Rent / leaving accommodation / ESB question

MitchKoobski

• Leaving my accomodation early. Was sharing with two others.
• We paid for the month in advance (e.g. last friday of March, we pay for April)
• Told the two housemates I was leaving early due to lack of money (I cant afford to say and save for college next year).
• Agreement was until 1st August 2011.
• ESB is in my name atm. Next bill is due this coming Tuesday 26/4/2011
• I have no problems with losing my deposit. Landlord is entitled to it.

Informed the landlord last wednesday (13/4/2011) that I would be gone by the end of April, and as such wouldnt be paying rent for May. Housemates had agreed they would keep it themselves. Would have told him early as I could, but wanted to notify housemates first.

Talked to landlord today to remind him. Landlord now says housemates have told him they arent staying and are leaving in May. Landlord says he is expecting rent from me next friday, and then he'll consider May as the last month. I informed him that I told him already I was leaving, and I couldnt even pay it next week whatever the situation.

On top of that, once the ESB is taken on tuesday I'm taking ym name off and cancelling DD. So I said "Back into your name then?", him being the landlord n all. He said "No its not going back into my name!" and said he'd call me over the weekend.


What are my options here? Anyone I talk to is saying I don't owe any rent next week, but part of me is thinking I HAVE to due to some sort of 30 days notice thing. Do I owe him May months rent next friday, and who am I gonna put on this ESB account?

Any help appreciated.

Victor

You need to give written notice.

If you have a written lease to August, strictly speaking, you could be head to it. You landlord could come after you for a few months rent or whatever he is owed until he can fill the place. You are however, entitled to nominate a (reasonable) replacement. If the replacement is rejected, you can walk away and keep your deposit (assuming no damage and bills paid)

With the ESB, make sure it is paid up to date and tell the flat mates that they need it in their name if they want the connection kept open. You will need the account details to close your account.

Have you set up to divert your post? An Post have a forwarding service if necessary.

MitchKoobski

Thanks for the reply!

Landlord wants the other two housemates to find a replacement, so I can get my deposit from the replacement. His idea, not mine.
However flatmates have now turned around and decided they want to leave end of May and have told landlord this), but another ESB bill would not be generated until June.

ESB is being paid from my direct debit tomorrow up to date. Flat mates do not want it in their name, as they plan on leaving. This was when I said to him "Its going back into your name then I take it?" because he's the landlord and once everyones gone the account is his responsiblity.
All three of them are now denying their name on the ESB account and this is where my problem is coming from.

When I notified him I was leaving two weeks ago, he offered to try get the other two to leave so I could pick new flatmates. He and I got on well, and whenever he needed something he called me. Told him no matter what happened, I had to leave because I ran out of money. He accepted that.
Now hes telling me he wants rent for May from me on friday. Told him I dont have the money, which is the reason I told him I had to move out. He's now avoiding calling me or contacting me, and whenever I ring its "He's not here at the moment."

Don't have any post going to the house.

athtrasna

I don't think you can put anyone else's name on an ESB account, you can however close your account. Give them a call and see.

MitchKoobski

athtrasna wrote: »

I don't think you can put anyone else's name on an ESB account, you can however close your account. Give them a call and see.

Yeah I can close it and cancel my dd no problem, but because the ESB is registered to the address they'll want a name to replace mine I'm assuming.

Victor

You can talk to the ESB here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1349

In private if needs be.

prettygurrly

I'm with Bord Gais and this is their policy: if you want to close your electricity account you need someone to take it on or else the electricity is cut off entailing around 130 euro of reconnection fee. it is in your landlords interest to put the account in his name for this reason and activate a stop on the account until he has tenants to pay bills.

from the the moment you give your final reading as holder of the account, the landlord has 28 days to put his name on the account. if he doesn't you are technically liable for any electricity used in those 28 days before the electricity was cut off. not pleasant and you need to be aware of it. i'm currently trying to move and spoke to bord gais a couple of days ago. thankfully i have a landlady that will put the account into her name until she gets tenants. your landlord sounds naive and uninformed about having tenants.

MitchKoobski

Gave the landlord another chance, he still refused to take the ESB in his name. Said he didnt want to get caught for "4 or 5 odd days of ESB where anything could be used".
Couldnt believe it.

Rang them during the week anyway, got my name taken off and my dd cancelled. Girl on the phone was a great help. Once I told her I had left the accomodation and paid the final ESB bill from last week, she asked for the landlords name and number and they said they'd deal with it.

prettygurrly

MitchKoobski wrote: »

she asked for the landlords name and number and they said they'd deal with it.

be REALLY careful here. as far as bord gais goes they will write to the landlord and inform them of what i said in my previous post but again he DOESN'T have to put his name on the account and you will still be liable for the electricity used in the 28 day period from your last MPRN reading. dont know why ESB would be any different as the way companies deal with tenants is pretty similar across the board. make sure you get it in writing that you are not liable for the electricity if the account is not put into a new name until the electricity is cut off.

i trusted UPC a few years ago to "sort it". they came back 10 months later asking for 500 euro for a bill my housemates who i left behind and didn't particularly like didn't pay. the account was still in my name and it hadn't been sorted....different company but i learned a valuable lesson

MitchKoobski

I'm not liable for anything after I moved out. Asked about it, and they confirmed the day I left (the same day I took the reading), confirmed the reading and closed my account and cancelled my dd.

prettygurrly

hope it works out for you