Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Original poster

Ex owing money utilities

32 replies

drinkingwineoutofamug · 20/05/2022 12:26

I know this isn't relationship as such.
Long story short
Daughter splits with ex . All bills in ex name.
The ex hadn't paid bills so red letters start arriving.
Daughter contacts utilities companies and is told she must pay the amount as she lived in property at the time, even though her name wasn't on the account .
It's more than £600.
Is this right?
On bill ever paid was the rent. Property now in my daughters sole name

OP posts:
Alovelydayatlast · 20/05/2022 12:28

When I left exh he tried to send all bills my way as I was sole name on. I accepted 50% liability.. They chased exh for 50 %. Your dd did use the utilities so should do the same.

Thingsdogetbetter · 20/05/2022 12:33

That sounds like bollocks and them trying it on. Get her to go citizens advice immediately.

user77283749 · 20/05/2022 12:41

She should pay 50% if they both still live there.

They can chase the Ex for the remainder and if it ends up in court, he would get the CCJ on his record.

Original poster
drinkingwineoutofamug · 20/05/2022 18:00

Thank you will tell her to see citizen bureau people to see if they can help.

OP posts:
DenholmElliot · 20/05/2022 19:10

the thing is, if she doesn't pay it, they probably won't supply her

IncompleteSenten · 20/05/2022 19:15

They want her to pay but really, she is not legally liable for bills on an account that does not have her name on it.

My utility bill is in my name.
If I don't pay do you think they could successfully take my, say, son to court?

If an account is not in your name it is not your bill. She needs to say to them you need to follow that up with the account holder.

Not only should she not pay the bill, she should not accept liability for any part of it when talking to them.

I am not the account holder. You need to bill the account holder. Etc etc.

Holidayroundthecorner · 20/05/2022 22:57

I was told as another adult was on the council tax-proof he lived there and used the utilities also - he was actually liable...

Moser85 · 20/05/2022 23:03

I'm assuming she used the utilities too? so why not just come up with some kind of payment plan?

Isaidnoalready · 20/05/2022 23:06

She needs to send in a final meter reading and open her own account then take it from there they will have yo

Isaidnoalready · 20/05/2022 23:06

To discuss it like adults

IncompleteSenten · 21/05/2022 05:02

Holidayroundthecorner · 20/05/2022 22:57

I was told as another adult was on the council tax-proof he lived there and used the utilities also - he was actually liable...

Who told you that?

Original poster
drinkingwineoutofamug · 21/05/2022 06:50

Isaidnoalready · 20/05/2022 23:06

She needs to send in a final meter reading and open her own account then take it from there they will have yo

She did this and the red bills still came. British Gas who are the main culprits said no as she lived there at the time she is liable for the whole bill.
United utilities have been good. Council tax the same.

BG want all the outstanding balance for the dual supply. It's stressing her out.

This must happen all the time to both men and women so why are these big companies more sympathetic? I get they want their money but show some compassion ffs.

OP posts:
ResentfulLemon · 21/05/2022 07:39

If you use it, you're legally responsible for paying it as an adult. Not being named on a bill means nothing for utilities.

This is why not changing a supply from "The Occupier" doesn't wash in court as a reason not to pay.

If British Gas reamin unhelpful then get your daughter to speak to British Gas Trust (paid for by British Gas but not run by them). They can help people in energy debt (grants to pay off debt is normal), and the situation your daughter is in might qualify her for help.

IncompleteSenten · 21/05/2022 09:57

Surely, the occupier is used when nobody is an account holder. Eg when someone has just moved into a property.

I'm ridiculously invested in this because I'm so convinced I'm right that I've messaged someone I know who works for an energy company in a managerial role. 🤣

I'm going to be so embarrassed if she comes back and says nope mate, you're wrong☺️

ResentfulLemon · 21/05/2022 17:30

IncompleteSenten · 21/05/2022 09:57

Surely, the occupier is used when nobody is an account holder. Eg when someone has just moved into a property.

