am I liable for utilities ?

hi all,

my current tenancy ends in 2 months but my new tenancy begins in a couple of days. the landlords have said i will have to pay the rent- i understand this.
however they said if im moving out i can declare a date ive ‘officially gone’ and leave my keys and never return. but i still have to pay rent. a little strange but whatever.
if i do this, would i still be liable to pay my utilities. our utilities are paid and run by us (renters), not landlords and they have no say in our bills. however if ive left my keys and ive officially moved out by the landlords terms, does it make sense to not pay utilities?
i cant find a clear answer online- how would a utilities company see this situation? I dont see any benefit from me leaving my keys and never returning but still paying for the flat unless i wouldnt pay for the utility bill as officially im not allowed to enter, therefore would not be using the utilities.
many thanks.

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 1

Stiffy Byng

Notify the utility suppliers of your moving out date, send readings of any meters in the property, and request a final bill. You will not then be liable for the cost of utilities supplied after your move out. You can usually do the moving out notifications online.

Utility companies are poorly staffed and sometimes inefficient, so it's not unusual to be chased for payment of amounts that you are not liable to pay. If that happens, remember that it's not for you to prove that you are not liable; it's for the company to prove that you are liable. But keep records of emails, phone calls, screenshots etc to show that you notified the company of your moving out date.

BTW, it's not strange that you have to pay rent if you contracted for a fixed term. If you were able to find a new tenant acceptable to the landlord within the next two months. the landlord might agree to forego claiming rent from you. Otherwise, the landlord is entitled to the rent.

Ms S Byng, barrister, Lincoln's Inn.