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Bill issue

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  • 01-02-2016 1:30pm
    #1
    remembering
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭


    Hi all
    Quick question thanks:
    I shared with another person. Both our names were on a utility bill. We both moved out last week. Bill arrived with just my name on it. Rang up to query and they said she got her name removed from bill recently and put me as main a/c holder. Should she have been allowed to do this without my consent? This means I'm now liable for full bill? Thanks


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    #2
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 29,364 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Have you approached the other person and said "hey, I've got the last bill for when we lived together, you owe me half"?


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    #3
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    Ask her for her share, if she won't pay you can take it to Small Claims Court.


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    #4
    whippet
    Registered Users Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭whippet


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    Ask her for her share, if she won't pay you can take it to Small Claims Court.

    can you elaborate on this a bit further?

    Since when can you use the SCC to settle a debt between friends / housemates / colleagues?


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    #5
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    whippet wrote: »
    can you elaborate on this a bit further?

    Since when can you use the SCC to settle a debt between friends / housemates / colleagues?

    You're right sorry, only for consumers/businesses. I think it works differently here in the UK.

    Edit: might be worth talking to the landlord about return of the deposit if you haven't gotten it back yet. You could deduct part of her deposit to cover her share.


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    #6
    remembering
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭remembering


    remembering wrote: »
    Hi all
    Quick question thanks:
    I shared with another person. Both our names were on a utility bill. We both moved out last week. Bill arrived with just my name on it. Rang up to query and they said she got her name removed from bill recently and put me as main a/c holder. Should she have been allowed to do this without my consent? This means I'm now liable for full bill? Thanks

    Thanks for replies. She moved out a few days after me. Have an idea where she works .

    What I really want to know is should she have been allowed to ring up and just get her name removed without my consent? Thanks


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    #7
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 29,364 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    remembering wrote: »
    Thanks for replies. She moved out a few days after me. Have an idea where she works .

    What I really want to know is should she have been allowed to ring up and just get her name removed without my consent? Thanks
    I'd imagine you'd be better off addressing that question to the utility company in question.


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    #8
    remembering
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭remembering


    HeidiHeidi wrote: »
    I'd imagine you'd be better off addressing that question to the utility company in question.

    I did but they fobbed me off by saying I need to speak to her. Not their problem


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    #9
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    You'd be jointly and severally responsible regardless so you're effectively in the same situation as if she was on it, only the company will only deal with you.


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    #10
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    remembering wrote: »
    I did but they fobbed me off by saying I need to speak to her. Not their problem

    What are you hoping to get out of this? Do you expect your old housemate won't pay her share?

    Even if the account was still in both your names, you would be jointly and severally liable and as such they could still pursue you for the whole outstanding balance.


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    #11
    remembering
    Registered Users Posts: 258 ✭✭remembering


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    What are you hoping to get out of this? Do you expect your old housemate won't pay her share?

    Even if the account was still in both your names, you would be jointly and severally liable and as such they could still pursue you for the whole outstanding balance.

    I'm not hoping to get anything out of it. I know she's gone and will not pay her share. I just think it's very unfair I now have to pay the entire bill as it's in my name.


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    #12
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    remembering wrote: »
    I'm not hoping to get anything out of it. I know she's gone and will not pay her share. I just think it's very unfair I now have to pay the entire bill as it's in my name.

    Did you get your deposit back from the landlord already or is that long gone?


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    #13
    emeldc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,597 ✭✭✭emeldc


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    What are you hoping to get out of this? Do you expect your old housemate won't pay her share?

    Even if the account was still in both your names, you would be jointly and severally liable and as such they could still pursue you for the whole outstanding balance.

    I never quite understood that. How can one name on the account be more liable than the other?


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    #14
    emeldc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,597 ✭✭✭emeldc


    remembering wrote: »
    Hi all
    Quick question thanks:
    I shared with another person. Both our names were on a utility bill. We both moved out last week. Bill arrived with just my name on it. Rang up to query and they said she got her name removed from bill recently and put me as main a/c holder. Should she have been allowed to do this without my consent? This means I'm now liable for full bill? Thanks

    OP, this is what I think should have happened. As it was a joint account the details should not have been altered without written permission from both. In the absence of that, a final bill should have been issued to both of you and a new account opened in your name only. Explain this to the utility company. There is no way I would pay her share. Offer to pay your own share and no more. IMO the utility company has screwed up here. It wouldn't be Airtricity by any chance?


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    #15
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    emeldc wrote: »
    I never quite understood that. How can one name on the account be more liable than the other?
    emeldc wrote: »
    OP, this is what I think should have happened. As it was a joint account the details should not have been altered without written permission from both. In the absence of that, a final bill should have been issued to both of you and a new account opened in your name only. Explain this to the utility company. There is no way I would pay her share. Offer to pay your own share and no more. IMO the utility company has screwed up here. It wouldn't be Airtricity by any chance?

    One names isn't more liable, it's jointly and severally liable, meaning that all parties are individually and jointly on the hook for the cost. If one party isn't paying they have full legal authority to chase the other for the total amount.

    Even if they issued a final bill in both names and opened a new account with the OP's name, they could still chase the OP for the full balance of the final bill of the old account.


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    #16
    TheChizler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭TheChizler


    remembering wrote: »
    I'm not hoping to get anything out of it. I know she's gone and will not pay her share. I just think it's very unfair I now have to pay the entire bill as it's in my name.
    HeidiHeidi wrote: »
    Have you approached the other person and said "hey, I've got the last bill for when we lived together, you owe me half"?

    So have you done this?


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    #17
    emeldc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,597 ✭✭✭emeldc


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    One names isn't more liable, it's jointly and severally liable, meaning that all parties are individually and jointly on the hook for the cost. If one party isn't paying they have full legal authority to chase the other for the total amount.

    Even if they issued a final bill in both names and opened a new account with the OP's name, they could still chase the OP for the full balance of the final bill of the old account.

    Which surely make that person more liable. If your housemate took their name off the utility bill without your knowledge, would you pay his share. I'm fuggin' sure I wouldn't. Sure that would be a great stroke for anyone on joint accounts. Just ring up and take your name off the bill and leg it. IMO the utility are in the wrong. They shouldn't have changed the details on the account without informing the other party.


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    #18
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    emeldc wrote: »
    Which surely make that person more liable. If your housemate took their name off the utility bill without your knowledge, would you pay his share. I'm fuggin' sure I wouldn't. Sure that would be a great stroke for anyone on joint accounts. Just ring up and take your name off the bill and leg it. IMO the utility are in the wrong. They shouldn't have changed the details on the account without informing the other party.

    How does it make them more liable? I'm talking about the situation where both names are on the account, not OP's situation. The company just wants to be paid its debt. They don't care what proportion the account holders owe and it shouldn't be up to them to chase multiple account owners for varying liabilities. As such, contract law allows them to chase multiple account owners as one who are jointly and severally liable.

    Sure changing the account without all account holders agreement means they're in the wrong. Sure you can complain about it. Let's say they agree and put her name back on the account and re-issue the final bill. It won't stop the bill needing to be paid. It probably won't stop the other woman ignoring it and it will still fall to the OP to pay it and chase her for her proportion.


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