Not paying the electric bill

[Patrick211 43]

Hi there. I have a question about electricity bills.

 

I rented a whole flat from a student for six months. He was dodgy about the electric bill and never told me that it was NOT included in the Nebenkosts.

 

But he was also dumb enough to pay me back my kaution after I moved out but before he got the electric bill

 

I never signed up with Vatenfall or received anything from them and his electricity account was with another company. Lichtblick I think

 

So my question is:

 

What would happen if I never paid the electric bill? What legal steps could he take and what would happen to me? Could this mess up my credit in other EU countries? And the UK? Or US?

 

He does not have my new address in Berlin and he doesn’t exactly have feared lawyers and bill collectors in his social circles.

 

I am thinking of just not paying the bill because I plan to leave Germany in the next 1-2 years. But I don’t want this to bight me in the a$$ in 20 years.

 

Cheers.

[sarabyrd 18,767]

So you owe a poor student money from the bills for electricity that you actually used and are seriously considering not paying? You are contemplating skipping the country and leaving debt behind? Your only worry is that it might come back to bite you in 20 years?

 

Pay him and you can sleep soundly at night.

[El Jeffo 42,119]

 

He does not have my new address in Berlin.

 

As long as he has your name, obtaining your new address would be child's play.

 

 

he doesn’t exactly have feared lawyers and bill collectors in his social circles.

 

Maybe he has an uncle. Or a parent's friend. Do you really want to find out the hard way?

 

Just pay the bills.

[Patrick211 43]

Character issues aside, I was actually more interested in the legal ramifications. Just to be clear: He never said I had to pay the electric bill upon moving out. He said that my rent included the NebenKosts.

[sarabyrd 18,767]

Definition of Nebenkosten.

Electricity is not on the list.

[Mik Dickinson 443]

Never was and never will be in a normal rent contract.Pay your bills they may catch up with you at the border or at the airport.

[razzmatazz 12]

not true. i pay flat rate monthly for everything including heating, electricity, internet and even local phone calls. but anyway it's not rather clever to sign an agreement not even knowing what you are paying for.

[Patrick211 43]

Thank you for the nice and helpful responses. In the end I paid the bill. I was just curious what would happen if I avoided it or if my landlord was potentially screwing me because no one ever explained what is and what isn't in nebenkists.

 

Sarah and El Jeffo muppet can sleep easy. No Germans have been harmed!