Friends housemate moving out early - lots of bill arrears including rent

[pinkpixie]

Please can someone help and give me some advice on this situation?

The basic overview is....

My friend Miss M was living in flat with her boyfriend, they moved in August 2007. In January they parted ways and he moved out.
As Miss M had a spare room and would need help paying bills etc my other friend Miss D moved in to share the flat with Miss M.
Miss D moved into the flat in February and as far as I am aware they have a joint agreement.

There was some confusion when she first moved in as to what bills needed how much money paid towards them, the final desision was that Miss M would ask her ex boyfriend to pay for the gas and electric for the time up until he left then Miss D would take over the share as from when she moved in.

Miss M still continued through to April to ask Miss D for the extra money for the electric bill but Miss D stood her ground as she had already paid for her share.

Back in November 2007 Miss M came into some money and so paid the whole years council tax (led to believe this was for Nov to Nov).

Now here come the good bit.......

Miss M house sat her mothers house for one week back at the end of April, 2 weeks later she was going on holiday for 2 weeks with her father. Miss M never went back to the flat at all during those 3 weeks running up to the holiday. Miss D trying to contact Miss M all this time as she wanted to know if everything was ok, but no replys came to the texts and calls.

Miss M has been back from holiday for 3 weeks and up until Monday this week has had no contact with anyone.

Miss D has been in constant contact with their landlord as it emmerged that Miss M owes 4 months rent arrears.

Monday this week she left a voicemail on Miss D's mobile phone stating that her mother will be paying for her rent arrears, the council tax has been paid from April until present and she going to be going back to the flat on Tues to start moving her things out.

Miss D rang the landlord who advised that he has receieved a letter from the council stating that Miss M is no longer living at the address.

This morning Miss D has been doing some tidying up at the flat and has come across a letter from the council demanding the council tax to be paid , also a letter underneath from a debt collection agency in regards to the unpaid electric bill. Both of these letters were underneath a newpaper. Miss D has never seen these before and they are both dated within the last week.

Miss M has been back to the flat and collected a few of her clothes and one chair. By the way it looks she also had those letters waiting downstairs when she arrived on Tues and opened them then left them underneath a newpaper for Miss D to find.

Miss M has'nt since been back to the flat or contacted Miss D or the landlord.

As you can imagine Miss D is very upset by all of this and is very scared that she is going to get any number of debt collection agencies knocking on her door and be evicted from the flat.

Please can you give me some help and advise to pass on to her?

Thank you in advance

[MrShed]

Whose name are the bills in? Miss D, Miss M, or both?

Can you confirm that Miss D signed a JOINT TENANCY with Miss M referenced to the landlord when she moved in? Will make a big difference.

[pinkpixie]

Hello, sorry for the slow reply...

Here is an update on the situation. All of the bills are in Miss M's name including the council tax. Also Miss D thinks they have a seperate tenancy agreement.

Since I made the original post Miss D has been in contact with Miss M's mother and she advised everything has been pais now up to date. Miss D sighed a breath of relief.

Then 3 days later the gas and electric company attempted to enter the flat whilst she was at work to place a pay as you go meter into the place.

The weren't successful in gaining entry to the flat but the did break the lock on the downstairs main front door. They have placed a pay as you go meter downstairs in the main lobby.

As it turns out, the gas and electric bill haven't been paid nor have they even been paid ever since Miss M started living in the flat!

Miss D was given a number for legal advise by the local citizens advise bureau and the guy she spoke to advised her in her situation its best to make a run for it!

Now what kind of advice is that?!

[MrShed]

Whose name are the bills in?