Renting M2M 8 month after lease ran out - Utilities

[BlueHorizon]

On Nov 1, 2010 I signed a lease ending Oct 31 2011.

On the "rider to Lease" it says "Tenant is responsible for the electric utilities. Landlord will present Tenant with full bill and sub-meter reading each month"

I am still living in the same location8 months after our lease ran out and I still have not received a bill. Would have been happy to pay it with the rent each month.

we have been paying $1200 at the start of the month since the lease and the after lease period. I have not signed up with con Edison.

We were suppose to get a new lease in the mail but they never sent us one. overall LL is a ghost besides sending some guys on needed repairs.

- Can I still be legally responsible with the utilities charge if we leave now ( 8 months after lease ran out and use the security deposit as my last months rent?

Depending on your answers I may go, OR prefer to stay and find a replacement for my roommate while living M2M.

Thank you for your help,

[TenantNet]

I would start here: http://tenant.net/alerts/Shared_Meter_Brochure_Eng.pdf

Does this answer your questions?

From a practical standpoint, your rights are one thing, but dealing with a pissed landlord who wants you out - when you're not rent stabilized -- that's a different matter.

[BlueHorizon]

We do have a meter in our apartment and the landlord does have the reading from the metter when we moved in with the lease so I dont know if this is a shared meter situation.

I can see what you are hinting, but I am still unsure if I am responsible for the meter considering the events.


I am not to worried about the LL deciding they want us out. I think they are happy to just get the check. The apartment downstairs has been open since we moved in and is double the space. Also LL said the rent was increasing when the lease ended but we kept paying the original $1200 per month since we never got a new lease. They seem ultra lazy, and dont even mention it when I call for repairs.

If I am not responsible for the 20 month of power (love to know exactly why if you can point me to the info specifically), should I be concerned about getting the security deposit back, living m2m?