This has to be illegal [LANDLORDS]

Z

zorro

Veteran XV
Ok. i just moved into a new place in the basement unit (lol basement, it's only 2 feet under ground). It's a house with 4 apartments total.

ok so here's the problem. There is a common area behind our apartment (we have a door to it) that has the washer/dryer and a bunch of space for storage. I finally went back to the breaker box today because I didn't know if our outside light was burnt out or if it was switched to off. Anyway, i noticed that there wasn't a seperate box for the common area, just 4 boxes, one for each apt. So i switched the main breaker for our apartment. What do you know, the light in the common area went off.

Basically they are scamming us into paying the energy bill for the common/storage/washer and dryer area. I also noticed 2 space heaters by the water pipes, which means those fuckers will be on ALL WINTER.

i called the electric company, they can't do anything. I'm not on the lease yet so I can't call the landlord for anything, my gf has to unfortunately.


what say you tribal lawyers?
 
That's called "garden level"

And if it's plugged into your service, tell the landlord that if he doesn't make things right you'll just kill the breaker
 
it should have been disclosed before signing the lease but i doubt its illegal.

It could probably get you out of the lease though.

Or since its your power on your meter turn off the power to that area and lock your breaker except for when you need to use the washer and dryer. Unless the people in the other apartments are willing to split it with you.

How are they doing water at this place?
 
i know it's the garden level. all the utility companies call it the basement unit, so that's what i started calling it too.
 
telos said:
it should have been disclosed before signing the lease but i doubt its illegal.

It could probably get you out of the lease though.

Or since its your power on your meter turn off the power to that area and lock your breaker except for when you need to use the washer and dryer. Unless the people in the other apartments are willing to split it with you.

How are they doing water at this place?
Click to expand...

water is free.
 
My landlord did the exact same thing to our apartment in college, but we only found out at the end of the lease and we didn't have the initiative to follow through.

I don't think it's illegal but maybe it's definitely fucked up.
 
we had a pop machine at a house I rented in college. That thing was on all the time in the summer and winter.

It was on a screw-in fuse, so we'd just put the fuse in a light socket, turn on the light, the fuse would blow, and we'd put it back.

in the winter all the cans would freeze, and in summer the machine wouldn't work.
 
yeah my friend has the same thing, the washer and dryer are on his level and his neighbors do shit tons of laundry (he says they do loads every single day)

His electric bill's are of course very high and after multiple complaints they just keep giving him the run around and won't confirm or deny anything. Needless to say he is moving out.
 
Don't you pay your utilities directly to the utility company? That's what I've always done when we rented in the past. How can a landlord scam you on something they have no control over, unless he's trying to be some sort of middle man.
 
the "commons" utilities are on his bill.

That should typically be on a separate meter paid by the land lord.
 
Not to worry, Amazon Jim is here to help!*

Basically, yes, your landlord is screwing you. Deal with it. You can easily force your landlord into paying for an additional meter or you can have your rent lowered as the utilities go up.
In the end.....do you like your new place? If so, suck it up and unplug those damned space heaters. I hate those things.

If your LL is a prick about it (be nice when you ask), send him a registered/certified mail detailing your complaint. Save it. Sue him when you think you have paid enough. Welcome to living in a apt for free and living on the system as a 'professional tenant'. He can't kick you out.....and if he does.....he's got problems.

Spoiler
 
telos said:
the "commons" utilities are on his bill.

That should typically be on a separate meter paid by the land lord.
Click to expand...
"Common areas" shouldn't even be on the tenants bill. They should be supplied and paid for by the landlord. Every apartment complex or living area I've known here in northern CA that has separate "common" laundry areas is not paid for by the renters/tenants.

What jew would run a scam like this? And who in gods name would move into it :lol:
 
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