Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Real Estate
  4. / Renting And Leasing Real Estate
  5. / Rental Property Fees And Maintenance
  6. / Rental Property Fees And Maintenance (General)

by Alexandra Clauss on October 31st, 2005

Alexandra Clauss

Question

Help answer this question below.

I just found out that I have been paying the gas and electric on another apartment in the house I'm renting. The landlords say it is a storage unit, not an apartment, but someone lives there. What can I do?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 7 helpful answers below.

  • by Redhawk on November 1st, 2009

    Redhawk

    This is not borderline fraud...IT IS FRAUD!

    If your Landlord knew of the hook up and didn't tell you, giving you an option for a discount on rent or some other financial arrangement that you agreed was fair, then THEY OWE YOU some MONEY on this matter!

    I would strongly suggest that you either contact a local Landlord/Tenant Hotline, OR go see a Real Estate Attorney pretty quick!

    Attorneys will generally give you about 20 to 30 minutes free, because they want to hear what you have to say so they can determine if you have a legal case, which I suspect strongly YOU DO!

    If but some stretch the Attorney does not believe they can help you (and thus be paid) they will at the least explain WHY and where you stand according to YOUR state laws.

    At the very least...a good Attorney will advise you as to the specific laws of your state regarding an arrangement of this type (it may be totally illegal!) and would also give you some tips on filing a Small Claims suit against the Landlord, if they are unwilling to make good on the situation.

    What a nasty thing to do to someone...times are tough enough without socking utility bills to someone not even benefiting from the USE of them!

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Dr. Stevensonnnnnn on November 30th, 2009

    Dr. Stevensonnnnnn

    If you want I could call some girls up and help you shoot a porno there. Just trying to make lemons out of lemonade

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by BrokeDog on November 1st, 2009

    BrokeDog

    The same thing happened to me several years ago. I went to pay the rent, and the landlord left his payment and receipt book out by accident. He went into another room for something, so I grabbed it and looked. My wife and I were paying 2 to 3 times more than anyone else on the street (these were mobile homes/trailers)! When I confronted him, he said that all the other "tennants" were old and on fixed incomes, so he used us and 2 other families to kinda balance out the totals (at the end of each month)! I was livid ... but SOMEHOW managed to control myself until much later. He said/asked "you're not gonna make me charge these poor old people these high prices, when they can't afford it, are you"?
    We checked into getting SOME of our money back BUT, we were told we would lose 50% or more in lawyer/court costs. So, we bought a house and moved!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by john pennington on November 1st, 2009

    john pennington

    First, read your contract line by line. you are looking for wording that describes exactly what part covers your responsibility.

    It appears your landlord has been defrauding you with gas and electric bills you are not responsible for.

    If an unknown person lives in the storage unit, they should be paying the gas and electricy not you. your landloard knows this. he is waiting to see just how far you will go.

    I would advise your landloard that you are going to seek an attorney and watch his reaction.

    Ask the person in the storage shed about his living arrangements and is he also paying for gas and electricy? you might find a partner to team up with for a lawsuit.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Anonymous on March 1st, 2006

    Anonymous

    This definitely borderlines fraud, on part of your landlord. apparently, your landlord knew this situation, in the beginning. you are going to have to develop a case for court. you will need evidence, such as photos, bills, and statements from the person living in the storage unit. from your power and gas company, i would retrieve copies of the past bills from this location. compare the amounts paid, based on your apartment size to the size of the storage unit apartment. this is a civil matter and will need a civil attorney. i wonder if the person, living in the storage unit apartment, is a relative of your landlord? if so, this could answer your question of why you have been paying all the bills!

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by dmb86 on October 26th, 2009

    dmb86

    I would also let your land lord know that if you are paying for the electricity and gas to a "storage unit", then you should have 100% access to the unit.

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Joe-Speedy on November 5th, 2005

    Joe-Speedy

    You have three options. You can pay the bill, ask the next door tenent to chip in for his share, or move otu.

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading I just found out that I have been paying the gas and electric on another apartment in the house I'm renting. The landlords say it is a storage unit, not an apartment, but someone lives there. What can I do?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

My landlord been using my gas illegal
I found out i am paying for gas for my building
Just found out i m paying for heat
Can someone hook up their electricity from someone else s apartment
Green lights flash on pc when i boot my pc

Answerbag

a Demand Media company