Shared Meters. Help Please!

[HarassedInHarlem]

I'm on a shared meter for all utilities with a difficult landlord. When I signed the lease seven months ago, we agreed verbally that there were to be no air conditioners installed in the building. My father was a co-signatory as well as a witness to this discussion.

Today I noticed that other tenants had begun to install their own air conditioners, so I called the landlord. He denies ever having said that A/C's weren't allowed, and there's no provision on the lease.

I want to know what my options are in case things get messy. Is a shared meter even legal in the first place? I've never understood that part of the tenant's rights guide.

[too trusting]

Originally posted by HarassedInHarlem:
I'm on a shared meter for all utilities with a difficult landlord. When I signed the lease seven months ago, we agreed verbally that there were to be no air conditioners installed in the building. My father was a co-signatory as well as a witness to this discussion.

Today I noticed that other tenants had begun to install their own air conditioners, so I called the landlord. He denies ever having said that A/C's weren't allowed, and there's no provision on the lease.

I want to know what my options are in case things get messy. Is a shared meter even legal in the first place? I've never understood that part of the tenant's rights guide.

A shared meter is not legal unless your utilities are included with your rent so the LL pays the bill. You can call ConEd and tell them you want them to check your meter because your bill has been too high. When they find that you're having to pay for electric you're not using they'll send your LL a letter telling him to install a separate meter for you. In the meantime you won't be responsible for any electric bills till you get your own meter.

This happened to me, (see Help - Landlord Want Us To Leave! We Just Moved In!) only the LL did not tell us she was connected to our meter. They might tell you that if you work out an agreement with the LL i.e. rent reduction because of the high electric bill, then the shared meter is ok.

[HarassedInHarlem]

Originally posted by too trusting:
A shared meter is not legal unless your utilities are included with your rent so the LL pays the bill. You can call ConEd and tell them you want them to check your meter because your bill has been too high. When they find that you're having to pay for electric you're not using they'll send your LL a letter telling him to install a separate meter for you. In the meantime you won't be responsible for any electric bills till you get your own meter.

This happened to me, (see Help - Landlord Want Us To Leave! We Just Moved In!) only the LL did not tell us she was connected to our meter. They might tell you that if you work out an agreement with the LL i.e. rent reduction because of the high electric bill, then the shared meter is ok.

Thank you! I never fully understood the part in the tenant's rights guide that said either individual meters had to be installed or the account had to be transferred to the landlord. That the latter means the landlord should pay for the utilities makes perfect sense!

I don't mind paying for the share, since it's what I agreed to do when I first signed up, but I won't start pitching in $30+ to pay for other people's air, especially when they're sponsored by social services and pay a flat $50 for juice!

Thanks again, you've been a great help!