Q: I ask advice on behalf of someone I try to help.
They were moved to temporary accommodation in the city, but are a private landlord (? something I already understood) .
They receive full housing benefit and on the flat almost 3mths.
Yesterday they received a water bill for ￡ 147, which they read as threatening, for 6mths water charges.
No one seems to be helping them (Council / landlord) provided that if they have to actually pay.
Theyve asked for my help and bring the letter to me this afternoon m at.
I “See also drawing a blank, so thought I would ask to here.
I can not imagine that the letter was threatening (they tell me say along the lines of the baliffs is sent), because they will be first out of the water on board, but I do not see it myself. I know that the baliffs can not be sent round to a trial has taken place, so I wonder if it was designed for a previous Tennant? Although it is addressed to them.
Any ideas advice would be grateful.
Thanks
LL
Has she said who she signed a tenancy/licence agreement from?
Can she have a look at her agreement, to find out if it is a licence or tenancy agreement. Temp is usually a licence (unless B&B), if so it would be more likely that the council/landlord are responsible for the water charges.
Do you know if she has to pay any 'top-up' as this could indicate that there is a service charge due which may include water charges.
From my experience of placing people into temp, we either use hostels (licence with the hostel itself), B&B (homeless team would be the agents, so service charge incl water would be payable to homeless team) or dispersed units like flats, owned by the council/homeless team (licence with the council/homeless team as landlord, service charge incl water payable to the council/homeless team). As temp can often be quite short term, the likelihood would be that the water charges are payable by the council via a service charge. It would either go to the private landlord from the council or they would pay it themselves. Other utilities like gas and electric vary as often they have card meters, so the tenant would be given a card to top up themselves.
In this instance, from what the landlord appears to have said, there is a service charge payable by the tenant to the council and they forward the money onto the landlord who pays the water board. Though it is strange that the letters from the water company are being addressed to her.
She should have a named keyworker or officer who she has to liaise with regarding the temp and she should contact them asap. Arrange for them to visit, or if they won't go to their office armed with the letters she has received so far. Are you able to go with her? If she is really stressed she may get fobbed off, but if someone who has some knowledge comes with her, it would probably really help.
If you find out the answers to the above questions, can you post them and I will have a look at this thread later.
Either the council is leasing the property from a private landlord and so your friend's tenancy is with the council or the council has acted like an agent and found tenants for the private landlord, in which case the tenancy would be between your friend and the landlord.
Yesterday they received a water bill for £147, which they read as being threatening, for 6mths water charges.
contact the water company and give them the date you moved in, they should then send you an appropriate bill. It will probably be that no-one has informed them that a new tennancy has started.
I would advise that they get onto the company and advise them of when they moved in. Send evidence if required. Then at least it would be pro-ratad.
Hopefully someone will be along soon that has more understanding of HB.