Utilities charging from prev tenant

[TDCtomorrow]

Looking for some advice please
DPs moved into a council property about 2 weeks ago. A day or 2 after they got in they received a letter from the utilities comp addressed to the council with my DP surname also on it. They say there is over £400 outstanding. My DM rung and said we've only just moved in but they said as they are the tenants they are liable. It's threatened enforcement etc. This is the only letter that has come about this. The council won't get involved
My DM is stressed enough with the move and doesn't know where to turn

That's ridiculous. Can they contact the housing officer who arranged the tenancy signing? That will have the date from which they were the official tenants.
Otherwise Citizen's Advice?
I do not believe that they can be held responsible for useage before they became the official tenants with keys.

They aren’t responsible for a previous tenants usage. They need to contact the utility company directly with details of their tenancy and metre readings from when they moved in. It’s up to the utility company to track down the previous tenants and chase them for payment.

Have they tried ringing the utilities company using a number that is on their website, rather than from the letter?

Not sure why council would be involved. Did they take readings when they moved in? Was the tenancy transfer prior to then?

They will just need to provide proof of their tenancy agreement and hopefully they also took meter readings when they moved in. If they didn’t, I’d advise taking some now and again in a few days so that they can work out the average for the estimated move in reads that way.

@LIZS

Not sure why council would be involved. Did they take readings when they moved in? Was the tenancy transfer prior to then?

The council is named on the letters too. The property was empty for months and months before they moved in.

your ups would be best to get photocopies of the start date of their tenancy agreement and send to the utility company along with a letter stating they are not responsible for the debts of the previous tenants.

send the letter "signed for postage" which means the utility company can't deny receiving the letter and photocopy.

If the utility company refuse to remove the £400 from the account then contact the local MP and cab

Thank you all. The utility comp were very unhelpful in the phone and just say it's their responsibility which is ridiculous

They need to send in a copy of the tenancy agreement and ask for an apportioned bill. Responsibility is taken from the date the tenant took over legally (even if the tenant doesn't move in straight away)
The landlord is responsible for the periods when the property is untenanted. When I worked in the water industry and we were unable to trace the owner we would arrange a land registry search to establish ownership.

Contact Citizens Advise.

@MrsMoastyToasty

They need to send in a copy of the tenancy agreement and ask for an apportioned bill. Responsibility is taken from the date the tenant took over legally (even if the tenant doesn't move in straight away) The landlord is responsible for the periods when the property is untenanted. When I worked in the water industry and we were unable to trace the owner we would arrange a land registry search to establish ownership.

It's a council property I have rung today and got them to set up a temporary account with the readings so hopefully they've listened to the actual problem this time.