Narayana Swamy (Designer) 09 March 2014

Court Notice from Owner Side after Vacated the House

Hello,

i have lived in a house for rent for 4 years (2009 - 2013) and in the time period the electricity meter went down for couple of months and i paid the minimum amount. The electricity board delayed for and saying there is no new meter available for now. They took almost 5 to 6 month and fixed it.

I vacated the house, and it's been more than 3 months now. and when the time i vacated i cleared all the pending money and me and owner signed by saying everything is cleared and mentioned everything in the agreement.

Now, there was some clearing settlement in the electricity board and they forgot to charge the amount from me after they fixed the new meter. So they send a bill to my landlord's house.

The landlord called me and saying 'You have to pay the bill because you used the electricity and it was your period of time when they changed the meter'. So ' I told them 'i cannot and i no longer live in your house anymore.'

So they said, 'i will send a court notice.'

I helped them in many ways (they are old people) when i stayed in their place, i pay the Electricity and Rent ontime without any delay, there were no complaint from my side in those 4 years. now they are acting like iam no body.

How this notice issue work? and do i have to pay this bill?

Thanks in Advance,

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7 Replies

Advocate Ravinder (Advocate/Attorney) 11 March 2014

It is not the mistake of you nor your landlord. It is the mistake of elec. Dept people. Legally you are not liable to pay the electricity bill. But as you say they are very cordial with you try to solve the problem amicably. Bear the elec bill 50% each.

Narayana Swamy (Designer) 11 March 2014

Thanks for the reply.

I tried talking to them this 50% and they are saying i have to pay the full amount, since it happened on my period of time.

I don't know they are cordial. Not to be rude here, but 'I am' actually, i have a softer side for old people. But i don't like they take me for granded and called me after 3 months and asking me pay the money.

Advocate Ravinder (Advocate/Attorney) 11 March 2014

Then let them send legal notice. Defend the same by engaging a local experienced lawyer. call me if you have any doubts 7893011777.

Narayana Swamy (Designer) 11 March 2014

Will do. Thanks for the reply.

T. Kalaiselvan, Advocate (Advocate) 12 March 2014

In my opinion though you have vacated the house three months back, the present bill is for the consumption of the electricity during your stay in that building, it is deemed that you have consumed it, morally you are liable to bear the expenses incurred during your occupation, there is nothing wrong on the part of the owners demanding the charges for the consumption incurred by you, it is left to you decide about the issue after this.

Narayana Swamy (Designer) 12 March 2014

True, but even though it happened in my period of time, i vacated the house and in my period of time i didn't receive anything from the electricity department for one year and everything is settled when the time i left the house in front of owner and they also agreed i don't have anything in pending except the last month of electricity which i paid.

How is this possible that i have to pay for the expense even i left the house. Atleast if the owner should have alerted me something like when the time i vacated then it's agreed. All of a sudden they say things like this, besides iam living in a current house which i have expenses to make. I trusted them and gave the new house address, what if i moved to another city and they don't know my address?

If whatever happened in my period i have to take the consequences means, then 3 to 4 years back i lived in a house in chennai and they had some issue with the water problem now which happened in my period of time and do i have to pay for that?

What i believe is after you left the house, you don't have any relations with the previous owner. What if after a year or so the owner bring some issue like this.

Iam sorry if am rude, iam just talking what is right thats all.