heating bills?

[AnonyMouse_1469]

I pay an amount with my rent, to contribute towards the heating. The treasurer of the building wrote to me, off his own back last November, complaining that I use too much and suggested that if I want to have heating on (!), then i should pay an extra amount per month over the winter. So, as a gesture of goodwill, and because I recognise that heating is expensive, i have been paying 50% more than he had suggested. However, now that we are in the summer, and because we turned off all the heating at the beginning of April, I have now reverted to the usual rent. I have just received an email from the treasurer, demanding that i pay an extra amount EVERY month of the year, or I send him a payment of £200, because the heating cost more than he expected. what would you do?

Edited May 24, 2015 by narnia

[AnonyMouse_19782]

I would enquire whether all hall users are being asked to do the same, you appear to have been generous enough already and if he hasn't calculated the rate properly that's hard luck on the landlord! Spreadiing your payments over the year may help you - but I don't see that they should get anymore than you would have given in single amounts. What type of heating is it? Have they checked they are on the correct tariff before bothering you?

[AnonyMouse_1469]

There are only two users..............us and the landlord. They don't use the building during the winter, BUT they do use a lot of power in various ways the rest of the year and I really suspect that they are trying to get us to pay some of their bills too. The previous treasurer managed bills very well and he never asked for anything over and above the normal, agreed amount. It is electric heating.........silly, cheap radiators several of which don't work ( and we continually press to get them fixed, but they don't deal with it).

I am getting really fed up with it..............their demands are wearing me down

[AnonyMouse_19782]

 

I am getting really fed up with it..............their demands are wearing me down

Given past problems with them, perhaps this is their aim.

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Do you have the agreed amount payable in the winter in writing with the treasurer or committee of the building.

Does seem a little unfair if you have already been so generous.

Maybe another discussion might be in order.

[AnonyMouse_7120]

I'd ask to see the heating bills for a year, work out the hall usage % and the amount of heating likewise....but if you have a rental agreement that includes utilities just tell him to stuff it

[AnonyMouse_51737]

I've not got one myself but could you put an electric smart usage thingy (clearly you know what I mean lol) then do some readings yourself to know your exact usage at various points so you know wether they are being reasonable or not, but this is more of a long term thing to track say one week in every 4 or 6. Thinking more piece of mind for you and as said above ask for copies of Bill if they will provide you with them, could it be a case that they havn't submitted a real reading for a while and are now up against a bigger bill so passing it onto you.

[AnonyMouse_19762]

I'd ask to see the heating bills for a year, work out the hall usage % and the amount of heating likewise....but if you have a rental agreement that includes utilities just tell him to stuff it

Completely agree with this - especially the 'just tell him to stuff it'

[AnonyMouse_30128]

Think i might be going back to them and saying that you will pay xxx once they have updated and got the system working correctly!

[AnonyMouse_1490]

Yes ask to look at bills. Also can they change to a more economical service provider of utilities

[AnonyMouse_3735]

What it all boils down to is what agreement you have with them and what is in the contract - that is if you have one, our hall provider would never give us one so when we had a issue similar we went on historical agreement and what had been in place for the years before even if not written down.

 

In our case they backed down but that was because there were many users after us , evenings that left the heating on overnight and we could prove it, so it was not our fault..

 

As you have agreed to pay a sum in winter months it could cause an issue as it sets a precedent for them to argue with.. unless it was in writing. I would be inclined to refuse, maybe get yourself a smart reader for the time you are in the hall and record all readings going into and leaving the setting.. so you are aware and can show what you are using.. that with an ask to see the bills and how they are and ask how they are working out who is using what is it on percentage of hours hall is in use.

 

Could be they have not been paying enough so face a huge bill, or it is a case of they want you out so cause lots of little issues to give you a push.. so many reasons are possible, all speculation unless you ask..

 

I spent 10 years battling with the church over our hall, lots of little things, so much so the priest who over saw it would hide when he saw me coming.. sent a parent once to hole him in one spot so I could speak to him! I left but 8 years on they have at last got the message and are updating everything I complained about, adding to the building so they become the only user in half of the hall and making life so much better for them..

 

Good luck, one of the hardest parts of the job for me was dealing with the landlord , rent and all that went with it.

[AnonyMouse_25678]

This sounds like our situation, we are in a separate building but our electricity is 'spurred' off the main building. We have a separate meter and when we opened the readings for the year were taken and a monthly fee agreed. However I was invited to a meeting a few weeks ago and presented with a bill for £4,000!!! It transpired the hall had not been sending their meter readings in so had had a bill for over £6,000 and had calculated from 4 meter readings from our meter (Jan -March) that we used 63% of the electricity therefore e had to pay 63% of the unpaid bill!! After the initial panic, we don't have £4000 in the bank I did some digging and soon found that as we had a contract and had been paying the agreed amount we were not liable.

Hopefully you have a written contract so you can also tell them 'stuff it', then you need, as others have said, to see the fuel bills and negotiate a new payment.

Good luck x

[AnonyMouse_39602]

With my village hall chairperson / trustee hat on this is absolutely ridiculous and in breach of your hall hire agreement.

 

You really must ask for a copy of this if you don't already have one, you obviously have proof of what extra you have been paying for heating and you are well within your rights to refuse to pay for services you are not getting.

 

As others have suggested - ask for a copy of breakdown of bill , because it is electric this may be harder to clarify what is heating and what isn't but if heating has been off since April you should be able to make a comparison.

 

I would ask for a new hire agreement that reflects extra payment for winter and push the fact that for you to operate the temp should not fall below 18 degrees and the fact that you have effectively already paid for a below par service should be taken into account.

Sorry can't remember if you are in village / church hall or private building.

I would also write to the board of trustees / committee if there is one and ask to see minutes of meetings where this extra charges were discussed and agreed.