My old housemates owe me dosh... how do I get it?

[unreal]

Sounds like a ridiculously elementary question but obviously there's a bit of substance to my situation!

In basic, I lived with two other people in my Uni house from Sept '09 till July '10 and these were super super stubborn people - I'd hate to live with them ever again. They always fought with one another (they were also a couple) and always fell out with other people, as well as having generally selfish behaviour even if they didn't know it. Thing is they were simultaneously really nice people which is why I got to live with them in the first place!


SO anyhow - I handed the broadband & telephone line bill, and preferred to get the money from them after I paid for it all due to it cancelling at a random month after we go etc. It's not too huge collectively of a bill to pay for. However I was pretty much in a position where I had to sort out the combined electric & gas bill because they were so sluggish to pay so I had to sort of find ways to postpone paying etc. Then I was deffo left with responsibility after I was the last tenant to leave the house.

I left on v good terms with them and I think in total, gas, electric, broadband and telephone line bill came to something slightly beyond £1000, which I had to pay for myself because I couldn't get their money within the time limit. I've recieved 80% of my money from one guy, but the girl hasn't paid anything and has always failed to pay whenever I bug her, saying she'll get her dad to do it (as her dad pays for everything she does, from Uni to car etc). Now she hasn't texted me back since 2nd Sept after all mine, and I called her today where she didn't pick up. I know she won't call me back too. I don't see any reason for this behaviour and I don't think she won't pay me, but I hope I won't be forced into a situation where I have to go to small claims court or something. The other guy doesn't really communicate any more despite my best efforts and doesn't reply either when I ask about the remaining amount.

It's taken this long because I can't be very aggressive with them, as they are quick to infuriate and switch attitudes to their friends. Luckily I've virtually just brought my money out of the overdraft zone but I'm still roughly £600 short.

Anyone got any advice? Any tips or anything to help me out here? You lot are a wise breed of (mostly) men, I'm grateful for any words. Cheers!

[oolon]

Its pretty difficult if your name is on the bill you are legally responsible for it not them. As you don't have a written agreement to share you could go to small claims and lose. Which is why with house mates you should not pay there bills before you have yours in. Preferably go for the smaller fixed cost ones. You have things like a a break down of the calls she has made before the bills she has previously paid with break down to show there was an agreement in place to formally pay rather then her giving you informal payments to help out. etc. Prove what share of the bill was directly because of her use. If she will not pay you have the threaten with small claims court (little other options), even with that she may not pay, then you will have to get an enforcement notice etc! It could cost you alot more to get it paid. So its a gamble, if you going to do it you have to stick with it, or you let the free loading ***** get away with it. (I have had house makes like this)

[jim]

Do you have any paper records that they used to pay you for the bills?

Maybe bank transfers, cheques, agreements, even regular cash being paid into your bank account? I suspect that could be very useful in small claims in the absence of any signed documentation.

As you can tell from the above, I suspect that you'll struggle to get your money back through normal methods. Bit of a risk, but is there any chance you could go directly to her dad?

[petercook7]

Sounds like a ridiculously elementary question but obviously there's a bit of substance to my situation!

In basic, I lived with two other people in my Uni house from Sept '09 till July '10 and these were super super stubborn people - I'd hate to live with them ever again. They always fought with one another (they were also a couple) and always fell out with other people, as well as having generally selfish behaviour even if they didn't know it. Thing is they were simultaneously really nice people which is why I got to live with them in the first place!


SO anyhow - I handed the broadband & telephone line bill, and preferred to get the money from them after I paid for it all due to it cancelling at a random month after we go etc. It's not too huge collectively of a bill to pay for. However I was pretty much in a position where I had to sort out the combined electric & gas bill because they were so sluggish to pay so I had to sort of find ways to postpone paying etc. Then I was deffo left with responsibility after I was the last tenant to leave the house.

I left on v good terms with them and I think in total, gas, electric, broadband and telephone line bill came to something slightly beyond £1000, which I had to pay for myself because I couldn't get their money within the time limit. I've recieved 80% of my money from one guy, but the girl hasn't paid anything and has always failed to pay whenever I bug her, saying she'll get her dad to do it (as her dad pays for everything she does, from Uni to car etc). Now she hasn't texted me back since 2nd Sept after all mine, and I called her today where she didn't pick up. I know she won't call me back too. I don't see any reason for this behaviour and I don't think she won't pay me, but I hope I won't be forced into a situation where I have to go to small claims court or something. The other guy doesn't really communicate any more despite my best efforts and doesn't reply either when I ask about the remaining amount.

