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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to considering keeping tenant deposit due to massive hating bill?

75 replies

Cherrypie32 · 15/03/2018 18:51

Or have I just lucked out? We put tenants into our 1 bed flat that was for sale on a month by month contract that was an all rent to cover all bills. I based my sums on previous tenants use age of amnenities. The property is now sold and a final bill for electricity came in at £550. I have been paying £23.00 a month with Eon. If they have caned usesge over and above the norm can I reasonably ask them to pay (or keep the deposit I was about to return). Just looking for advice really.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cherrypie32 · 15/03/2018 18:52

**heating not hating! Bloody auto correct

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 15/03/2018 18:53

No you can't keep their deposit if you said bills were included in the rent!

hidinginthenightgarden · 15/03/2018 18:53

Nope. How can you know it was just them and you having been underpaying with previous tenants that has resulted in a big bill?

Oswin · 15/03/2018 18:53

I wouldnt think the deposit service would allow that.

Shinycat · 15/03/2018 18:53

No of course you cannot keep their deposit!

Pengggwn · 15/03/2018 18:53

No, that's your problem, unfortunately.

sleepymummy1 · 15/03/2018 18:54

No, unfortunately not. If you marketed the property as including bills then it was up to you to calculate that correctly. Bad luck though.

DioneTheDiabolist · 15/03/2018 18:54

How long were they there? I would consider £23 per month to be very, very low electricity usage.

Ihatemyclients · 15/03/2018 18:54

No, you can't. It's not your tenants fault that you entered into a bad contract. You can't now punish them for your poor judgment! Chalk it up to experience and move on.

blackteasplease · 15/03/2018 18:55

Absolutely not! It's not what the deposit is for at all!

whywhywhywhywhyyy · 15/03/2018 18:55

You said bills included. You need to put a caveat into your next tenancy agreement to prevent this happening again.

Colourmeblind · 15/03/2018 18:55

Not a legal expert but if its an all inclusive rent and it states in the contract that it covered all bills, don't think you could keep it.

GeekyBlinders · 15/03/2018 18:55

Surely the deposit should be in one of those protected schemes anyway, in which case you can't just keep it! It would be very unreasonable if you didn't stipulate energy usage limits in your contract.

NewYearNewMe18 · 15/03/2018 18:56

550 for a month? Did they actually live there or were they using it as a cannabis farm?

Redglitter · 15/03/2018 18:57

Sounds as if you've been seriously underpaying. £23 a month seems an incredibly low amount. How long were they in the property

JennyOnAPlate · 15/03/2018 18:57

No of course you can't.

DancingLedge · 15/03/2018 18:57

Don't most letting contracts which include bills have a reasonable usage clause?
If so, they are liable.
If not, you are.

expatinscotland · 15/03/2018 18:58

You won't be permitted to do that. The agreement included bills, so you have to pay it.

DalekDalekDalek · 15/03/2018 18:58

That would be illegal.

TheQueenOfWands · 15/03/2018 18:59

No. It's been very chilly. Everyone's heating bills have been high.

And the deposit scheme wouldn't allow it, anyway.

stitchglitched · 15/03/2018 18:59

How many months has the 550 accumulated over? 23 a month seems very low. Also did you use a deposit protection scheme? As you can't just decide to keep it.

Cheby · 15/03/2018 19:01

No, no you can’t. Bloody landlords.

IntoTheFloodAgain · 15/03/2018 19:02

Were meter readings given regularly and did you keep an eye on the account to make sure it was enough?
You don’t mention gas so was it electric heating aswell? £23 isn’t that much tbh.

Cheby · 15/03/2018 19:02

And I agree with PP, £23 a month is extremely low. You had most likely been underpaying for a while.

FlippingFoal · 15/03/2018 19:03

23 a month sounds like half to a third of what is normal for a small house. I think you have been seriously underlying. It's not their fault