I'm ridiculously invested in this because I'm so convinced I'm right that I've messaged someone I know who works for an energy company in a managerial role. 🤣

I'm going to be so embarrassed if she comes back and says nope mate, you're wrong☺️

Somebody is always the account holder, but a fair few people don't declare that it's them so energy companies use "The Occupier" until they're notified of the customer's name.

Who ever is using the energy is responsible for paying for it whether they inform the energy company or not (and they will aggressively persue).

ResentfulLemon · 21/05/2022 17:31

Plus with standing charges even if the property is empty someone owns and is responsible for the property so they have to cover the standing charges to the property.

IncompleteSenten · 21/05/2022 17:34

I wasn't going to bump this cos I hate being wrong 🤣

But since you replied I have to admit she got back to me half an hour ago and said that they can take a resident of the property to court even if that person's name is not on the bill and it normally results in a compromise agreement.

Bad news for ops daughter but hopefully she can negotiate with them.

pinkpantsrock · 21/05/2022 20:16

gas/elec act state:

It's the occupier (or owner of the premises is vacate) that is liable for the bills in the absence of a contact.

So if her fella never had a contract and on flexi rate, she can be held liable.

If property is now in her sole name she 100% liable.

pinkpantsrock · 21/05/2022 20:17

She needs to ensure new account in her name from date solely liable and if she was never on the tenancy agreement before hand it's arguable if she's classed as 'occupier'

Isaidnoalready · 21/05/2022 20:24

New supplier?

Moser85 · 21/05/2022 20:25

This must happen all the time to both men and women so why are these big companies more sympathetic? I get they want their money but show some compassion ffs

Yes it does happen all the time, but most people would just pay it as they used the utilities, honestly never crossed my mind not to pay the bills when my ex moved out and to reset the balance to zero...as we had both used the utilities.

Break ups cost money unfortunately...and are incredibly common, of course they're not going to be overly sympathetic and compassionate, this is an incredibly common thing to happen, people would be getting bills written off all the time if that circumstance was allowed to be used as criteria for when they could use their discretion to show some 'compassion'.

Surely she can just come to a payment pan with them, that would be the extent of the compassion they would show, but they are not going to write off the bills just because of a break up!

ivykaty44 · 21/05/2022 20:45

British Gas who are the main culprits said no as she lived there at the time she is liable for the whole bill

data protection means that British Gas should not be talking to her about a bill for utilities in someone else's name....

I bet if she rang up BG and asked to speak to them about her next door neighbours utility bill they wouldn't allow it under data protection - and they shouldn't be with this as the bill is not under her name and regardless of her living in the property has nothing to do with her.

I would seek advice,

If she has a forwarding address for this person - give it to British Gas

Moser85 · 22/05/2022 17:55

@ivykaty44
Companies are generally strict about that so maybe she's down as an authorised contact.

Or could it be a case of her contacting them to put the bills in her name and they asked when she moved in and then she said she's lived there for months/years/whatever it is, therefore admitting to using the utility?

SolasAnla · 22/05/2022 18:15

pinkpantsrock · 21/05/2022 20:16

gas/elec act state:

It's the occupier (or owner of the premises is vacate) that is liable for the bills in the absence of a contact.

So if her fella never had a contract and on flexi rate, she can be held liable.

If property is now in her sole name she 100% liable.

in the absence of a contact.

Except in this instance the ex has apparently foolishly remained in contract.

If in that instance the contractual obligation would make the ex liable for the bills the OP's DD has run up since the split.

If the ex has closed out the account then the DD would be the occupier.

The DD needs to contact the ex and between themselves resolve the outstanding utilities. If DD benefited from the utility why should she not contribute towards the cost.

pinkpantsrock · 22/05/2022 18:30

If he's moved out and was in contract. They would break the contract by processing a change of occupier and back dating it to that date she solely became liable. Then she would have account in her sole name moving forwards