Advice on old housemate not paying any bills?

[Stone84]

Something similar has happened to me. I lived in a house for a few months in which nobody had paid the bills for a very long time, the address was receiving letters from utility companies saying they were going to get a warrant so they could access the property and fit a meter etc.

I had a bit of a fight with the brother of one my housemates, so I left the property about a week later. I'm now pretty sure that they have put all the utility bill debts into my name. I'm not that arsed, because I've never paid a utility bill in my life, so it's just another debt to ignore, but the fact that I'm being pursued for a debt that isn't really mine does irk me a little bit.

 

[Raasyvibe]

So what happened? Did you ring da beuro?

 

[Bearlove]

If you don' t have 'proof' (email etc) that these people agreed to pay you x amount per month - your sort of screwed.

Vague emails of - the rent / bills are going to be this much per month is that OK etc will not suffice. You need something in writing that the person living with you agreed to pay x amount on x date. Forget everything that you have said to them, they said to you - its meaningless. Moving forward - work out the back charges, draw up a new contract, then depending on how nice you are - divide that payment x 12 + monthly rent.

 

[kace]

F-U-B-A-R- Holy shit man that is some crazy story, bloody nutters!

Stone, I would maybe check with the companies that your name is just off the bills. As you left the house and they are still there, you will not be liable for any bills after the time you have left. I would hate for the same thing to happen to you, and for your credit rating to be fucked.

In regards to my situation, yes I managed to sort it and get £520 out of them! It's not the full price, but fuck it, after 3 years I'm happy to finally be paid back, and get pay it off.

Basically I made a contract with the guys Dad, agreeing that if he paid the amount In 30 days, I wouldn't take legal action. If they failed to pay, I said I'd take their asses to court and ask for the full amount.
As someone said, yeah it was frustrating as hell when I was trying to get my name off the bill. The companies said that I only could only be taken off if someone else phoned and took liability, or if I paid off the full amount. :/

Anyway, thanks for everyone's help! It helped a load. Also sorry for the late response, I've had no internet.

 

[Tangerine Dream]

Similar topic of being owed money...

An ex housemate who didn't pay his rent last month of our uni house made my deposit reduce in size by £40 meanwhile he made £40. 5 people, the 4 of us all worked it out and the guy even agreed. Then when we left I asked nicely for it about 5 or 6 times over a year. Then I sort of gave up forgot, then I remembered and got angry, went to message him and saw he had unfriended me on Facebook... I guess I was annoyed at other things but I messaged him threatening to send a letter to his parents home, which I found address, outlining the situation. I also threatened to tell his current employer by email and his mates.

£40 isn't much, but it's a lot less for him. It was more from other people who did pay me, so it was part of a greater whole. Also at uni I introduced and taught him to match bet and he made hundreds. So that pissed me off meh, the threats worked and he finally paid me. It's not like we are/were ever really friends.

I just could not fathom not paying someone back that you have lived with for 3 years and know you owe and agreed to pay. Maybe most people would have just forgot and I should have too. On the other hand I didn't burn any bridges and he was a cunt imo.

 

[Tangerine Dream]

It's not quite as immature as it seems (almost though!) as I know him well enough to know what would push his buttons... We are all adults but he would NEVER want his parents to know he didn't pay his landlord a months rent. Christian, strict etc. He cares far too much about his image too hence the outing him to everyone.

I dunno if I ever would have, had he not paid right away.

You find out soon enough who your real friends are in this world...

 

[kace]

Man that sucks, the guy sounded just like my old housemate. He did the same thing, relying on us to bail him out, making countless false promises that next week he would pay back, gr. I never want to have to flat share again now haha.

Yeah with the whole, getting the family involved thing. I really didn't want to do it, but after 3 years of dealing with his crap, I thought fuck it I'll talk to his guarantor and end it. It worked . I hope the guys Dad bollocked him!

And yeah, I definitely agree with you about finding out who your true friends are when stuff like this happens. None of my housemates at the time tried to help in anyway, I went through the same thing with one of them (having to talk to his mum after 2 years and get it from her). The guy was 26 and on benefits, getting free money every 2 weeks, but each month had nothing for the gas, elec, or £80 phone bills.. :/ (I'm not a benefit hater, on ESA myself, just hate people who get them and whine they have nothing!).