Understanding Your Lease: Utility Bills and Services
Understanding who pays the utility bills when you rent a place can be tricky. Sometimes, the lease says the landlord will pay for things like electricity, water, and gas. But what happens if the landlord doesn’t pay, or if the tenant has to pay for other people's utilities? This guide will help you figure out what to do in different situations.
- Paying for Other People’s Utility Services: Sometimes, you might end up paying for utilities that other people use, either by accident or because it’s in the lease. This section explains what to do if you think you're paying for someone else’s bills.
- Changing Who Pays the Utility Bills: Sometimes, during your lease, the landlord might want you to start paying the utility bills instead of them. This section tells you what you need to know if this happens and how to handle it.
- What to Do if the Landlord Doesn’t Pay the Utility Bill: If your landlord is supposed to pay the utility bills but doesn’t, your utilities might get turned off. This article explains your rights and what you can do to make sure your utilities stay on.
- How to File a Complaint Against a Utility Company: Sometimes, the utility company might be the problem. If that happens, you might need to file a complaint. This section explains how to do that step-by-step.
By understanding these points, you can handle problems with utility bills in your rental. Each linked section has more details to help you if you're facing these issues.
The above article provides information about legal issues but is not the same as legal advice. Legal advice is when a lawyer applies the law to your specific situation. The information in this article does not replace the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. Law Center for Better Housing cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information in this article and is not responsible for any consequences that may result from using it. You should consult with a licensed attorney to ensure the information in this article is appropriate for your specific situation. Using the information in this article does not create a relationship between Law Center for Better Housing and you as your attorney.