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Original poster

Does anyone know.......utility bills and changing the name on the account..........

25 replies

FAQ · 06/03/2008 23:14

As H is moving out next weekend we/I want to get all the utility bills etc switched over to my name - they're currently all in his name only - but I pay them (from an bank account in my name) and make all phone calls related to them.

If I call up in the morning are they all going to want him to call? Or will they want me to set up new accounts with them??

Anyone know??

Oh and the council tax.......that's in both our names - will that just be a simple "he's not here anymore take his name" type thing??

OP posts:
shelleylou · 06/03/2008 23:23

hi FAQ how are you??
council tax you will have to pass on a forwarding address for him so you get the sole occupancy discount.
You can change the names on the accounts but they will moist likely need to speak to him or need it in writing so will proably be a lot easier to set up new ones.
Is the tv license in his name? If so then you cant change that as the license moves with him so you will need to get one yourself. If it makes it easier for you to pay a small amount weekly or fortnightly ask to be entered into the easy cash entry scheme. Im in that and pay £6.50 a fortnight so much easier for me. HTH

Original poster
FAQ · 06/03/2008 23:27

TV License in his name - but not a problem to sort that out - it's his job - a TV Licence Officer (they're not supposed to sort out friends/family licences but can if they ask permission first and I'm sure his boss will be ok with it). I already pay the TVL out of my account too (although it's in his name) so payments for that won't be a problem. (but if I couldn't afford the "bigger" amounts he wouldn't give me a CEE card - bonus' on that isn't so good LOL).

All the utilities accounts already have his permission for me to discuss the account/make new payments arrangements where/when necessary etc etc

OP posts:
Original poster
FAQ · 06/03/2008 23:28

oh - and I'm ok thanks (in response to your very first point in your reply )

OP posts:
shelleylou · 06/03/2008 23:36

its ok youve got other things on your mind at the moment. I reply to things in reverse order all the time anyway. Well i dont see why you couldnt change the name on the account then they may need to check with your h. With regards to TVL i would bypass him and phone up as normal and do it that way so you can get the CEE card if you want it so you can make sure you get the payment scheme that suits you

Original poster
FAQ · 06/03/2008 23:47

Actually just spoken to him about the TVL - he says he can (and will) get it transferred into my name - he'll have to write a letter but apparently it can be done......asked if he wouldn't need one where he's going but it's a shared house and the landlord already has one for the whole house.

Quarterly DD suits me quite well - especially as the latest one has only just gone out of my account LOL.

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shelleylou · 06/03/2008 23:58

ye i know it can be done i found out cos my ex wanted some of the bills transfered into his name, glad i didnt save me setting them all up again at a different address in my name lol. That makes it a bit easier for you then especially as its out of the way for the next few months.
if you want a chat sometime my email is [email protected]

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 00:01

thanks

(got a morning of phone calls to make tomorrow - Gas/Electric, Council Tax, Water, Virgin Media etc etc, and last but not least the Income Support people

OP posts:
shelleylou · 07/03/2008 00:12

its no problem its good to talk (damn i sound like the old bt adverts). Get onto IS asap, if they dont see you as a priority it may take them a while to sort it out for you. I wasnt a priority case so took them 4 weeks to sort out my claim they did backdate it to the day i claimed. They thought it was fine for me to support myself and ds then 10months on CB, ds had his milk etc had to go back to just milk at one point and i was living of cuppasoups for 3weeks. Then had ex's family tellin me i was losing to much weight . I dont mean to worry you so apologise if i have just wanted to point out that sometimes they take their time. Dont forget to phone up tax credits, they'll cancel your currant claim and send out a form for you to fill in (same as you would have filled in) as they wont just take of h over the phone youve got to reapply for it so to speak. You may be entitled to more CTC as a lone parent especially if you claim IS, i think you get the highest amount that could be payable. I think with the council tax you might have to go in and fill in a form to take him off but that could vary by area.

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 00:18

4 weeks would be ok actually for me - I have enough money to feed us for the rest of the month - and then the bills which go out by DD there'll be enough with the CB to pay them - and also to give me food....

But I'll still get onto them ASAP - although I'm a little concerned that as he's not officialy moving out until next weekend that they'll tell me to call back once he's left....

OP posts:
shelleylou · 07/03/2008 00:26

Well hopefully it doesnt take that long just thought id forewarn you taht it can take a while. Is he going sooner just leaving stuff at the house? if so there shouldnt be a problem just tell them that hes left the family home which to all intents and purposes he has done. If he is sill going to be living in the family home its a bit fuzzy as technically you would be a single parent as you have split up but they may see it as him contributing towards bills etc. IS will pass on information to the CSA but you can tell them that you dont want this to happen if you and h have reached an agreement and h would have to write a letter to them confirming this.

shelleylou · 07/03/2008 00:27

slightly of course there but i just remembered about the link IS and CSA have

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 00:29

no he's still sleeping in the spare room until next weekend - but he's not contributing anything to the bills.......I can show them all my bank statements if they want to and they'll see that since the weekend I've paid all the bills and bought all the food...

From what I've read I have to give the IS a "good" reason why they shouldn't pass on his details to the CSA (which I don't want them to as we've come to an agreement we're both happy with) and if they don't accept the reasons they can decide to cut my benefits????

