I received a bill from one of those utility companies for supply of hot water. I have no agreement with this company and did not know of their existence until I got the bill. There is no contract between me and the utility company that says I agree to their services.
-Firstly I can only assume they got mine and my flatmates names, and our move in date from the real estate, which is a breach of the privacy act, isn't it?
-Secondly my lease agreement with the real estate states we are not to pay water. The utility company tried to convince me the bill is to pay for the gas that heats the water, however the bill is charged at a per litre of water rate, the amount of hot water passing the meter to our unit. The hot water unit is not even on our property we are renting. To me, the bill is for water, heated or not heated we do not pay for water which is in my agreement with real estate.
I have since moved out of this place a month ago, am I responsible for this bill under Australian Consumer Law, even if there is no agreement or contract between me and the utility company? And secondly, what do I do about the real estate giving my personal details away?
-Firstly I can only assume they got mine and my flatmates names, and our move in date from the real estate, which is a breach of the privacy act, isn't it?
-Secondly my lease agreement with the real estate states we are not to pay water. The utility company tried to convince me the bill is to pay for the gas that heats the water, however the bill is charged at a per litre of water rate, the amount of hot water passing the meter to our unit. The hot water unit is not even on our property we are renting. To me, the bill is for water, heated or not heated we do not pay for water which is in my agreement with real estate.
I have since moved out of this place a month ago, am I responsible for this bill under Australian Consumer Law, even if there is no agreement or contract between me and the utility company? And secondly, what do I do about the real estate giving my personal details away?