Receiving previous tenants unpaid bills

[Scoti]

I am a landlord and my tenant moved out recently. They have some arrears on their water bills and the bills have now appeared in my name and they are now after me for repayment. Is there anything they can be done or am I now liable?

Did the lease agreement say all utilities should be in their name?

It did yes. It’s only since they’ve moved out that they are now sending the arrears bills in my name

As long as you contacted the utilities when the tenant left and gave them the meter readings you are not liable for the tenants arrears. You are only liable for bills from the date you took over again. You'll need to contact them and insist they reissue the bills correctly.

Just contact them with date tenants moved out and hopefully you did the meter readings when they did? I've never had a problem after that (once got a water bill for £4000!!)

Just contact t them with your own meter readings and state the day you moved in and who they need to get the backdated payments from.

Is your water metered?

You need to hook up with some of the Landlord groups on Facebook. There’s lots of good practical advice to be had over there.

I hope you took meter readings when your tenants moved out?? Did you? Did you photograph the readings? If you’ve got yourself covered with such proof, tell the utilities to go elsewhere. You are not liable, but for sure they’ll try to make you so. Stand your ground.

I think your tenant also posted on here..it's next year's bill not their responsibility