OP posts:
shelleylou · 07/03/2008 00:41

They wanted to get involved with me they did the calculation much to our annoyance and i told them that i wasnt intrested ex was paying me directly. Although when the application was sent of originally it had a letter from ex stating he was paying x amount of maintenance weekly. When i moved they took all the details etc again as i had change areas and told them i didnt want csa involved as we had an agreement inplace. You could say that you feel csa involvement would be detrimenatl to relationship. I would say that you are a single parent without a doubt imvho as he isnt contributing to anything.

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 00:48

well I'm sure if they started chasing him for money it would be detrimental to our relationship. What we've agreed is a figure I'm happy with and a figure that I know won't be nigh on impossible for him afford to pay (we may be splitting up, and he may be an ar*e but I don't want to see the guy penniless LOL).

Anyhow - just noticed the time - H will want to come to bed soon (computer is in spare room atm) and I should be sleeping too.

OP posts:
shelleylou · 07/03/2008 00:51

yte tell them that then. i was the same with my ex wanted him to have some money still so he could see ds we live 65miles apart now lol. ye i have aswell i better get to bed or ds will be screaming for me to get up. Hope it all goes well 2morrow let me know how it goes. take care
shell
x

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 14:24

well spent the morning on the phone.

Virgin Media are sending me a form to fill in for "transfer of responsibilities" and will charge me £20 on my next bill for the privilege

Water I realised it was in both our names and that was a simple "ok I've taken his name off"

Council tax are sending me a form in the post

EON (formerly Powergen) were the odd ones - first of all there was NO automated system and I got through immediately then (rather oddly) they asked if H was there as the account was in his name and therefore they had to have his permission for me to speak to them (odd because for the last 2 1/2yrs I have been the ones making all the phonecalls related to the account, informing them of changes to our payment agreements etc ). Anyhow before I put H on I explained to her the reason I was calling was because he was leaving and I wanted to have the account put into my name

"oh no problem" she said and it was sorted just like that!

Also called IS today and my application has now started

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shelleylou · 07/03/2008 19:40

How are you feeling today? Yay im glad youve manage to sort it all out so easily. No automated system??? that is odd usually have to go through 3 menus before you get anywhere. It sucks though that virgin are going to charge you that. I wonder if it would work out cheaper to cancel his account with virgin and set it up for yourself i dont know if you would have to pay the instalation though im, not sure might be worth finding out. Im really pleased that IS have done your application today it makes it a lot easier.

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 20:10

IS are going to call me back Monday morning (would have been tomorrow - but of course they're not open Saturdays LOL) to take a few more details - and to discuss whether the CSA will be involved or not.....Was rather fun trying to explain the housing thing to them - I'd already given H's new address to them, and then it was all the "how long have you lived there", "who's the landlord" "has the rent gone up in the last year" etc etc - had to explain that we have lived here for 3 1/2yrs, but H is moving out, and I'm going to be "renting" from him so I've only been renting as of next weekend (as I'm not on the deeds on the mortgage).....think he finally understood after several attempts at explaining it

Yes I was rather shocked about EON and no automated system - mind you the Water (which I called afterwards) more than made up for it with 3 separate menus, each with 5 options! (and the council wasn't much better LOL).

I don't know if I'd have to pay anything to set up a new account with Virgin - but really can't be doing with the hassle.......it would mean a new phone number and I'm just "urghh" at what that would entail.

Not feeling too bad today - been busy so not really had much of a chance to think about it.

OP posts:
iheartdusty · 07/03/2008 20:25

FAQ, you are not counting on Housing Benefit to pay your 'rent' to exH, are you?

it can be done but it is far far more common for HB to be refused as the arrangement is thought to be a set up to take advantage of the HB system.

shelleylou · 07/03/2008 20:27

I bet it took several attempts to explain it to them, at least you got there in the end. They always phone back a few days later to confirm things will most likely be somebody different that rings you. Its always the way virgin are as bad when i phoned them earlier. You are right about virgin it might be more hassle that its worth, make it easy for yourself. Pleased that your ok. x

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 20:29

no I'm not counting on it don't worry - it would just be useful.- I'll be able to afford it regardless of whether I get the HB - if I qualify and they decide to pay it then it'll help - but not be essential to me being able to afford it.

and if in the long run I can't afford it, then H will have to sell the house and I will be evicted (by the bank) and then I'll be homeless and wanting a council house and HB .

OP posts:
iheartdusty · 07/03/2008 20:32

OK, hope it all works out well

Original poster
FAQ · 07/03/2008 20:39

Thanks - only applying as H and I have drawn up a (proper) tenancy agreement whatsit - so I'll be "renting" whether the HB people like our reasons for it or not - and when IS asked what my housing status was going to be I told them. I'm not an owner, I'm not going to be a council tenant so it was just put through.

I'm not really bothered as long as I get my IS and they don't take too many months weeks about it

OP posts:
shelleylou · 07/03/2008 20:46

with any luck they will pay some towards your rent, can hope for you!!

shelleylou · 07/03/2008 20:48

In a way you are private renting so as long as he will accept dss and they are willing to pay some/all for your rent then your laughing. Hopefully they have it sorted in the next week or so

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