If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨
Options
Possible Flatmate Fraud
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
So I have a bit of a problem with a flatmate. Three of us in total, lived in harmony on a shared agreement for the last 18 months. Each of us takes care of a bill (one sorts out the phone, one does electricity etc) with the other two paying to that flatmate their share, for them to pay the supplier etc.
Recently I was getting a bit suspicious that bills were being paid very late, well this quarters bill arrived the other day, and lets just say thanks to a rather bright light I saw that the bill was indeed overdue, and what the total amount was. So I confronted the “electricity” flatmate the other day and asked if the bill had been paid and what did I owe. So she first of all lied and said it had been paid (when it hadn’t) and then she told myself and my other flatmate what we each owed, which turned out between the two of us to be the total amount due, meaning she wasn’t paying a single penny!
Now we haven’t yet confronted her as I want to get some written proof in my hand, but I just wondered if anyone had any tips for what to do next? Is this Fraud? Can my landlord demand to see bills from the electricity company? Any help would be much appreciated…
Recently I was getting a bit suspicious that bills were being paid very late, well this quarters bill arrived the other day, and lets just say thanks to a rather bright light I saw that the bill was indeed overdue, and what the total amount was. So I confronted the “electricity” flatmate the other day and asked if the bill had been paid and what did I owe. So she first of all lied and said it had been paid (when it hadn’t) and then she told myself and my other flatmate what we each owed, which turned out between the two of us to be the total amount due, meaning she wasn’t paying a single penny!
Now we haven’t yet confronted her as I want to get some written proof in my hand, but I just wondered if anyone had any tips for what to do next? Is this Fraud? Can my landlord demand to see bills from the electricity company? Any help would be much appreciated…
0
Comments
Whose name is on the bill?
I just would have thought there are better ways to make ends meet that lying to your flatmates about what they owe meaning you don't have to pay a penny yourself. She has also said that the bill has been paid.
We are just worried now, that we haven't really seen any bills in a few months now, she also deals with the water...
Luckily being self employed I need photocopies of all household bills for my book keeping, so I shall request to see everything...
The thing is, if I found out she has been fiddling the numbers, I don't really want to live with something that has been effectively stealing from me and my other flatmate... Its akward to say the least...
so for credit referencing purposes she would be the one in the red. rather than you.
Ah - I stand corrected.
Thats strange then. I've had credit refused (in only some places, I must admit, but still) because of my mum's credit rating. Admittedly we don't rent our home or anything, but I wouldn't think that would have mattered?
Perhaps it would be a good idea to suggest starting a shared "filing system" for your bills to her, especially if you will need them for your book keeping - just a little file somewhere that all the bills are kept in, so that anyone can have access to them at any time. This would also probably be useful if there was ever a problem with any of the companies/services and the flatmate who's name/details it was in wasn't about, as the bills will have the account details at hand.
As for the situation at hand, it's very much about how you want to deal with it. If this has been going on for a while, then you may feel you have a trust issue with this girl and feel the need to take the responsibility of these bills from her. Or she may have a genuine reason (not that I'm defending what she's done) for it, and you may be able to work through it together and come to a solution without anything becoming too stressful.
Just my limited help and thoughts
I had a flatmate once who was in a similar position to your friend. She simply couldn't make ends meet and she ran away from the situation. We were, originally, pissed off with her, but eventually her dad got involved as he was concerned too. We realised what the situation was and tracked her down and discussed things properly and all got sorted.
Don't go into the situation all guns blazing, ready for an argument. Discuss it amicably, like adults, and try and solve it that way. Think that's the best way to go about it, tbh.
Thanks for that