Hi dx100uk, I have been paying using my debit card to make ad hoc payments, I had to cancel the direct debit when I got into financial trouble as I am in receipt of Universal Credit due to illness. I have logged in to my account but the balance currently says zero, so not sure what's going on. I am assuming if they were going to cut my electricity supply off they would at least give some notice? TenantJustice

Hi unclebulgaria67, Thanks for responding. What if I don't top up anything on the smart meter and keep to my ad hoc payments which chip away at the debt? Would they look to cut my electricity supply off and could they do that knowing I am on Universal Credit and not well? I have logged into my account and I see that my gas account has not been switched over to smart meter and that I can book an appointment to have that done if I want, I think I will avoid that for now. TenantJustice

Hi, I have been trying to keep up with utility payments for some time now but I have just received a text message informing me that British Gas are moving me over to Smart Pay As You Go. I am assuming they are doing this because I have a debt with them that I am slowly paying off. I am now worried as I don't know if this means they will demand the full payment and if I don't pay they will add the outstanding balance, as I have been paying quarterly, to some kind of debt on the pay as you go system which means I will need to pay it all off in one go or they will cut my electricity supply off. Can they do that? I am really unhappy about the way they have treated me. I am in receipt of Universal Credit due to illness which they know. I am really worried now if they can cut the electricity if I don't pay the full amount. I am assuming that they will also be switching me over to Pay As You Go with my gas, although I haven't heard anything at the moment. I recently had an issue with my landlord and posted about it on this platform and the helpers on this platform were brilliant. I'm sorry to ask again for help but I just don't know what to do. I would be really grateful if anyone has any advice. TenantJustice

Hello, Thank you to everyone who has contributed. As far as I can tell it seems that any insurance company seeking to enforce a rent payment from a tenant, after issuing a payment of claim to a landlord, has the same powers as any other debt collector. Therefore they can send letters and emails, make phone calls and even visit my property but they have no right of entry. I wanted to understand what their powers are and now I think I do. Life is already difficult enough in Britain if you are a tenant and forced to live in rented property, and things are getting worse not better. Property prices in this country mean I will probably always have to rent and now that 80-90% of all landlords use letting agencies it seems that these agencies have now managed to attain a position of great power, where they can impose all sorts of conditions on tenants and make our lives a misery while the law sits idle. This should never have been allowed to happen and something needs to change. Letting agencies operate in a cartel manner nowadays and they all collude to create new rules every year so they all operate in the same capacity. The banning of letting agency fees simply meant landlords increased their rents to cover the costs. However, it was worse than that as most landlords saw the ban as an opportunity to make even more money and increase their rents much higher than simply covering costs of the letting fees for letting agents. The whole property rental market is rigged and corrupt. Thank you again for all your help and advice, I am very grateful to you all. TenantJustice

Hello 45002, Yes I said that the landlord's name is both on the tenancy agreement, if that's what you mean by TA, and on the S21 Notice. I am worried about the insurance company and what powers they have to enforce a potential non-payment of rent. I just checked the tenancy agreement, apologies I think I misinterpreted what you were asking. The agreement says I have to pay my rent to the landlord's agent, in this case the letting agency. TenantJustice

Hi Ethel, Thanks for explaining this, I'm very grateful. Can I assume that the insurance company in pursuit of alleged rental arrears can only pursue their action within the same legal framework as if the landlord was doing it by himself? So the insurance company has to comply with the serving of a Section 21 then apply to the court for a Possession Order etc? TenantJustice

Hey Andy, Yes I have visited this website before in my bid to understand what powers it gives the insurance company. I see this is sold to many landlords now especially landlords who have bought to let. However, while there is plenty of information in relation to the advantages for landlords there is very little information for tenants as regards what the insurance policy means in practice for the tenant. Thank you guys also for the previous responses, all noted. TenantJustice

Hi, Thanks for the responses again. the fact that the letting agency has told me that if I get into arrears and don't pay rent after one month has lapsed the insurance my landlord has taken out is activated and then they have told me that's the point at which the insurance company will start chasing me for payments, but I don't have to deal with them right? And they have no right to enter my property no? TenantJustice

Hello 45002, Yes it's my landlord that is named on both the tenancy agreement and the S21 Notice. TenantJustice

Hi Stu, Thanks for responding. 1. Assured Shorthold in England 2. It started last June 3. It is via a letting agency 4. The letting agency sent the s21 and I have checked with Shelter who say it's valid 5. I am not in rent arrears Tenant Justice

Hello, Right so to put this in perspective I must use a Hotmail account as my email address, I must not use a VPN at all because according to you they provide no security when of course that is categorically not true and protect millions of people across the world on a daily basis, and I'm also not allowed any form of anonymity and then I can use this platform? TenantJustice

Hello, I have received a private message stating the reason I am not allowed to post is that I am using a VPN. Apparently I am not allowed anonymity to use this site. What an absolute disgrace. In this increasingly insecure and very controlled digital world it is vital that VPN's are allowed. You guys need to sort yourselves out and stop being hypersensitive to legitimate security software, which is designed to protect all of us. TenantJustice

Hello, Once again I am having trouble posting. I managed to post here last night and DX100uk provided me with a very helpful response which I had intended to reply to. But now the comments and my post have gone. What is going on? TenantJustice

Hello, I would like to know what powers an insurance company has in relation to collecting rent payments. I won't go into all the details on here but I have been served a S.21 Notice despite being an excellent tenant with an impeccable rent payment record and completely looking after the property to the highest possible standard. Between the landlord and the letting agency they are being very unreasonable and totally inflexible as regards renewal of my tenancy. They have imposed completely impossible new conditions, contrary to the tenancy agreement itself, and so because I am not in a position to comply with these new conditions they have served the S.21 Notice and now I need to get out of my home. I have spoken to the charity Shelter and they have been great, so I know the general process which the letting agency will go through and I know my rights. However, can I please ask if anyone knows what rights an insurance company has which the landlord has used to collect rent from me? He has used an insurance company that protects his rent payments and they can start the process of contacting me to collect rent if I don't pay. Does anyone know what remit these rent collectors have and can they demand to enter my property? Any help would be really appreciated. This has all come at the worst possible time as I am unwell. Thanks Tenant Justice

Hi, Can you see my message? I'm having trouble posting my own topic it says I have tried too many times but I am only trying to post one new topic regarding a similar situation like yours, I don't understand! TenantJustice