Bills in man's name

[Jan49]

Has anyone else come across this? Amongst people I know, one single elderly female has her phone bill in her father's name even though he's been dead for 40 years. It appears that she kept the phone number after moving house and has never changed the name to hers. Another elderly female friend has her phone bill in her late father's name. He died years ago and she lived with her mum so it should have been changed to her mum's name and then eventually to my friend's name. I can't figure out how that's even possible as companies often won't speak to anyone but the named person and ask lots of security questions. When I've dealt with a death in the family, changing the names on things like gas bills is one of the things I'd expect to do within months.

The people I've mentioned are elderly but I also realised not long ago that during the years I lived with my partner/husband (now divorced), the bills I'd set up for things like utilities were in joint names and the ones he'd set up were in his sole name. I thought at first it reflected him feeling very negatively towards me in the few years before we split up, but I still had bills relating to previous properties we'd lived in and he'd done the same at those! Why? We're both in our 50s. Do couples usually have utility bills in joint names? I'm just wondering how my mindset is different from my ex's so that when he was phoning and asked what name he just gave his own, whereas I gave both our names as joint owners and would never think of just giving my own name.

[5madthings]

Most of ours are in joint names and it wasnt a problem at all to set them up like that.

[AmandaPayneAteTooMuchChocolate]

Many companies I have dealt with want one name, not more. We have a mixture. Gas and electric is DHs sole name as he did them. Council tax is mine. Bank accounts are both.

[grumpyinthemorning]

All the bills are in my name, as is the house, because it was mine before we got together. DP jokes about being a kept man! Does make it easier to deal with utility companies though, since I'm the one at home.

[KirstyJC]

I bought my last house alone and then when DH moved in and I informed the Council that I was no longer the sole resident so wasn't eligible for the 25% discount, they changed the bill to his name. Even though it was still my house and my account that paid the bills. No amount of complaining made them change this, and they wouldn't even speak to me about it as I wasn't on the bill....

Since moving to this house, most of the bills have either joint names or are in my name because it was me that set them up. Council tax still only has his name though!

[samandi]

I'd imagine most couples have bills in joint names. It can be difficult if you don't have any ID with your address on it. Although council tax bills always would have, I suppose.

[MiniTheMinx]

I have never married and have my own name Obv. All my bills are in DPs name [sweetly]

Actually I am no use with bill paying or anything really practical so he deals with it. I hate spending money and would probably end up in court for unpaid gas/elec.