Landlord database audit trail and privacy concerns raised by MPs
2 days ago | 8 comments
Landlords face paying tenants’ unpaid energy bills
9:56 AM, 30th October 2026, 2 days ago
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Landlords could become liable for their tenants’ gas and electricity bills if energy suppliers are left without accurate details when occupants move.
The revelation comes in a consultation paper published by Ofgem alongside the Budget which would place a legal obligation on landlords to provide that information.
The government’s wording makes the condition clear: liability could arise where neither the tenant nor the landlord has supplied the necessary details.
Separately, it has been revealed that letting agents face requirements to report landlords’ rent income and personal information to HMRC.
Energy debt liability
The consultation paper says: “Government will introduce legislation to Parliament to reform the home moves process, placing a new obligation on landlords to provide timely and accurate information to their supplier when tenants move into or out of a property.
“Where neither the tenant nor landlord has provided the necessary information, landlords may become liable for energy charges associated with the property.
“The reform would place similar obligations on landlords as exist with respect of water bills in England and Wales.”
Unpaid bills mount
The Telegraph reports that research found that up to 40% of around £6bn in domestic energy debt is down to tenants moving between properties without settling their bills.
Ofgem has warned that the total could reach £11bn in the coming years.
The proposals, also backed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, would help suppliers identify the people responsible for unpaid charges.
The watchdog found that, alongside households unable to pay, some consumers could afford their bills but were unwilling to settle them.
Prepayment meter controversy
Domestic energy debts stood at about £1bn in 2020, before rising prices put household budgets under pressure.
Suppliers subsequently accelerated prepayment meter installations, with nearly 100,000 homes forcibly switched under court warrants and other households’ smart meters changed remotely.
In 2023, Citizens Advice reported record numbers of people going without heat or electricity because they could not afford to top up.
The government intervened after revelations that British Gas debt collectors had forcibly entered homes to fit prepayment meters, including properties occupied by vulnerable customers.
Letting agents face landlord income reporting
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that landlords’ rent income and personal details would be passed to HMRC under new reporting requirements for letting agents.
The Telegraph reports that government documents set out plans for property managers and tenancy protection schemes to share information with HMRC.
Alongside the amount of rent received, the information would include landlords’ dates of birth, National Insurance numbers and tenancy details.
HMRC already issues more than 10,000 notices a year demanding information from letting agents, but the government describes this as ‘a manual and resource-intensive process’.
Expert questions separate reporting
Greg Tsuman, the managing director for lettings at Martyn Gerrard, told the newspaper that the combination of the landlord register and reporting requirements would create an ‘unmanageable’ situation for agents and landlords.
He said: “The rental database should provide that central source of truth that would allow HMRC to deliver on the objective of collecting the right amount of tax from landlords.
“Rather than creating another disconnected process, why not invest that same resource in ensuring that the rental database works for all, in the most cost-effective way for the taxpayer?”
Tags:
energy suppliers, landlord energy bills, landlord obligations, Ofgem consultation, Private Rented Sector, tenant energy debt, unpaid utility bills
55 comments on this article
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Member Since January 2026 - Comments: 18
3:41 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Downsize Government at 30/10/2026 – 10:00
My now evicted tenant never paid council tax, tv licence or utilities by using Landlord name and I found out switching over account name-am now fighting £20k bills.
Member Since January 2024 - Comments: 447
4:00 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Boris at 30/10/2026 – 10:12
The contract is with the tenant, why should the landlord have to spend time and accept liability for something he/she is not contracted to? We have enough of our own onerous obligations.
Member Since January 2024 - Comments: 447
4:02 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Boris at 30/10/2026 – 10:13
Again, we have enough of our own onerous obligations and admin to deal with without having yet another obligation to spend time searching.
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 215
4:56 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Boris at 30/10/2026 – 10:12
When we know the company, we do this as well. However its not always the same as when they moved in
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 215
5:00 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by juliet bonnet at 30/10/2026 – 14:47
My thoughts. However I ‘think’ there is a national meter register. They ‘should’ be able to tell you what company is down to supply that meter.
Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 41
5:18 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Ryan Stevens at 30/10/2026 – 16:00
It’s hardly a hassle. When a Tenant moves out, you have to contact anyway to say that you’re now responsible, and when a tenant moves in you let them know that you’re no longer responsible. So there’s no additional contact needed.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 2639
5:33 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Panda Man at 15:41
Do you have the details of the tenant who was using your name? National insurance number, passport, driving licence?
And does your tenancy agreement have these same, named tenant details confirming that the tenant is liable to pay all the bills?
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 364
5:51 PM, 30th October 2026, About 2 days ago
Over the years I had many experiences where tenant did not pay or register bills.
In Northern Ireland I could phone up give tenants name but tenant still has to phone to confirm.
In Scotland the energy companies refused to take any details and sent letters to the owner occupier
I had tenants put bills in my name or give false meter readings . I always take photos of meter readings.
I have two properties now where the meters are blank . I have phoned up when tenants left to say . They have not repaired or replaced . I do not know if they are registering the usage or not
They demanded I put the account in my name I refused as I could not see the meter readings
I had my credit rating destroyed as somehow energy companies can just go to court and put debt in landlords name.
I had a tenant run up a £900 bill . My bank cancelled my overdraft . I was informed I had a judgement against me for that debt. Even after proving I called they did nothing.
Eventually it was removed after many hours on calls and months of threatening to go to ombudsman. It was removed from my credit file.
Energy companies should not be allowed to put debts into owners name especially without contacting them.
I could give many more examples.
Just this week received a text from debt company. . I phoned they refused to give me information of what debt was. I asked how can I help resolve this if you won’t tell me what the debt is. Three calls later today . I got to talk to someone sensible . It turns out it was an outstanding council tax bill from 2019 .
I then phoned council and have the issue hopefully resolved.
The amount of hours I have had to spend on phones sorting out these issues is ridiculous.
Like someone says if you have one or two properties it not to bad but if you have a lot more it is very time consuming.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3396 - Articles: 83
7:46 AM, 31st October 2026, About 1 day ago
Reply to the comment left by Boris at 30/10/2026 – 17:18
I can give u many examples when tried this what should be simple contacting supplier to say tenant moved out 31 July, new tenant 10 Aug, bill me for 1-9 Aug.
And cause many of these gas elec companies are overseas with zero common sense, they just cannot understand the basics & what is a 5 min query results in 129 emails, 12 hours, 3 months, complaint to Ombudsman & £100 compensation, so you’ve earn’t less than minimum wage.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3396 - Articles: 83
7:48 AM, 31st October 2026, About 1 day ago
Reply to the comment left by Neil Robb at 30/10/2026 – 17:51
Neil, u echo exactly what I’ve just replied to Boris. That’s how it is in real world with lots of houses & Benefit tenants that don’t do the right thing.