Google Search

TenantNet Forum Archives 1996-2002
Posting and Replies are disabled in all Archives
TenantNet Forum | TenantNet Forum Archives Index


Re: Who the heck is paying my electric? Your landlord is.

Posted by Blue Zephyr on January 27, 2002 at 00:36:52:

In Reply to: Re: Who the heck is paying my electric???...more info needed posted by John on January 26, 2002 at 19:02:04:

Relax. Con edison does not supply "free" electricity - your landlord is almost certainly paying the bill. In the future, be sure to clarify arrangements about utilities before you rent an apartment. But this time you really lucked out.

Likely you have a "shared meter"; an electric meter that covers both your apartment and part of the landlord's space. That's why he has to pay the bill; Con Edison will not bill tenants for electric service to space that is not theirs. If he wanted you to pay the bill he would have to have a separte meter installed and possibly doother electrical work. Perhaps he'd rather just leave things as they are - a win/win situation for both of you.


: The apt is in brooklyn on the 2nd floor in a 3 family house - the landlord lives on the entire bottom floor and another tenant rents a unit next door to me. Since I did sign a lease, I assume this apt is legal and theres nothing to indicate otherwise. I got this apt thru the previous tenant who and she introduced me to the LL. I really have no idea how I'm getting electric now and not paying for it when I already know for a fact that the previous tenant was paying electric. To be safe, should I just go ahead and get an electric account? Because what i dont want to happen is the LL finding out he's been paying my electric this whole time and showing up on my door one day with a humongous and overblown bill.

: : Where is you apartment located? Basement attic? do you think its an illegal apartment? Have you blown any fuses and the landlord had to reset the breakers?..... What did the ad say about the apartment?

: : It is Illegal to share a meter, so the landlord would have to pay if anything besides your apartment is on the line.

: : I would say the could be similar to a landlord not asing for rent for 8 months... you can only go back and collect 3 months due to a stale rent law. I would not say anything, but keep at least $500 in reserve just in case this is a honest mistake, and before you pay ANY bill, have the electric company do an energy audit just to make sure YOU are only paying electricty for your apartment.

: :
: : ;
: : ;
: : : well when i moved into this apt. in august, i was never told by the LL what utils were included and what wasn't. On the lease it didn't say electric was, but yet i was getting electricity. The idea of me and my roommate getting free electricity, as good a deal as it was, didn't sound right so i contacted the previous tenant who said that when she was living there, she paid the electricty, but on the account of the previous tenant before her. I found an old Con Ed bill under the previous tenant(she had moved out by the time this arrived and allowed me to open it) and on the bill it said "Your bill will be delayed temporarily. We are reviewing your account to make sure you receive and accurate bill." The billed amount was $0 and the letter was postmarked Sept. 13 and the next reading date was suppose to be Oct. 12, but a bill never came. I checked the account and apparently it no longer exists. It's January now and I'm still not paying for electricity and the LL hasn't said anything. Should I mention this to the LL? Lets say I apply for an account tomorrow, can Con Ed legally bill me for the time I've lived here? I'm a lil confused here.



Follow Ups:



Note: Posting is disabled in all archives
Post a Followup

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Subject : 
Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL:


   

TenantNet Home | TenantNet Forum | New York Tenant Information | Contact Us
DHCR Information | DHCR Decisions | Housing Court Decisions | New York Rent Laws |

Subscribe to our Mailing List!
Your Email      Full Name