heebs Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Hello All I have just completed and rented out a flat..my first.. The tenants are also new to renting,..this being their first...please can you let me know if you experienced landlords as for copies of first bills...council tax,,water...gas etc to be sure the tenants have switched over and paying ok I dont want to be over strict..but being new and they being new to bills (first time living away from parents for them)...i am not sure what the correct way about it is How do Landlords know the new tenants have done the switch over as per correct dates and readings...because any voids in coucil tax..we would be liable for. Thanks in advance for any advice Newbie Landlady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPEL Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Big brother approach isn't necessary. Take meter readings at the time of move-in and advise the suppliers with the address, tenants name, date of occupancy, reading and your new address. Make sure readings go on your inventory and are signed as correct by the incoming tenant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heebs Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Big brother approach isn't necessary. Take meter readings at the time of move-in and advise the suppliers with the address, tenants name, date of occupancy, reading and your new address. Make sure readings go on your inventory and are signed as correct by the incoming tenant. many thanks GPEL...however as i have never lived there..will the suppliers need my address..will they accept me ringing on the new occupants behalf when i dont hold an account with them (i completed on a flat and rent it out the following day) thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 No Problem 4 calls gas electric water CTAx and maybe phone Just inform them you are owner and your contact address and no give them T details and meter reads .. DO NOT EVER TRUST TENANT TO DO THIS AS A LOT WONT ...LEAVING YOU POTENTIALLY WITH THE BILL IF YOUR LEASE IS NOT A STRONG ONE ... Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heebs Posted September 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 No Problem 4 calls gas electric water CTAx and maybe phone Just inform them you are owner and your contact address and no give them T details and meter reads .. DO NOT EVER TRUST TENANT TO DO THIS AS A LOT WONT ...LEAVING YOU POTENTIALLY WITH THE BILL IF YOUR LEASE IS NOT A STRONG ONE ... Simon Simon...you are SOOO right...just this morning have been ringing the utlities on behalf of my mother as we have still been paying all bills for the tenants in my mothers property...eve though foxtons is supposed to be managing the prop and we have been in touch with them several times regarding this. Have just done the informing myself...wish i'd done it earlier...will now call the council etc for my flat.. thanks for your words of wisdom....i love this forum Heebs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webb Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 All above is correct and exactly what I do, but a recent experience* taught me that the Utility companies must have confirmation from the Tenant for authority to open their account. *I received a six month estimated bill for a 'new account' because my tenant had simply forgotten to start theirs. Fortunately the tenant put the error right immediately and shortly after I received an 'account closed' letter for zero usage in confirmation. Had this not been so, I would have taken the usual action! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 If they get funny about it - fax them a copy of the AST ......you know.. that stupid bit of paper which makes the T COMPLETELY responsible for payment of such ..(if yours doesn't and it should then update it ASAP!!!) Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J4L Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 *taught me that the Utility companies must have confirmation from the Tenant for authority to open their account.* Not sure this is totally correct, we inform all utilities on behalf of Landlords and not one has stated such. Be interested to see if anyone else has had this information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 Most definately do not need confirmation from T : as if you did then you would also need confirmation from LL when the Ax Tenants manage to put bill into my name without my permission ...................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as they manage to do when they vacate!!!(or even mid term ................!) Simon Gareth we havent had a row for a while ....fancy one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??? Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heebs Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Most definately do not need confirmation from T : as if you did then you would also need confirmation from LL when the Ax Tenants manage to put bill into my name without my permission ...................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as they manage to do when they vacate!!!(or even mid term ................!) Simon Gareth we havent had a row for a while ....fancy one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??? Simon Many thanks all./..maybe things are changing...or it just depends which admin person you get on the phone as my husband rang british gas and they did ask all manner of questions and needed a contact number of the tenants to confirm with them.... Im so stressed..(im sure you experienced landlords know what i mean...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J4L Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 'Gareth we havent had a row for a while ....fancy one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??? Simon' Would be lovely mate but i'm much too busy these days building the empire!!! heebs 'and needed a contact number of the tenants to confirm with them....' I think they only ask for the contact number as a matter of course. They don't use it to check with the tenant. Infact I transferred one the other day where I didn't have the number to hand and they weren't too concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webb Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 The man from British Gas wanted authorisation (not confirmation) from the new account holder (i.e. tenant) to open the new account. He would not accept the tenant's name from another party (i.e. me, the owner). Otherwise, as he pointed out, anyone could nominate anyone else as account holder to receive their bills! A Jobsworth may be, but a reasonable point. Maybe it's different for commercial agents. This was despite my writing my usual letter (five months earlier when the new tenant arrived) with both old and new tenant details, closing and opening readings and my offer to pay the small difference used by me for the week between tenants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Must say Brtitish Gas are the very worst to deal with and even want DOB (which i refuse to give them) Dont have much to do with them anymore as they are the dearest in the market place (maybe time to change your provider!!) and the very worst to deal with ....different suppliers seem to have different rules .... Suggestion To Avoid the problems -simply photo copy ast and write a short letter to confirm change of "responsibililty" backed up with legal documentation (proof! that you are not pulling a fast one -thus saving wasted your time for ages on the phone ! Then i believe you have fulfilled your duty ..... Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clothespeg Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 We had that same problem as landlords in Australia. With gas. electricity and phone it was easy as the old tenants had to close their account & reopen at their new address. The supply would then be cut off, pending application from new tenants. But the Water authorities wouldn't do this, so we did have to tell them each time a new tenant moved in, so they wouldn't bill us as the owners ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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