Landlord says this is my bill to pay?? Photo attached

[LJM29]

I moved out of the house in mid April. Landlord has sent a very passive aggressive email with this bill attached that he’s received today. It’s in his name. He says I owe this bill and need to arrange paying it out of my bond that he sent me back. He says he doesn’t expect these bills. Looking at the dates it’s a yearly water bill charge for April 2024-March 2025 but I’ve moved out. How can it me that’s liable for this charge? I can’t make sense of it? Who is right??

Is he completely thick?

The bills are in his name because he owns the property and you are no longer renting it from him.

This sort of thing is what the deposit protection scheme is for.

If he tries to withhold your deposit to pay for a bill which isn't yours he'll get his arse handed to him.

Pay the £20-whatever that is 17/365 of the total bill, which is the period you were still in the property.

Then, write or email him explaining that this bill is for the period 1 April 2024-31 March 2025, and that you are only liable for 17 days of that period as you moved out on 17 April, which you have paid directly.

In the same email/letter, ask him to return your deposit asap as it is nearly 4 weeks since you moved out, or you will have to raise a dispute with the deposit protection service. Maybe give him a deadline to do that.

If you haven't got your money back within the next couple of weeks, raise that dispute. He will look like a complete arse if he tried to claim that you are liable for these charges with them.

I do wonder if OP has misunderstood the landlord's message. Part of the bill is from while she was still a legal tenant, he is saying he is worried she hasn't paid up all her bills. And actually she hasn't, she says she spoke to the water company, but her version is that they changed the end of tenancy to the wrong date. Maybe, can happen, but you can see why it looks suspicious to him; the landlord is concerned about what other bits of bills he will be stuck with that could tot up to hundreds of pounds. The deposit protection scheme will allow release of funds, but with proof like this they would allow him to wait to check and deduct the remaining bills.

Sounds like he can jog on tbh.

this

You owe from 1st April 24 to 17th April 24 (when you moved out).

I would email Water company with your reference number and notify them of actual date of departure and to send you an apportioned bill.
Also remind them that as of that date the owner of the property is now responsible.
Pay the apportionment to
the Water company, not the Landlord.
Send a copy of the email and a copy of your invoice ,duly settled , to the landlord.

It's a bill for next year. Maybe he got it and panicked without reading it properly. Tell him he's made a mistake. You got your bond back so he would have to take you to court if he wants you to pay, but the court would throw it out. Not your problem.

The billing period is 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, so you owe pro- rata only for the beginning of April up to the date you moved out. £1.27 per day, so around £50 I'd say.

When you rent you need to advise all utilities providers of the days you move in and the day you leave. That is down to you. Also council tax. If you didn't do that you may have some battling to do to prove which dates you were there, plus for things like water, gas and electric you really need a proper reading on the days you move in and again when you move out. And take photos.

Your estate agents should have told you this, if you haven't rented before. It's an absolute essential! Never leave it down to the landlord.

You need to contact the water bill people and tell them when you were at the property, and see what they can do about working out your bill. Don't be pressurised.

What is he saying now? Is he angry because you didn't fall for his scheme, or was he truly clueless about what year it is?

1.27/day x 17 days does not equal anywhere CLOSE to 50 pounds.

Geeze!

Sorry you're right 😁 I'm a bit tired. Was counting all if April plus 17 days in May. Apologies

Would really need to see the detail of the whole bill to know.

it is the landlords responsibility to pay utility bills for the period that a property is unlet. When a new tenant moves in it will be their liability from the moving in date. It sounds like the bill has been issued in your name, did you notify them that you had left? If not, contact them and explain. PS. I'm a landlord.

@MrsMoastyToasty that's interesting, does that mean for devils advocate sake that if a water bill was in someones else name but a shared supply the tenants agreement can state they have to pay their own share of the water? Then be legally bound to do it so?

Point out for the last time very clearly that this is for a future period which is not applicable to the time you lived there so is nothing to do with you and you will not be responding any further on this matter. If the landlord wants to take it further then let them but they won’t have a leg to stand on.

Why do people keep repeating that OP isn't liable for the bill, when she admits she didn't end the tenancy until 17th April? It's so bizarre. She is liable for 17 days worth and needs to pay that proportion before getting her deposit back. Tenants can't just leave bits of bills because they want to.