs and probably his other tenants he takes part cash/part bank transfer on rent.

Alongside all that I've needed a new toilet since moving in April 2018. New one has been sat there since 3rd June 2019 waiting to be fitted. Took 12 months for the boiler to be repaired as well as clearing rubbish from previous tenants from the garden.

The dishwasher isn't working and trips the electrics and his response was "wash dishes like the rest of us, don't be so posh lmfao" it's his appliance at the end of the day so screw him I guess.

Last note on the LL, when speaking about the issues I've got his response was that if I wanna move out then give notice cos he has 21 other people waiting to move.

He expects 2 months notice but I'm giving him 1. I am out of here by end of July, but I really need some help on what to do with this bill as its in my name. LL said when I leave we can come up with a payment plan and when the debt is cleared that is when he will put his name on the bill. Well I'm sorry but I'm not keeping my name on a bill for a property I won't be living in.

Am I within my right to change the account over to his details and direct debit info when I have left?

Energy company say its 3rd party so won't do diddly. Energy company also informed me there is no account for upstairs in LL name or upstairs tenant.

Any help is appreciated, sorry for the long post

You only need to give one month notice as a tenant.Have you checked that the deposit you paid was protected by him? I think you should take the issue of the electricity to your local law centre or Citizens's Advice Bureau.They should be able to help you sort it out.The toilet may be something that the Environmental Health at the local council office will take action on,even if you are moving out.Good luck!

I don't have a copy of the tenancy agreement as he keeps it, but apparently he asks for 2 months notice to vacate.

As far as I can see, no, the deposit hasn't been protected in any way.

Quote from: Unicorn_Luna on July 15, 2019, 07:16:01 PM
I don't have a copy of the tenancy agreement as he keeps it, but apparently he asks for 2 months notice to vacate.

As far as I can see, no, the deposit hasn't been protected in any way.

Good Lord.  You're dealing with a right cowboy there.

Quote from: Unicorn_Luna on July 15, 2019, 07:16:01 PMAs far as I can see, no, the deposit hasn't been protected in any way.

Did you pay a Deposit, if so how much, when, how, etc.?

It feels like this particular Landlord is operating on the down-low for everything. Maybe a short, sharp shock will be helpful? You didn't come here asking about the Deposit, but it would be a good place to start... trust us.

Definitely hasn't protected the deposit.
My confusion at the moment is remembering whether it was just a month's rent he wanted then a month when I moved in. Struggling to remember.
Deffo a cowboy.. Of some sort. Blown me off this morning for a viewing when 15 mins before he'd checked into the gym.

How did you pay the deposit,cash or bank transfer? If the former,have you got a receipt? If you can prove the deposit was handed over,then you could claim the same amount,possibly more,on top of what you originally paid.It is a kind of automatic penalty landlords pay for disobeying the rules.You should alert the other tenants in the house,they may also be able to claim.

Quote from: heavykarma on July 16, 2019, 04:34:10 PM
How did you pay the deposit,cash or bank transfer? If the former,have you got a receipt? If you can prove the deposit was handed over,then you could claim the same amount,possibly more,on top of what you originally paid.It is a kind of automatic penalty landlords pay for disobeying the rules.You should alert the other tenants in the house,they may also be able to claim.

My mum paid the bond of £400 and could prove through the credit card statement. She didnt get a receipt.

All of these things will be brought up with him. I'm hoping he takes me to small claims cos a judge would laugh

He might try to say that the £400 was rent in advance, and not a deposit.

I have proof in text where he asks for 400 bond and 400 rent when move in. And that's exactly what we did

Please follow Heavykarma's excellent advice. 

Aw shucks-thank you,I'm flattered!