Roommate Did A Runner

CptSternn

I was just curious, anyone know what can be done when the roommate in charge of all the bills and rent does a runner? Turns out the person in question hasn't been paying the bills for a couple months even though they were given money to pay said bills and has disappeared with our rent money as well as rent deposits.

djimi

Report it to the Gardai? They have stolen your money.

Corkbah

contact Gardai - and Landlord

tell them both of the situation, and come to an agreement with the landlord about the rent arrears - then contact the bills companies and make agreements to pay off the outstanding debts (they don't care if someone took the money and ran - a debt is owed and the named bill owner is responsible)

The_Morrigan

Who is named on the bills?

CptSternn

Here is the thing -

There were three people in the flat. Two were moving out so myself and another lad moved in last week. We were told by the remaining roommate that they were going travelling and would be back in the New Year. That is the roommate that was here the longest and has their name on everything.

Then the landlord which until now we had never met showed up today looking for the rent and the management company rang today as well in regards to outstanding utility bills.

Myself and the other lad here now have only been here for a week, but we are out our deposit plus now need €360 to keep the utilities on.

The_Morrigan

You are only there a week the utility companies can't hold you responsible for debt run up before you arrived.

Has the third roommate actually left or just gone on holidays?

Michael D Not Higgins

You've met the landlord now. What was his reaction to two people subletting the apartment? What did he say when you told him about the other tenant?

CptSternn

The_Morrigan wrote: »

You are only there a week the utility companies can't hold you responsible for debt run up before you arrived.

Has the third roommate actually left or just gone on holidays?

Well that's what we are still trying to determine. The roommate in questions phone is off, as is their significant other.

Neither have responded to emails from myself or the landlord today.

It could be they just forgot to pay the bills for the past couple of months, but I'm not holding my breath.

Corkbah

problem here is the landlord doesn't know how long you have been in the apartment.

you most certainly have been robbed and are not liable for the previous tenants bills - my guess is that the previous tenant decided to get his deposit back without telling the landlord.

I would suggest you contact threshold and the PRTB - to assist in resolving this issue - I'm guessing you don't have a rental agreement with the landlord ? any contract ?

so in essence you paid money to a guy who took your money and disappeared (probably emigrated or just travelling for a few months) … as I said earlier …goto the Gardai and get them involved.

CptSternn

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

You've met the landlord now. What was his reaction to two people subletting the apartment? What did he say when you told him about the other tenant?

He was surprised, but not too bothered. He had a look at the place and it's spotless so he was happy enough that everything was looking good.

At first he told me not to worry, as the tenant had been there for eight months prior and he had no problems with bills or anything else. Then he rang me back to tell me the last two payments bounced and he was unaware of that and would be trying to find said room mate himself and would let me know how it goes.

He was very nice about the whole thing and said we can stay there till the 15th of January, but then he would have to do up a new lease with us if we wanted to stay past that date.

At the end of the day since he was so sound and offered us that technically I am only out the deposit, but its still a months rent like. Never good to lose a months rent to a scammer.

The_Morrigan

CptSternn wrote: »

Well that's what we are still trying to determine. The roommate in questions phone is off, as is their significant other.

Neither have responded to emails from myself or the landlord today.

It could be they just forgot to pay the bills for the past couple of months, but I'm not holding my breath.

I went of to the states for six weeks and had my phone switched off to avoid roaming charges, there are valid reasons for having the phone off

However, you are only there a week so the landlord should be sorting out any mess that arose before you arrived with the previous tenants. You could take a meter reading and put the bills into your name now, start afresh.

Ray Palmer

The_Morrigan wrote: »

However, you are only there a week so the landlord should be sorting out any mess that arose before you arrived with the previous tenants. You could take a meter reading and put the bills into your name now, start afresh.

From what he said the LL had no knowledge of what was going on. His agreement is with the original tenants. The LL has no obligation to sort out the mess they have left behind to favour the two squatter as they are now.

