• Tenant unpaid bills

Hi All,
Thank you for providing legal advice for those who are in real need.

I need an advice regarding my tenants unpaid electricity bill.
My tenant committed suicide for his own personal reasons. There is a lot of unpaid electricity bill due which is on his company’s name but that company’s address is our property ( house number and plot no. used as company’s address). Electricity department terminated the power to that premises. Can we take any legal action on electricity department for not giving power to our personal meter which is on our name. We are up to date paid the dues on this personal meter. 

Are we responsible for paying my tenants unpaid bill?


Please help me!!

Thank you,
Vardhan
Asked 4 years ago in Property Law
Religion: Hindu

3 answers received in 1 hour.

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19 Answers

The landlord is not responsible for paying the tenant's unpaid bills 

The landlord has to recover the unpaid Bills from the tenant company by filing a suit 

If the bill is unpaid by the user then the electricity supplying company issues a notice to the subscriber to pay the dues and on failure to so pay, the meter is taken away from the premises and then the electricity supplying company has to take legal steps against the subscriber for recovering the unpaid dues with interest and penalty 

If there is a separate meter installed at the address of the premises in your name, then the electricity supplying company has no business to terminate the supply for the same 

You will have to file a complaint against the electricity supplying company to the higher authority as per the hierarchy of authorities given on the website of the supplying company and after exhausting those remedies you can approach the court if your grievance is not redressed 

Yusuf Rampurawala
Advocate, Mumbai
7742 Answers
79 Consultations

Follow their directors 

Didn't you take any photo id proof having address of the directors or those in management and control of the company prior to granting the leave and license? 

Any which ways it is the obligation of the electricity supplying company to recover their dues from the user. Not the landlord of the premises 

The landlord cannot be penalised for the default of his tenant simply because the tenant's meter and landlord's separate meter are installed in the same premises 

Yusuf Rampurawala
Advocate, Mumbai
7742 Answers
79 Consultations

Just to clarify my second sentence in the first reply. In the event the landlord, in order to restore the supply for himself, is required to pay the company's dues to the electricity supplying company (which the landlord has to do under protest and on a without prejudice note) then the landlord can recover those dues which he paid on behalf of the tenant company, from the tenant company 

However the above is not compulsory. It is only a stop gap arrangement so that the electricity supplying company restores supply to the landlord's personal meter 

The landlord as such in any event not liable for the dues of the tenant company at all. It is the electricity supplying company which has to take legal steps against the tenant company for recovering its dues. Now whether the company or any of its persons are traceable or not, is the headache of the electricity supplying company. 

The supplying company can in no event stop supply to the independent personal meter of the landlord installed at the same premises 

Yusuf Rampurawala
Advocate, Mumbai
7742 Answers
79 Consultations

Was your permission taken by tenant for obtaining electricity connection?

 

2) service provider insists on NOC of landlord for giving electricity connection 

 

3)you have to pay the unpaid dues and sue the company to recover the dues 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
97455 Answers
7877 Consultations

You can adjust the dues against security deposit of tenant 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
97455 Answers
7877 Consultations

You can sue the company to recover the dues .company is liable to pay the dues 

 

you must be having  security deposit of tenant 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
97455 Answers
7877 Consultations

You can make payment through Paytm or google pay 

Ajay Sethi
Advocate, Mumbai
97455 Answers
7877 Consultations

File a writ petition against the electricity department. If there are two separate meters then for default in payment of reading in one meter can not make another meter holder defaulter.

Devajyoti Barman
Advocate, Kolkata
23319 Answers
522 Consultations

When there are two connections one in your name and other in company’s name the board cannot mix up both the connections for recovery of arrears from company. Two connections are issued to different consumers. You do have a good case against them. Issue lawyer's notice  seeking reconnection and compensation enclosing proof of payment  and then file a case in Consumer Forum. you will get reconnection and compensation.

Ravi Shinde
Advocate, Hyderabad
4380 Answers
42 Consultations

You cannot be held responsible for unpaid bills by the tenant. File a complaint against the company which had taken lease from you.

Rahul Mishra
Advocate, Lucknow
14107 Answers
65 Consultations

You should sue the company as he was an employee of the company and hence they should be made liable for non payment of electricity dues.

Rahul Mishra
Advocate, Lucknow
14107 Answers
65 Consultations

It would be the responsibility of the consumer to pay the consumer bills. 

The tenant who is reported to have died is the person responsible for paying the electricity consumption bill, but if he is no more living then the electricity department is right in disconnecting the supply of electricity services. 

If your tenant has not paid the bills,  as a owner of the premises you may have to pay the bills if you want to restore the connection. 

You can pay the same and look for possibilities for recovering it either from the company or legal heirs of the deceased tenant. 

 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
87652 Answers
2352 Consultations

You may have to issue a legal notice to the tenant about this and demand payment of bills due to be paid. 

Let the notice be returned undelivered. 

You may proceed with further course of legal action as per procedures of law. 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
87652 Answers
2352 Consultations

You were suggested with a legal advice and solution to overcome the problem 

To proceed further or not is your decision. 

 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
87652 Answers
2352 Consultations

If there's no option for payment through debit cards then you may have to pay through the mode that is accepted or available for payment.  

If you are really interested or serious about discussing your problems you may find the alternate source for consultation with the chosen lawyer of this forum. 

T Kalaiselvan
Advocate, Vellore
87652 Answers
2352 Consultations

- Since, the said tenant has taken NOC for taking connection , it means that there is separate meter was installed in the name of that company. 

- Further, if your meter reading is up-to-date i.e. fully paid the amount  , then the electricity cannot be disconnect due to default of payment by the tenant for his premises. 

- Hence, lodge your compliant with that electricity department after submitting the proof of payments of your electricity usage . 

- Further , as your father is landlord of that tenanted premises , then in the absence of tenant and closing of company run by him , your father is liable to pay the dues . 

- Further , as the amount is huge , then you should move an application for giving rebate. 

- Further, if the demand is for more period i.e. more than 3 years then the electricity department cannot recover the dues amount out of this period. 

 

You can connect me via mail as well. 

Mohammed Shahzad
Advocate, Delhi
14746 Answers
224 Consultations

1. The electricity connection pertaining to your tenant has been disconnected for not paying the pending bills.

 

2. You have already rented your premises through an  Agreement copy of which is with the electricity department.

 

3. You can pay the bill and then inform the department that the tenancy has been terminated.

 

4. Alternatively, you can file a case against the Company's remaining directors/partners or legal heir of the said person claiming the amount to be paid to the electricity department. 

Krishna Kishore Ganguly
Advocate, Kolkata
27512 Answers
726 Consultations

1. You had certainly agreed for the use of electricity from the mater standing in your name.

 

2. You shall have to pay the amount to the electricity department to get your connection back.

Krishna Kishore Ganguly
Advocate, Kolkata
27512 Answers
726 Consultations

1. To the electricity department the liability stands in your name.

 

2. It is strange that such a huge amount is pending before the line was disconnected.

Krishna Kishore Ganguly
Advocate, Kolkata
27512 Answers
726 Consultations

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