To ask my landlord not to pay bills while away

[Beyondheartbreak]

I have not been at my rented accommodation since March 28th due to illness but have paid full rent and bills for March and April. Is it acceptable to ask that for May I don't pay bills to the landlord? I would be back this weekend which is May 22nd.

I pay landlord direct for gas and electricity and split tv/internet etc with Flatmates.

There isn't anything about this in the contract.

I assume you would still need too pay them but I would talk with landlord anyway

You can ask him of course, but if you are under contract to pay then don't be surprised if he says no.

Isn't this going to screw over your flatmates by making them pay a higher share of the bill? Yes, you aren't there using the electricity, so the bill might be slightly lower, but the housemates will still need lighting in common areas, etc, and you agreed to split that cost with them. They might be unhappy about this.

Worth asking the question but, I can't see you getting a result from either the landlord or your flat mates

I'm sorry you're ill but I don't expect you'll get much joy

I'm going to call my bank and tell them we aren't paying our mortgage for the time we are on holidays because we won't be living there.
Your landlord relies on your share of the bills and rent - otherwise he could give your place to someone else. You're BU.

I think the contract probably just says you have to pay rent and bills until you terminate the agreement. The fact that you are not there for long periods of time is not relevant. However it might be worth asking, he might have a kind heart and the worst he can say is NO.

You can ask, see what they say no harm it that.

As a land lord myself I wouldn't agree, if I go away from my home I still have to pay bills

It isn't a hotel, no one else can use your empty room, so it has to be paid for.

I can't see the landlord agreeing to this, you are paying for your room and bills, whether you are there or not you are paying to keep use of the room available to you.

Is this a place where only you live, or do you have flat mate(s)? Surely the bills will be lower because you weren't there and so haven't used the water / gas / electric for that time. Your meters would have a lower reading to reflect that.

If you have flatmate(s) they pay the bills for your period of absence between them, if you're alone, you pay any amounts on the bill.

I see where you're coming from, but I think it is a bit unreasonable tbh. Surely if your personal use of electricity / gas / water etc (I assume these are the bills you mean?) is that significant they'll be much lower this quarter anyway? That's your discount, not one your flatmates give. Still, if you have a good relationship with them and you've been unable to work because of your illness they might agree to give you a 20% discount or something. If you ask, ask very nicely and expecting a refusal (I'd say 'no' if I lived with you, sorry!) as if you seem demanding or entitled to this you could create waves in your home environment which is the last thing you'd need after an illness. I hope you're on the mend now, btw.

You might not be using the gas and electric but there is still a standing charge to pay, I think you should just pay it.

I think the phrase 'it doesn't work like that' is the only real answer here.

sorry. If you were in accommodation on your own you'd pay less on the bills because you'd use less, but the rent/mortgage wouldn't change. And as mentioned, standing charges still apply.

My Flatmates and I pay set price for the gas electric per month individually to the landlord. I wanted to ask because it wouldn't impact anyone else. Re holding the room I feel like my rent covers that. My landlord doesn't pay any tax on our rent or bills so thought he may do a favour but maybe I would look stupid to ask if not done thing.

How do you know that he pays no tax on the rent?

Don't be silly. You are obliged to pay your share of the bills while the room is contractually yours. Why on earth would you expect your landlord to pay your share?

YABU - you're under contract, you pay your bills!