Discussions

Im curious to know why hydro doesnt ask for id? Not speaking from my ecperiance but a friend of mines roommate put them on the hydro bill and then racked it up without her knowledge. Now she cant get hydro until she pays off the old balance. Which isnt her bill. So im just curious as to why they dont ask for id when hooking it up?

So the roommate adds a person to their bill, then the person racks up hydro charges without the other knowing? That doesn't make sense.

Your friend should go in to Hydro and ask who gave them authorization to put the bill in her name. See what they say.

I have never been into hydro to sign a contract or have to hook up utilities. I have always called in and said that I am moving to X address. Were they living together? Both names on the lease? I thought all you needed anyway was a proof of residence. I know when my ex back in Alberta shafted me with bills if her name wasn't on them there was nothing I could do but take her to small claims court. If both names on the bill then I was only liable for half and only paid half.

If her name was on a lease, the roomie probably would have no trouble getting hydro to add her to the bill.  
 

No name on the lease. And yes they put her on without her knowledge and racked up the bill.. Id like to know why they dont ask for identification or something. That means anyone can pick someone elses name and ruin it? I just dont get it. :/

This doesn't make sense to me. Say you give a name, you can give any name and not pay hydro? Also, how do you take someone to collections based on name? Do you know how many Jon Smiths exist..  
Something isn't adding up at all. I'm sure Hydro has a better system than just a name, or they would be out lots of money.

I get what your saying...but I once gave a roommate my half of the bill and she said she paid it but when the bill came and it wasn't paid I phoned and argued with Hydro while she swore it was paid. Turned out she later admitted she had spent the money. Just saying.  
 
But yes if you live at the residence I don't see how you can put all the blame on the roommate for racking up charges. Like going crazy and leaving all the lights on? I mean she did live there and got the benefits of electricity and heat.

From what I understand, a Hydro bill will only be billed through Manitoba Hydro for the registered owner of the property. Roommate or tenant situations are not their responsibility.

Kellye said "From what I understand, a Hydro bill will only be billed through Manitoba Hydro for the registered owner of the property. Roommate or tenant situations are not their responsibility. "

Sounds like a rental situation. Thus landing on the tenant not registered owner.

Kellye said "From what I understand, a Hydro bill will only be billed through Manitoba Hydro for the registered owner of the property. Roommate or tenant situations are not their responsibility. "

im not sure how it works with roommates but the owner of the property is not responsible for tenants hydro if they ask to hook it up, hydro will give the owner notice if the hydro is being disconnected to protect their property

I'd ask to speak to someone in charge at the office. If she did not consent and there us no signature etc on the account they cant hold her accountable for the bill. I'd also wonder if the roommate could be charged with fraud if she misrepresented herself.

Mine was with Rogers, had an ex after We split she got her phone changed to my name once they cut it off from past due balance being way to high I'm stuck with a 1600+ bill. No ID and obvs no signatures or anything there.

I moved into a rental a few months ago. A couple weeks later I had no hydro. I contacted hydro and it was still on the last tenants name. I could not change it over myself. My landlord had to contact hydro. Somehow the bill I received was dated from the beginning of the month. Perhaps a reading was taken then.  
 
Every time I have moved into a rental it was the landlords that handled the hydro. Most apartments now have the hydro meters locked so there is no way a tenant could give a meter reading.

kaylagurl21 said "Im curious to know why hydro doesnt ask for id? Not speaking from my ecperiance but a friend of mines roommate put them on the hydro bill and then racked it up without her knowledge. Now she cant get hydro until she pays off the old balance. Which isnt her bill. So im just curious as to why they dont ask for id when hooking it up? "

to have 2 people sharing a dwelling and only one person "racks up"the hydro bill. it would be a 50/50 usage situation, without question.  
 
-did your friend actually think that all of the appliances,lights and electronics were being powered for free, in some way?  
 
-did your friend take the time to read the rental agreement and understand that the hydro was the tenant's responsibility, or just move in without knowing the FACTS?  
 
-how did this person live there for any length of time and never notice a hydro bill arriving monthly - especially one with their own name on it?  
 
this whole situation seems a little far fetched but if your friend was there then, they are responsible for the bill. Had they have been paying the monthly portion that they were responsible for, then they will have plenty of receipts, that will hold up in small claims court. if they were not paying their monthly share, they will look just as irresponsible as the person being blamed for "racking up" the bill.  
 
 
 

slurpeegirl said "    kaylagurl21 said "Im curious to know why hydro doesnt ask for id? Not speaking from my ecperiance but a friend of mines roommate put them on the hydro bill and then racked it up without her knowledge. Now she cant get hydro until she pays off the old balance. Which isnt her bill. So im just curious as to why they dont ask for id when hooking it up? " to have 2 people sharing a dwelling and only one person "racks up"the hydro bill. it would be a 50/50 usage situation, without question.     -did your friend actually think that all of the appliances,lights and electronics were being powered for free, in some way?     -did your friend take the time to read the rental agreement and understand that the hydro was the tenant's responsibility, or just move in without knowing the FACTS?     -how did this person live there for any length of time and never notice a hydro bill arriving monthly - especially one with their own name on it?     this whole situation seems a little far fetched but if your friend was there then, they are responsible for the bill. Had they have been paying the monthly portion that they were responsible for, then they will have plenty of receipts, that will hold up in small claims court. if they were not paying their monthly share, they will look just as irresponsible as the person being blamed for "racking up" the bill.         "

But in reading it I just assumed the roommate was renting a room etc from the other. So it was possible that her portion could have been say $500 everything included....only to have the first roommate not pay the hydro bill. See lots of ads like that in the student crowd.

