Hey guys,
My in-laws are trying to get my wife to use her name to create an electricity/gas account using her name so that they can get some discount/promo thing which they already got previously.
I don't really have the full details of the deal.
Would appreciate if you guys have any comments for potential issues in doing this?
It's simple, whoever's name its under is ultimately liable to pay that bill.
As per others your wife will be liable if the bill doesn't get paid.
Usually you can get the same deals by calling up…
Power bill… uh uh, just no, don't go there. People go bankrupt with power bills. It's like signing off a blank check. (Mobile phone bill comes in second.)
Who the (profanity) has ever gone bankrupt from a residential power bill?
Arthur Dent
Don't get sucked in to promo rates. Look at the actual tarrif rate and service charges. If a provider csn offer you 40% off electricity for example then you can assume the initial tarrif is hugely inflated and you are getting 40% off an imaginary figure.
Power companies are like banks. They will screw you for every last $
Do they grow weed?
I'm actually not too concerned about them being able to pay for the bill because I know they're quite capable of doing that. I was more concerned about other things like my wife having two addresses and any tax implications since we have a mortgage at the place where we live now.
Maybe I'm just over thinking it though.
I was more concerned about other things like my wife having two addresses and any tax implications since we have a mortgage at the place where we live now.
Probably no tax implications for your wife. There might be tax implications for your in-laws. Plenty of places are for proof of residence by supplying a utility bill, which they might not be able to supply now.
I would get more details on whether the sign up promo is worth the hassle. You can normally get a similar benefit by just switching providers every year.
What tax implications?
I'm not sure, this is why I'm asking if anyone can see anything wrong with this arrangement. It was just a thought as I have heard that utility bills are used to show PPOR (primary place of residence).
For the record I don't plan on doing this, but I was just curious what the implications would be.
So your inlaws want to receive a benefit by deception. Sounds like fraud and your wife will be complicit.
What are you smoking? What's the fraud, if the daughter is volunteering to sign up for electricity in her name?
There would be fraud if the parents did it without her consent, but why bother with that … might as well make up a fake name.
Not really fraud, just taking advantage of stupid/poorly thought out conditions by the provider. Similar to a few "hacks" that have been posted here in the past.
So it's one per "customer name" instead of per "service address"? That's weird.
Possibly parents "move" and daughter is the new "owner/resident" for a new connection promo offer.
Appreciate all your comments guys. I'm not sure what the "deal" is either, but I'm pretty sure it's not worth the hassle if anything does go wrong.
Is your wife on any sort of benefits/welfare? I wonder that would complicate things with centrelink on whether you guys are living together in same address? I don't know, I'm not familiar with benefits, a bit far out but just a thought …
No, she is not. Good point though.
Your wife is liable for your in-laws electricity bill.
Do not do it.