QUESTION
Can my landlord be held liable for a portion of my gas bill for having secretly tying in another tenants use to mine?
Asked on Nov 12th, 2013 on Landlord and Tenant Law - Utah
More details to this question:
I have been living in the same apartment for 2 years. About a year into me living there, my girlfriend moved in and we noticed the hot water did not last long. We looked at our water heater in the basement and found that there were 3 heaters and only one connected. When the landlord was questioned about this, he said he had a friend tie-in the 2nd floor to our water heater as theirs had broken. That happened almost 6 months before I initially moved in. Was never informed/notified of this being the case. After the heater was replaced and utilities separate, my gas hot water bill dropped to half of what it was. I asked the landlord to compensate me for the extra but he has avoided it in every possible way. Can I sue him?
5 ANSWERS
Litigation Attorney serving Bakersfield, CA
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Dessy & Dessy
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Yes, you should file a small claims action against your landlord to recover the excess utility charges you wound up paying.
Answered on Nov 14th, 2013 at 9:13 AM
Appellate Attorney serving Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
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Musilli Brennan Associates, PLLC
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Yes, and if you are month to month you can plan on moving as well. How much money is involved? Is it worth the attorney's fees? Sounds like a cash flow issue with the landlord. Agree on an amount and a discount of your rent until it is paid off.
Answered on Nov 14th, 2013 at 9:13 AM
Yes, you can but be prepared to start to look for somewhere else to live. Although retaliatory eviction is against the law, the atmosphere you may have to endure if you stay there could be unbearable.
Answered on Nov 14th, 2013 at 9:13 AM
Business Law Attorney serving Bingham Farms, MI
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James T. Weiner, P.C.
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Yes you can probably sue him but you will most likely have to move because he will not renew the lease eventually.
Answered on Nov 14th, 2013 at 8:30 AM
Lisa Hurtado McDonnell
Yes, if you were responsible for the gas bill.
Answered on Nov 14th, 2013 at 7:15 AM