[Pyrrha]

Right, let me start fromthe beginning.

I lived in uni accomodation for my first year, which I left on May 26 to go back home (I'm a EU student). At the time I left my room was in perfect condition. Now, I was never popular in my flat, and by this I mean I almost never talked to most of my flatmates. That was fine with me, as they weren't my kind of people, and we didn't have any fight or anything like that. Throughout the year my flatmates damaged several things (I'm talking serious damage such as punching a huge hole in a wall, covering a wall in lipstick or abusing fire equipment), which the whole flat got charged for. To this day they owe me around 30 pounds or maybe more - being the shy fool that I am, I just let it slide.

Now comes the good part. A couple of days ago, a month after leaving my flat,I got an e-mail telling me there were three huge holes in my wall which I need to pay for. I have absolutely no idea of what happened and, naturally, since I don't believe in ghosts, I am blaming my flatmates for it. I've no idea how they got there, I can't even remember if I locked the door or not - this is what matters least.

I told the person who e-mailed me to look into the matter and ask my flatmates if they knew anything but her reply was something along the lines of "I'm out of office and you owe us 150 pounds lol bye".

It also makes me really angry that those ***** (sorry for the language, but that's how much it annoys me) didn't bother checking my room as soon as I signed out, which would've saved me from all this, because it obviously happened between the day I left and the day when the accomodation closed (around 2 weeks after that). I realise I have no proof but I also have no money and I know I'm not guilty. I don't know if my flatmates did it on purpose, God forgive me if I unfairly blame them for that, but there's a huge chance they did it while drunk and then just figured they'd let me deal with it. Some of them seem decent people, though most don't care about me (since I've not socialised with them), but I really hope they're not horrible enough to let me pay that much for something I didn't do.

So my question, TSR, is: is there anything I can do? I know I'm screwed, but maybe... just maybe... I don't know. Thank you for reading this and for any suggestions

[TheSownRose]

Get back in touch with whoever sent you the e-mail and say that you left the accommodation on May 26th - assuming you checked out properly, this will be on record - and that any damage done after that time is not your responsibility; they often don't check these things, a friend of a friend got charged for damage, pointed out that he wasn't there at the time and didn't end up paying.

[The Bagel Guy]

Sorry dude, but I think your out of luck. Unless your flatmates choose to own up (unlikely) then the accommodating people won't care about chasing anyone. They'll just charge you.
Always lock your door when you leave is all I can say.

Sorry

[Pyrrha]

(Original post by TheSownRose)
Get back in touch with whoever sent you the e-mail and say that you left the accommodation on May 26th - assuming you checked out properly, this will be on record - and that any damage done after that time is not your responsibility; they often don't check these things, a friend of a friend got charged for damage, pointed out that he wasn't there at the time and didn't end up paying.

Thanks, I told them about that but my last room inspection was in March, so nothing proves I didn't make the holes between them and the time I left. It seems I depend on the decency of my flatmates. In other words, I'm ****ed, like the guy above me says.

[TheSownRose]

(Original post by Pyrrha)
Thanks, I told them about that but my last room inspection was in March, so nothing proves I didn't make the holes between them and the time I left. It seems I depend on the decency of my flatmates. In other words, I'm ****ed, like the guy above me says.

Consult people with far more law knowledge that I, but I'm not entirely sure how much they could do if you refused to pay it on the grounds of you didn't do it - I believe the onus is on them to prove you're guilty, not you to prove you're innocent.

However... You say that you got on ok with some of your former flatmates, you're just not particularly friends? Contact them if you can and ask what happened. If possible, try to pick ones who also have no allegiance with the bad ones.

[darthgirlie]

Unfortunately as an adult your have to be responsible for your actions and omissions, you obviously didn't lock the door and you were perfectly aware that your housemates do things like that. I know it sucks and isn't fair but I think that's what their argument will be. I would go chat to somewhere in person when you get back in the UK and explain your financial situation but yeah i would read your contract and see where you stand in these positions, maybe go see citizens bureau.

[Pyrrha]

Hmm, I thought of contacting my "good" flatmates, but then, who will they choose to help, their friends or me? It wouldn't hurt doing it, but I'm not expecting much of it.

I have another question: what would happen if I refused to pay on grounds I'm not guilty? I realise they can force me to, but I wonder how serious it would get - would they kick me out of uni, for instance? There's nothing about it on the uni website. I could ask the people who e-mailed me, but it wouldn't give them a good impression of me lol. I hope I'll at least get them to look into matters.

This is something that's just occurred to me, by the way. I lost a key about 3 weeks before I left (another 30 pounds gone down the drain as I had to pay for a replacement). There's nowhere I could've lost it other than in my kitchen as I turned my room upside down to find it and I didn't lose it outside either. I wonder if someone in my flat got it and used it to get into my room afterwards. This is not something I'd tell the people at the accomodation office as it sounds quite ridiculous even typing it down here, but I guess I just need a good rant and the Sherlock Holmes in me can't resist speculating about stuff...

[Funky_Climber]

What university are you at? If it is a university accommodation as opposed to private (like Unite) then they can stop you from Graduating (as you will have a debt to them).

From my experience working in university accommodation, you all pay the communal charges and anything in your bedroom is your responsibility. I'm assuming your door was unlocked so therefore you can't prove it wasn't you and so you will have to pay. If the door was broken down, then they would be able to tell someone had gone in.

I guess next time you should try and socialise with your flatmates

[Persipan]

(Original post by Pyrrha)
I can't even remember if I locked the door or not - this is what matters least.

I don't mean to sound horrible, but if I'd lived in a flat all year with people who kept causing damage which meant the flat kept being charged for it, I'd think locking my room door when I moved out mattered; and I'd get the uni to check the flat with me at the point I left, so there couldn't be any doubt I wasn't responsible for any damage which happened after that. I know that's not very helpful now, but still.

If it was University accommodation, you probably won't be able to register for your second year until you've paid the debt.

[Origami Bullets]

(Original post by Pyrrha)
I have another question: what would happen if I refused to pay on grounds I'm not guilty? I realise they can force me to, but I wonder how serious it would get - would they kick me out of uni, for instance?

Most universities have a policy of either not letting you come back for the next year, or not letting you graduate, until you have cleared any debts you owe to the university.

[Robertall]

I would just pay it by the sounds of the circumstances. I do apologise, but the issue is the policy of coming back next year or graduation etc etc.

Sorry mate!