Know. My bf has been living with his roommate for over a year and never seen a hydro bill with his name on it till now. When we started getting the mail. So yes it is possible to not know. However he isnt the one im talking about. My friend moved out of that place. And when she did her name wasnt taken off the bill so it was racked up without her being there and without her knowledge. I think hydro needs better policys because thats ridiculous. We have been told the only way to remove it is to pay the bill. So i guess the only option would be small claims court because it isnt even half her bill.  
Ive never heard anything like this until this year. And it definatly makes me think more about renting with roommates. And how i wont be doing it as i dont want someone elses responsibility. I just wonder if theres another way besides small claims court.

kaylagurl21 said "Know. My bf has been living with his roommate for over a year and never seen a hydro bill with his name on it till now. When we started getting the mail. So yes it is possible to not know. However he isnt the one im talking about. My friend moved out of that place. And when she did her name wasnt taken off the bill so it was racked up without her being there and without her knowledge. I think hydro needs better policys because thats ridiculous. We have been told the only way to remove it is to pay the bill. So i guess the only option would be small claims court because it isnt even half her bill.   Ive never heard anything like this until this year. And it definatly makes me think more about renting with roommates. And how i wont be doing it as i dont want someone elses responsibility. I just wonder if theres another way besides small claims court. "

when our tenant took over the hydro he had to phone even tho i told them his name ect, its also his responsibility to phone in a meter reading when he leaves as was the last tenant, i suppose it would be easy to get someone to phone and say its you but unless that happens you should know when your name is added to the bill and when you leave the rental you are responsible for making sure your name comes off the bill

Nordberg said "    slurpeegirl said "    kaylagurl21 said "Im curious to know why hydro doesnt ask for id? Not speaking from my ecperiance but a friend of mines roommate put them on the hydro bill and then racked it up without her knowledge. Now she cant get hydro until she pays off the old balance. Which isnt her bill. So im just curious as to why they dont ask for id when hooking it up? " to have 2 people sharing a dwelling and only one person "racks up"the hydro bill. it would be a 50/50 usage situation, without question.     -did your friend actually think that all of the appliances,lights and electronics were being powered for free, in some way?     -did your friend take the time to read the rental agreement and understand that the hydro was the tenant's responsibility, or just move in without knowing the FACTS?     -how did this person live there for any length of time and never notice a hydro bill arriving monthly - especially one with their own name on it?     this whole situation seems a little far fetched but if your friend was there then, they are responsible for the bill. Had they have been paying the monthly portion that they were responsible for, then they will have plenty of receipts, that will hold up in small claims court. if they were not paying their monthly share, they will look just as irresponsible as the person being blamed for "racking up" the bill.         " Ethically the friend is responsible for half the electricity... obviously.     However, my guess would be that from a legal standpoint, if Hydro can't prove that SHE added her own name to the bill, then they cannot hold her responsible.     Do you think I should be able to add [b]you[/b] to [b]my[/b] hydro bill without any proof you even know? "

to add my name to your bill, if we have never even met, never mind the fact that we never CO-HABITATED. the op in this case did indicate that they were roommates, which certainly does mean they are on the hook 50/50. what i am pointing out is that, if people had taken ANY financial responsibility toward their share, they would have receipts to prove it. i find it very hard to believe that 2 people never noticed a single hydro bill arrive, during their entire occupancy. the bill got out of hand because nobody took care of their responsibility and are now looking to place blame, rather than pay their own debt.  
 
Hydro need not prove anything. the tenants lived at the address and are responsible for paying for the utilities they consumed.  
 
the only way that this would not play out fairly in small claims court, is if the story is less that honest, to begin with. the landlord and neighbours would know who came and went, etc.  
 
if you added me to your bill, it would be fraud. they would ask you for my phone number and if you were unable to provide it, they would tell you to get me to call them. then, they would verify who i was and whether i knew i was being added to the account. that's how every tenant situation has been handled for my revenue properties. i know many others who rent rooms and apartments and they agree.  
 
people can't just take it upon themselves to pretend other people live with them, so there is certainly a verification process. even when names are being changed,as roommates come and go, the landlord can be contacted for further verification.  
 
i'm sure that the OP meant well by looking for answers but, i think they were lied to by someone looking for sympathy.  
 

So no one was added to the bill? Someone had just moved in and took a free ride on her name?  
 
If she had moved out she should have called hydro to give them a move out date and when to relocate her residency.  
It seems to really just come down to not knowing proper moving practises on switch overs.  
 
However, best of luck to whomever needs it in this situation. Hopefully they've kept the receipts as proof of living expenses.

if you are saying that your friend moved out so that is why she doesn't owe the money then why doesn't this friend go to MB Hydro with documents proving that she lived at another location? Although Im not sure that would work with MB Hydro but Im sure it would work with small claims court.