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Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

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Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby amatenant » Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:01 pm

I have had many "problems" with my landlord up until this day. I try to understand her since this is her first time renting her 2 family house, so I'm trying my best to be a good person to her and not criticize her, which day by day is getting more and more annoying and difficult...

I live in a 2 family house, the electricity bill is included in the rent, this is due to the fact that she couldn't separate the electricity for my house, her basement and the share space with the other family. Everything was fine, until summer came, we talk to her and told her we NEEDED to have an AC and that we will pay the difference, which she says is fine. We told her we need a copy of the electricity bill so we know how much she is paying now, so we can calculate how much we need to pay for the next month. The problem is she REFUSES to give us a copy of the bill and even worse she REFUSES to shows us the bill. She gave us this shitty piece of paper were she wrote if the electric bill is higher than $82 per month we should pay the difference.
I'm not sure who is in the right or who is in the wrong here, but obviously I need to see how much she is paying a month so I can give her the difference when I actually buy the AC. This is driving me nuts because is getting way too hot, the house gets super humid and she has always been kinda of tricky, I don't want to pay more or less than what I should. I will like to know what are my rights as a tenant in Far Rockaway, New York.


Also, she stated in the lease that she should come into my house 2 times a year and check how are things, in case we did some damages, is she allow to do that? Not only that, but every other day, I will see her in the backyard roaming around. I once told her that she was making me uncomfortable. I'm honestly not living at peace, i feel worse than a criminal just by living here and I haven't done anything bad.

One more thing whenever i tell her I have her rent payment ready she never let me know when she is coming to pick up her check, she just shows up any day, any moment and we MUST be here when she appears. I have told her many many times, that we have a life to live, and we are NOT always at home, so when she is coming she should let us know.

I don't know how else to deal with her, please, I really need some help here, some guidance.
What are my rights?

Thank you.
amatenant
 
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Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 6:59 pm

Re: Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby TenantNet » Thu Jul 07, 2016 9:21 pm

If you are in the Rockaways, you are in NYC and you posted in the wrong forum. But as you are in a 2-family house, you are not under rent regulation. You also do not say if you are on a lease, or month-to-month tenancy.

This is really simple. Getting the electrical bill allows you to figure out how much power usage is attributable to you, the other family and the LL. (You imply the LL is living there as well). I'm guessing the LL doesn't want you to see the bill as she might be overcharging you now.

In NYC, tenants usually have separate meters, but in 2-family homes, that's not always the case. In such situations, landlords often add utilities into the rent as a fixed sum. Apparently not here.

Depending on the power company, they might be willing to give you a copy if you can show them a lease or proof of residency. I suspect the power company serving your area is either Con Ed or National Grid. Check with them.

Another alternative is to check the meter to see what the usage is in kwh, and get the formula from the power company.

As for LL inspections, they can do that, but with advance written notice. You can insist it's at a reasonable hour and insist that you are there. The LL can't just waltz in whenever they want, or when you are not there. See the thread in the forum reference section on access rights.

You seem to let the LL walk over you. Stop it. Take control of your situation. Why not just mail in the rent? See if the lease has a late clause. Some don't. Then you can be late with the rent just enough to let the LL know cooperation is a two-way street.

BTW, you don't need to put the entire message in bold.
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Re: Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby amatenant » Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:54 pm

TenantNet wrote:If you are in the Rockaways, you are in NYC and you posted in the wrong forum. But as you are in a 2-family house, you are not under rent regulation. You also do not say if you are on a lease, or month-to-month tenancy.

This is really simple. Getting the electrical bill allows you to figure out how much power usage is attributable to you, the other family and the LL. (You imply the LL is living there as well). I'm guessing the LL doesn't want you to see the bill as she might be overcharging you now.

In NYC, tenants usually have separate meters, but in 2-family homes, that's not always the case. In such situations, landlords often add utilities into the rent as a fixed sum. Apparently not here.

Depending on the power company, they might be willing to give you a copy if you can show them a lease or proof of residency. I suspect the power company serving your area is either Con Ed or National Grid. Check with them.

Another alternative is to check the meter to see what the usage is in kwh, and get the formula from the power company.

As for LL inspections, they can do that, but with advance written notice. You can insist it's at a reasonable hour and insist that you are there. The LL can't just waltz in whenever they want, or when you are not there. See the thread in the forum reference section on access rights.

You seem to let the LL walk over you. Stop it. Take control of your situation. Why not just mail in the rent? See if the lease has a late clause. Some don't. Then you can be late with the rent just enough to let the LL know cooperation is a two-way street.

BTW, you don't need to put the entire message in bold.


First of all, thank you for replying! I'm so sorry, I didn't know where to put the question, should I move it? also, I'm sorry I put almost everything in bold, but since I was writing more than I planned I wanted to accentuate what my questions were so it was easier to find.

I sign the lease for a year. She does not live in the same building/family house, that's why she freaks me out so much whenever she comes every other day just to wander outside my house. There's another family living in the second floor but they do have a separate electrical bill. The first floor (where i live) shares the same electricity as the basement and the share space.
I asked many times, to let me deposit the check for her, or mail it, but she doesn't want to.

I don't know how to stop her, i don't want to treat her bad or be disrespectful toward her, that's just not me, I talked to her but she doesn't change, right now I just rather ignore her and let other family member deal with her.

I will do what you suggest, I will go the company directly and ask for a copy of the latest bill, I'm not sure how that will go, i hope they will give it to me.

Thank you so much for your help!.
amatenant
 
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Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 6:59 pm

Re: Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby TenantNet » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:01 am

Please stop being a victim.
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Re: Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby amatenant » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:05 am

TenantNet wrote:Please stop being a victim.


I was trying to be polite to you, but okay. Thank you.
amatenant
 
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Re: Landlord refuses to give me a copy of the electric bill

Postby TenantNet » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:55 am

And we're trying to tell you why the LL is walking all over you. You can assert your rights without being nasty about it - if that's what you're trying to avoid.
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