Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Hiya
bit of an odd one for you, my big sister lives in the middle flat of a converted house, its an odd setup, kinda like the landlord has taken two houses and shoved them together. She has had real problems with him due to heating and neighbours etc, and he arrived unannouced the other day to speak to her about the problems she has been having.

The subject turned to repairs (which he never does) and he suddenly came out with, (quote) "the meter for the flats is in your flat".
She asked did this mean all the electricity came off one meter and he went quiet and left. Is this not illegal? Will my sister (who puts everything on DD) get charged for 3 flats energy useage?

I'm sure that every property has to have its's own meter but I want to make sure before I go in guns blazing.

Also, he hasn't assigned the property above Our Sis an address (downstairs is 29, Sis is 29a but no one has got it on records..) she is concerned she is going to get a whacking great council tax bill as it doesn't seem that he has notified anyone the house is now flats! she had to tell the water board she was in a flat, and they actually arranged a visit to prove it!

She gets no benefits, is not working, pays full rent and single occupancy council tax. She is also very timid (I got the big mean sister gene).
any advice?

[bluebottle]

Re: Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

The landlord is heading for a court appearance if he isn't careful. Firstly, he is liable for all and any repairs that are connected with the structure of the building and utilities within the flat as well as any heating system and any electrical and gas appliances within the flat that he has installed or provided. The only repairs your sister would be liable for are making good any damage she causes. As far as the situation regarding the utility meters is concerned, yes, you are correct in that each flat should have its own meters for electricity and gas. As for the status of the tenancy, the landlord demises, not assigns, the building or a part thereof to a tenant to occupy and use for an agreed purpose, e.g. residential or business use. If the landlord has not obtained planning permission to convert the two houses into flats, he is in the brown and smelly stuff. I would strongly advise your sister to approach CAB and, possibly, her local authority about the problems she is experiencing with her landlord and also the matter of the utility meters.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

thank you BB will ring her and let her know

So far she has had to live with me for nearly a month as her heating stopped working all together in the middle of winter and "theres nothing wrong with it and I can't get there atm." the handle for her bedroom window has come off in her hand (he turned up over a month later and Dad had already fixed it as there are drug dealers in her area) and now, the meters are in her flat, and as far as she knows its all one meter!

[bluebottle]

Re: Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

Your sister needs to speak to her local authority and CAB asap, Puff. Has her scumbag landlord made her pay rent for the time she has been living with you? Tell her to keep a record and recover it from him. When she speaks to her local authority, she needs to speak to the Environmental Health Department, in respect of the heating, or lack of it, and the Planning Department in respect of the building and its compliance, or non-compliance, with planning law and building regulations.

[swifty]

Re: Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

Here's a thing! why doesn't she turn off the Electricity and gas off at the meters in her flat for a while and see what happens, if she doesn't here any complaints then the other flats must have their own supply.
OR 30 minutes after turning them off, approach her neighbours in the other flats to see if they are experiencing problems with gas and electric.

Simples!

[valeriej43]

Re: Sister has serious concerns, meters council tax etc..

I gasped when i read this,as i posted an almost identical thread earlier this year, same situation exactly, to a tee, get in touch with your local authority and tell them the situation,
The flat i posted about was my sons,he turned the gas off and lo and behold everyone elses went off,
This landlord is very wealthy,always abroad and he was getting around 1000 a month for three flats, , similiar situation with the window too,