It's taken this long because I can't be very aggressive with them, as they are quick to infuriate and switch attitudes to their friends. Luckily I've virtually just brought my money out of the overdraft zone but I'm still roughly £600 short.

Anyone got any advice? Any tips or anything to help me out here? You lot are a wise breed of (mostly) men, I'm grateful for any words. Cheers!

phone her dad, try and get the address and either write to him or visit him.

[unreal]

Yeah her dads quite a strict character and I know the landlord really well who will have all those sort of details so its a possible route - one I will use as a last resort of my own methods I think. I know though that if I did that I'd massively upset her haha.

I have online banking which has statements of all my transactions (in and outgoing) over the entire time - even from when her dad has paid me before for the previous year (yep I lived with them for two years), and my phone backs up all my text messages onto a special Gmail account which has a record of every conversation I've had with everyone, where they're all clearly stating their intent and requirement to pay the bills. I've got all the paper bills too. So I got my back covered hopefully!

Thanks for reading this over and helping me chaps, I don't really discuss this with anyone so the stress of it all is bottling up haha - I know if I just bring it up with my parents again my mum will just get mad at me because I haven't got the money yet. It's not like I don't want it back ma!

[Spud1]

I don't think you have a case for the small claims court (even with texts/emails and the like) - simplest solution seems to be to go straight to her parents, now...if she's not replying to you and owes you a chunk of money then I would not worry about upsetting her - she clearly does not worry the other way around..

[chuckskull]

Go to her dad, yeah it'll probably upset her, but do you really need friends like this? Doesn't sound like she's particularly short of money, so she's just trying to take you for a mug. TBH from what you've said you're going to fall out eventually even if you never mention the money again.

Personally, I have no time for people who don't pay their debts, fair enough if their living hand to mouth that's understandable, but if it's just out of greed and laziness, letting someone down whose stuck their neck out for you like that, it's no better than stealing in my mind. People'll do it though, some probably don't even realise who selfish their being, and normally keep behaving the same way til you tell them to get stuffed.

I once had a friendship end rather abruptly when someone who owed me a fair amount of money that I quite badly needed and had for a while, asked if I'd come help them install their brand new, stupidly large plasma TV and seemed genuinely shocked that I thought I should get my money before he got a larger television. People like that are leeches and they'll keep sucking til you get rid of them. You're on good terms because you were paying their way, no-one who's really your friend would treat you like that and certainly wouldn't leave you waiting for that much for that long unless they were utterly broke.

Might not apply to the bloke so much, you said he'd paid a fair bit.

But in short, get as much of it back as you can, then cut your losses.

[kalniel]

Send her a formal invoice? Will make it easier for her to get the money from her dad that way too.

[MaddAussie]

I've had a similar issue with a member of another forum (hes also a member of this one) and unfortunately I'm going to have to resort to small claims court as I'm still waiting for some of it.

[badass]

But in short, get as much of it back as you can, then cut your losses.

Agreed. They are not good friends if they are messing you around over this money they know they owe you and you obviously don't think much of them if you think they will turn on you if you try to get the money back fairly.
I also had a friend that I lent a lot of money to and wasn't too fussy about asking him to pay it back until I needed it. His disposable income was 3 times mine and I needed my cash back, yet getting it back was like getting blood out of a stone. I cut my losses and refused any contact with him again after he got funny about me asking him for my money. After that I realised it wasn't just money he was taking the mick on - I was always driving him about as well and almost never got the favour repaid etc.

[unreal]

Just called up my old landlord now, he complained that she was always late to pay everything too. But he's forwarded me some details, I got her home address and I think our old estate agents will have her home number.

Tried calling today, phone just rang to no pickup - usually I'd at least get a call or text back asking whats up.

Once I get my money back I don't plan to keep in contact with them any further. My girlfriend infact, used to be best friends with this girl but after the girl keeps treating her she's completely cut them off and she's wondering why this has happened to her lol.

[unreal]

Little update, I got all the money from the girl!! Just a few odd bob from the guy now. Didn't have to go to her pops in the end - but it was a close call!

[chuckskull]

Glad it worked out for you mate.

[santa claus]

Little update, I got all the money from the girl!! Just a few odd bob from the guy now. Didn't have to go to her pops in the end - but it was a close call!

That simplifies things considerably. You can get your money from the guy by simply beating it out of him .

[Zak33]

Frankly. I'd give up now, and move on

[Andeh13]

Congrats mate! I'd still pursue the guy for the money, just for the principle of it! Nothing to loose except a bit of effort & energy and the potential to get yourself some more spending money!