hallicks Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 Sounds extremely fishy. Was heating/energy bills part of the rent? Is there anything in the contract about charging for extra energy usage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 26 minutes ago, hallicks said: Sounds extremely fishy. Was heating/energy bills part of the rent? Is there anything in the contract about charging for extra energy usage? Here's the email tbh, not arsed what details you see. There has been a delay as we needed to double-check energy prices with the energy company and organise bills for your reference.  We have decided not to charge anything to repaint the room and reinstate it.  You moved into Room 1, INSERT ADDRESS on 01/07/2021 and the tenancy ended on 15/01/2024.  We took meter readings on 23/08/2021 and then on 02/01/2024 and there was an overuse of £7341.72 during this period. There were a total of 863 days between meter readings. We also have not charged for July/August 2021 and January 2024. This is nearly more than two months of energy overuse that we will waive.  The overuse divided between 7 people is £8.51 per day and a total of £1048.82 per person for the period of occupation.   After we deduct the deposit towards this bill. there is still £653.82 left owing. Can you please make the refund for energy overuse today into the following account: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Gus Mears Posted February 8 Paid Members Share Posted February 8 I am fortunate to have bought a place a couple of years ago thanks to my lifelong bachelor great uncle and my dad popping their clogs within a fortnight of one another and me inheriting enough for a deposit (that something like that can be deemed 'fortunate' in any capacity is insane). Still getting whiplash from cunt former landlords even in the land of milk, honey and equity. I'm getting hounded by a debt collection agency for a £33 gas bill for a property I haven't lived in for 3 years for a period after I had moved. The letting agency have deleted the end of tenancy emails and the landlord is basically refusing to send me any correspondence proving that I had moved out for the period in question over 33 fucking quid. This bloke owns about 10 properties so must be well hard up and I know this is his standard way of doing things because he joked about a similar circumstance when I moved into the place and he was refusing to settle up a bill in a period when it was his responsibility then. Isn't his details being referred to credit reference agencies is it? The utter cunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 What do they mean by overuse? Â What was in your tenancy contract in terms of energy being included? Also, it's been a while since I rented but isn't your deposit with the tenancy deposit scheme? Under that both parties have to agree on the division of the deposit at the end of the tenancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted February 8 Author Share Posted February 8 1 minute ago, Loki said: Also, it's been a while since I rented but isn't your deposit with the tenancy deposit scheme? Under that both parties have to agree on the division of the deposit at the end of the tenancy. Should be and very, very rarely can they keep any of it due to utilities owed, unless explicitly stated, so unless anyone sees the tenancy agreement, then it's all guess work. @Chili either go to CAB or one of the debt agency charities to get some proper, legal advice. On the note of debt agencies, one of these pricks chased me for ages for a debt of my Mums from years ago. I looked up their directors on LinkedIn, and copied them all in to one final email and asked which one wanted to appear on a BBC Radio programme about chasing people for debts during a pandemic with me and give their side of the story. The fucking cunts shit their pants and emailed me that the file was closed after 3 years of chasing. There was no radio show. Suck your Mum Marston Holdings. Parasites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rule One Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 @Chili https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/what-your-landlord-can-charge-for-energy/#:~:text=If you've been overcharged As hard as it sounds, please don't panic over this. The link above gives a brief run over of things you can check/look into. It would be best consulting CAB or advice service but don't pay them anything until you really have to. Let them chase you and don't waste energy entertaining their bullshit. It's best to look through your tenancy agreement to see if there's any clauses you've agreed to. If you don't have one see if you can get a copy from another tenant or request it directly from the company/person, they technically can't refuse it and the burden of proof is on them. The e-mail you posted sounds suspect on their terms, I don't understand why they wouldn't have had the meter read every year which makes me believe that they haven't done what they're supposed to and are trying to charge you/others for their mistakes/negligence. It pretty much comes down to what's written in your tenancy agreement, if you do have a copy read it thoroughly. I hope it works in your favour and please take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members FLips Posted February 8 Paid Members Share Posted February 8 One thing to check as well is to make sure the landlord checks the meter readings are correct. Some suppliers, in my experience British Gas, absolutely love to just send you huge bills for energy you didn’t use, especially if you don’t have a smart meter. I had BG sending me cheques in the post for overpayments for months because they kept fucking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted February 8 Paid Members Share Posted February 8 2 hours ago, FLips said: One thing to check as well is to make sure the landlord checks the meter readings are correct. Some suppliers, in my experience British Gas, absolutely love to just send you huge bills for energy you didn’t use, especially if you don’t have a smart meter. Octopus tried to charge me £2300 last year at the end of the summer. The stupid fuckers were still estimating that we were still using the same amount of gas in the middle of August that we were in January. When I did the meter readings it went down to £105. They'll try anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members chokeout Posted February 8 Paid Members Share Posted February 8 (edited) @Chili I worked in comms in social housing for years. Couple of things  First thing. Its an unfair deduction from your deposit. Its not for them to just take from it and the is specifically for the property, NOT bills. I'm not sure what tenancy you're on, if it's fixed or a HMO but your deposit should be protected. Any deductions from it can and should be disputed. It would be rejected by any of the deposit schemes. If the deposit isn't protected then they've messed up and you can claim up to 3 times your deposit in compensation (depending on your tenancy type) They mention not charging you to redecorate. That's because they can't because its classed as betterment. A polite reply for even mentioning that should be to fuck right off. It will come down to the wording on your contract which should include what they consider fair usage and any caps and how bills are paid but I'm happy to look at it for you. Edit: If they are chasing then the bill, I'm assuming it's in their name and bills are included. It would be for them to chase you through a ccj and prove you owe the money. Edited February 8 by chokeout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) 14 minutes ago, chokeout said: @Chili I worked in comms in social housing for years. Couple of things  First thing. Its an unfair deduction from your deposit. Its not for them to just take from it and the is specifically for the property, NOT bills. I'm not sure what tenancy you're on, if it's fixed or a HMO but your deposit should be protected. Any deductions from it can and should be disputed. It would be rejected by any of the deposit schemes. If the deposit isn't protected then they've messed up and you can claim up to 3 times your deposit in compensation (depending on your tenancy type) They mention not charging you to redecorate. That's because they can't because its classed as betterment. A polite reply for even mentioning that should be to fuck right off. It will come down to the wording on your contract which should include what they consider fair usage and any caps and how bills are paid but I'm happy to look at it for you. We're pals off here and I don't know how on earth to upload pics here. Can I DM you on the socials?  Edit: realised I could have DM'd you that message on here privately. It's been a busy morning everyone. Sorry, also thank you for all your advice here, I hate sounding thick but it's a new situation for me this one. Edited February 8 by Chili Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members chokeout Posted February 8 Paid Members Share Posted February 8 Chuck me a message on Facebook and we'll see what we can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 @Chili if you still have access to the property, take some photos of the meters if you can. And you did the right thing by posting it here, the bastard landlords are relying on you not knowing what your rights are.  Fuck em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapnut Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 2 hours ago, chokeout said: If the deposit isn't protected then they've messed up and you can claim up to 3 times your deposit in compensation (depending on your tenancy type) This happened to me about 7 years ago. It went through the courts and I was awarded £2,600 in compensation, but the shower of cunts immediately liquidated the company and I’ve not seen a penny of it. To rub salt in the wound, the company were still active on Facebook at least a year later when I contacted them under a fake name. I still occasionally spend the odd afternoon googling any way to get the money, but at this point I’d accept their houses simply burning down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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