Can the landlord dictate which utility companies the tenant must use?

[soheluk]

Hello Everyone,

 

I hope someone can answer my question. I rent my residential and commercial property from the same landlord. By law do I need the landlord’s permission to change my telephone supplier? At both places the telephone accounts are on my name and I pay for them by direct debit. When I had the lease for the commercial property(shop) 6 years ago the telephone supplier was BT and I switched to Talktalk a few years back. Same thing with the flat, when I moved in 5 years ago I brought my BT number with me but later switched to Talktalk. Received a letter from the landlord today and it reads:

 

“Dear Tenant

 

We are experiencing difficulties when people have left the property with suppliers of gas, electric and phone lines.

 

As you are aware no one should change supplier of any of these things without permission.

 

Gas supplier should be British Gas

Electric supplier should be EDF Energy

Phone supplier should be BT….”

 

Can the landlord tell me which utility supplier to use?

 

Thank you for reading the long post.

[Guest wino]

I don't know the leagalities if any of this, but I would think that if the tennant is the one paying the bills direct it would be up to the tennant to choose supplier.

[Esio Trot]

As a landlord I can understand directing tenants to use particular suppliers (companies like Southern Electric - if you use their Landlords Accounts - allow small amounts between tenancies (up to £2) to be written off. Saves masses of paperwork.

 

In view of the many hours I have had to spend on the phone to BG, I can't imagine why any landlord would put this company on their required list though.

 

The landlord cannot do this unless the tenant has agreed to this a a clause in the tenancy agreement. The Office of Fair Trading take the view that this is an unfair clause, but this their opinion and it has not been tested in a court of law.

 

Telecommunications contracts are different, as these are voluntary contracts. You don't have to have a landline or cable or satellite. Thus these are personal contracts, in which the landlord has no say.

 

I know of a property where the previous occupants did not terminate the landline, just took the phone itself. Squatters moved in, and plugged in a phone "just to see". In two weeks they had clocked up well over £1,000 in calls. I phoned the phone company the day after the squatters moved in but they would not cut the line as I was not the "subscriber". The phone company are now pursuing the previous occupants for the money!

[Monty2007]

I had this issue with our letting agent and eventually agreed with them that I could change to another supplier if I found one was cheaper, BUT had to change the utilities back to the original one before I left and provide documentation to support this. It is a reasonable request and should not inconvenience them, and benefit you.

[gemspan]

Hello there

 

Just another view on this. Perhaps he/she is saying this is what they should be at the moment. If they are different then contact them. I wouldnt imagine it would be a hassle for your landlord for you to change suppliers. I read it as they just want to be kept informed so that they can update their records. Perhaps people have changed and not paid their bills.

 

Just another slant on it. I suppose you wont know until you speak to them.

 

Good luck

Gemspan

[soheluk]

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

 

I think there's clause in the TAs, will have to read them again. Need to find them frst though :o , as it was more than five years ago . I only switched the telephone suppliers so hopefully the landlord will be OK with that as I'm an old tenant.

[NowSaveMoney]

I'm a landlord and my business also supplies discounted utilities, so I tend to prefer my tenants to use edited That way they get a discount, great service and all their utilities on one bill and I get an additional income stream.

 

As others have said, its difficult to enforce. I doubt a judge would agree its a breach of tenancy on its own. But most people seem to prefer the convenience of having the services arranged for them, so they don't mind, but some do and then I leave that up to them to arrange things

Edited October 31, 2008 by MARTIN3030
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[MrShed]

NSM - whilst your input is valued on the forum no doubt, can I suggest limiting it to threads that are still active and not 7 month old ones??

[Just4Let]

I have no problem in peolpe touting for business but this company above lately is doing my absolute skull in.

 

THREE times in as many weeks have I had 'pretend LL's' calling to introduce me to this company.

 

I don't want to know thanks.

(maybe I won't get any more calls now if I make it public)

[MrShed]

Doh I didnt even spot the shameless plug!

 

Reported.

[MARTIN3030]

NSM-please read the rules on posting.Your post edited-nothing personal to you or the link but users here can make judgements and find their own WITHOUT your links.