Rental Property - How to Get Owner's Daughter to Pay Bills?

[M.Pakoti]

Hi. Over a year ago, we rented a property that had to be vacated due to the owner's daughter moving in. We found other accommodation in the same town. During the year, we received several bills from this property and paid all of them because they had our name on them. When the water company changed their layout, we then realised we were paying the old property's water bills. We contacted the water company and they informed us that this happened due to the new tenants not connecting their water. We then contacted the real estate agent who contacted the daughter. She had agreed to pay the bills after we had given her a copy of the bills we paid.

But since this agreement, she no longer answers our calls. We have tried many times to call her with no success. Can you help us?

 

[Sophea]

Hi M.Pakoti,

I would firstly send her a formal demand letter setting out all of the bills that you have paid on her behalf and attaching copies of the bills. Provide a timeframe within she must pay the bills or commence paying them, and if she fails to adhere to it threaten legal proceedings.

I don't know how much the debt is worth, I'm guessing a couple of hundred, but you may be able to file a claim with small claims tribunal or similar in your state. Just the threat of proceedings often snaps people into action though.

Hope that helps.

 

[Worldly1]

Check out the Arts Law website, which has a good example letter of demand and helpful information.