I rent a room in a 2 bedroom apartment with another renter. I have no written agreement. Utilities are included. But my landlady said that if I got an A/C I would have to pay $40 more a month. When I took my A/C out, I tried to stop paying the $40 but my LL said I had to continue paying it because the bill was still too high. When the LL ignored my continued requests for heat, I got a heater. The Con Ed bill arrived this weekend the same time the rent was due. The bill is $354. She demanded an extra $60 immediately or she would ask me to move out. Under duress, I gave her the $60. Then she announced that for the next 2 rent periods -I pay every 2 weeks- I would have to pay an additional $60. I then said I would move out and asked for the $60 back. She refused to give it to me. I told her I would not pay her Con Ed bill and she said that if I didn’t, she would cut off the electricity.
The next day we agreed that I would pay her another $154. I realized that since I am now living on unemployment, I am disabled and I have a cat that it would be extremely difficult to find another place to live. Yesterday she changed her mind and said that I now had to pay $194 instead. In addition she announced that from now on she would only pay $60 a month for Con Ed and that I would have to pay the rest. (The LL has not asked my roommate to pay anything towards the electric bill. She blames the high bill on the fact that I have a computer and I am home most of the time.)
The LL also says that since I am renting a room instead of an apartment, I have no rights. At this point I no longer know how much money I will have to pay each month to live here. Help!