The LL did none of this so it is not his responsibility.

CptSternn

Yeah, the LL is actually being quite sound by letting us stay for the month technically rent free. He didn't want to give us the boot on Christmas, especially since we moved in last week. It's a new flat, built a couple years ago, and the fact we have kept it pristine and clean he was happy enough.

I am going to pay the overdue utils as we can't live in the dark with no hot water. This gives us a month to find the AWOL roommate. If that person does not turn up, I will take the matter up with the Gardai. I never give cash, I always transfer money to bank accounts, so I have a record of all payments and have the persons real name. I don't know if that will get my money back but at least the Gardai will have something to go on sure.

But again, I am still hoping it's just a banking error that led to this and that the roommate is actually on hols and this is just a crazy mistake.

The_Morrigan

Ray Palmer wrote: »

From what he said the LL had no knowledge of what was going on. His agreement is with the original tenants. The LL has no obligation to sort out the mess they have left behind to favour the two squatter as they are now.

The LL did none of this so it is not his responsibility.

The original tenants have left Ray, it is the landlords responsibility to help sort this out.

Sleepy

CptSternn wrote: »

I am going to pay the overdue utils as we can't live in the dark with no hot water. This gives us a month to find the AWOL roommate. If that person does not turn up, I will take the matter up with the Gardai. I never give cash, I always transfer money to bank accounts, so I have a record of all payments and have the persons real name. I don't know if that will get my money back but at least the Gardai will have something to go on sure.

Don't settle the entire amounts with the utility companies as its not your debt and you're not likely to see it back.

A token payment of a tenner (in cash, paid in via the post office with no identifying details on the payment slip) will keep the light and heat on until things are sorted out properly. If you take a meter reading now, you can open a new account with that meter reading should you sign a lease with the landlord.

Ray Palmer

The_Morrigan wrote: »

The original tenants have left Ray, it is the landlords responsibility to help sort this out.

I know and they did so illegally combined with theft. The fact they used the LL property for their scam doesn't make it the LL responsibility to sort the new people out. He is doing so being nice but no way legally responsible.

The same as if somebody did the old multiple renting of a property they don't own. LL is not responsible, this is very similar

handlemaster

OP Dont pay the bills. You just transfer the bill into your name that's it.

Mrs OBumble

The_Morrigan wrote: »

However, you are only there a week so the landlord should be sorting out any mess that arose before you arrived with the previous tenants. You could take a meter reading and put the bills into your name now, start afresh.

This.

Your choices are to sign a lease with the landlord, or to run. The latter may or may not be legal, but given that you haven't signed lease, I'd lean toward legal, provided you pay the landlord for the time you were there.

You are not responsible for the previous tenants bills or rent.

spaceHopper

Hate to point this out but are you sure the other tenants are gone, maybe they went home for christmas and will be back in January looking for their room back?

The bill are the landlord's problem, if you weren't there and he had to rent it again he'd be paying them so it is very much is problem it was his tennant that ran them up not yours - don't pay.

petes

spaceHopper wrote: »

Hate to point this out but are you sure the other tenants are gone, maybe they went home for christmas and will be back in January looking for their room back?

I reckon they might notice all the other tenants stuff if they were coming back seeing as they are now occupying their rooms!

CptSternn

I rang the utility company and was completely honest and told them what I said here. They were very nice and setup an account for myself and turned on the utilities for me. They did not make us pay the previous tenants bills. The landlord as I said has decided to let us stay for a month for free, well he is keeping the previous tenants security deposit to cover the month, and he said to us that we will discuss a long term lease come mid January when this month is up (it was being rented from the 15th to the 15th).

I am out my deposit, a months rent, but other than that we have everything sorted. It's never good getting burned but it could have been much worse. I am on hols now but will be filing a report with the Gards in 10 days when I get back to Dublin. I figure they are already in the wind, a few extra days is not going to change anything, and more importantly if this does turn out to be some misunderstanding we can't say we didn't give them a chance to contact us.