Q:I’m now renting an apartment where I’ve lived for more than 20 years. For the first time this year, the lease requires residents to pay for water and rubbish collection, which will be invoiced to them later.
The apartment complex is a multi-unit structure with one- and two-bedroom units. I am a retired single resident who wanted to know how management planned to decide how each unit will be charged for water usage. To me, it appears to be a lot of guessing and averages.
Residents began receiving monthly bills from the management company in December. These documents list the amounts owed for rent and garage space and are organized by charge category. There is a payment category, a balance category, and then a balance forward listing at the bottom of the statement.
I’ve always paid my rent and garage space fees on a monthly basis, yet my monthly bill still shows that I owe money. I am aware that I am now expected to pay for water and garbage collection, but nothing on my monthly invoice indicates that this is the case.
Isn’t there some kind of explanation for why the balance is due? Is it safe to presume that this is what the money owed is for?
Assumptions can backfire, as I’ve learned the hard way. I’ve emailed the apartment management firm about it, but have not received a response. There is no management office or office manager on the premises.
I haven’t paid the outstanding debt because I’m not sure what that payment is for. I’d be grateful for any suggestions, as my landlord is going to start charging late penalties at the end of the month.
A: As long as the landlord follows the proper protocol, it is permissible to bill many tenants in a single-meter building for utilities like as water and rubbish collection.
Water, sewer, power, gas, trash/garbage, and recycling are all common utilities, but they can also include phone, cable, and internet connectivity. If the service for which you are being charged, such as water and rubbish collection, is regulated by a meter that only measures your rental flat, your landlord is permitted to pay the bill and pass the cost on to the renters.
However, in your case, because the meter covers more than just your rental unit, it is termed a shared meter, and your landlord must adhere to certain rules involving shared meters.
If your landlord owns a single-metered residential building and bills tenants separately for utilities, he or she must provide prospective renters notice of the total utility cost for the building for each month of the previous calendar year. In addition, your landlord must indicate in writing how they will equitably share the overall utility bill, which in your instance includes water and garbage removal, as well as how frequently they would bill the renters for these services.
Your landlord should include a lease term that states that if a tenant demands a copy of the real utility bill for the building, as well as each apportioned utility bill, the landlord must deliver a copy of the actual utility bill for the building. If a tenant seeks copies of past invoices for which they are being billed separately, the landlord must produce copies for the previous two years in which the tenant was billed for that utility or from the time the landlord purchased the building, whichever is later.
This doesn’t apply to you right now, but if your landlord bills for gas and electric separately from your rent payment in the future, your landlord must notify you and the other tenants in writing, by September 30 of each year, of the energy assistance program available from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, including the specific agency’s toll-free phone number.
Your landlord stated that the tenants would be billed separately on a monthly basis, which is lawful if done correctly.
The best approach would be for the landlord to identify each amount separately rather of lumping them together in a balance forward sum. Your landlord, on the other hand, hasn’t specified how the water and rubbish removal costs are distributed fairly among the units.
As you have done, you should immediately contact the landlord and inquire about how they are equitably allocating the water and waste pickup rates. These two utilities appear to be billed monthly, therefore your question about how often you’ll be billed has been answered.
However, you should inquire as to how your landlord calculates these rates, as you should not be charged for the same amount of water consumption as a family of four in the same building. You will be able to understand your monthly statement once your landlord has provided you with the necessary information.
You’ve been a terrific renter for over 20 years, and I’m sure they’ll be happy to answer your queries. If you don’t hear back from management before the late fee is applied, you should request that the late cost be waived because you have concerns that need to be addressed before you pay these utility bills.
You can also request that these charges be changed from “Balance Forward” to “Water” and “Garbage Removal” with precise dollar amounts on your statement so that you can better comprehend your monthly apartment expenses.
In Minnesota, landlords are required to divulge this information to tenants upon request or face penalties, and your landlord is most certainly aware of this rule. If they aren’t aware, you should inform them, and they can call me for confirmation.
What is the best way to divide electric bills between tenants?
Determine how much each roommate will contribute each month. Each roommate pays an identical amount, which is a popular approach to distribute bills. If you had four people living in your home, for example, each individual would pay 25% of each bill.
Is it legal for the landlord to turn off the electricity?
If a landlord does take the law into his own hands and cuts off the electricity supply, the tenant has the right to apply to Court for a spoliation order showing that the tenant’s possession of the leased property was unduly interfered with or disturbed.
When renting a home, what bills do you have to pay?
Utility bills, often known as utility expenses, are a broad phrase that refers to the various services and goods that make up a property’s operating costs, allowing you to live comfortably. Gas, electricity, water, home landline, broadband, and council tax are common examples. Security systems, trash collection, and sewer waste are all examples of utility costs in some locations. The majority of these service expenses will be borne by and paid by every household in the United Kingdom.
Who is liable for non-payment of utility bills?
When there are numerous tenants living in the same house, bill conflicts are common. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the person whose name appears on the bill is ultimately responsible.
This means that if all tenants in a house share or HMO rental unit have their names on a utility bill, they are all equally responsible for debt repayment, even if only one tenant hasn’t paid.
In a shared residence, how are bills divided?
Whether one of your flatmates is always late with their payments or you’re having financial difficulties, it’s crucial to talk to your housemates about it before it becomes a serious problem. This way, if an unforeseen event arises, you’ll already have a plan in place to deal with it!
Should utilities be shared equally by all roommates?
This, too, necessitates an open and honest conversation among all housemates. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for splitting utility bills between roommates; it all relies on individual circumstances and preferences. Some people choose to split the bills evenly, while others prefer to split the bill based on each roommate’s salary. It’s critical that all of the housemates are on the same page and agree on everything. The most common and easiest way to split is to divide evenly, but as long as everyone involved is happy, you are free to split the bills any way you like.
What is a spoliation order, exactly?
- The goal of spoliation is to prevent parties from taking the law into their own hands, regardless of the reason for possession.
Scenario: the landlord changed the keys of a cottage to prevent the tenant from having access, because the tenant failed to pay rent. The tenant can seek a spoliation order in court since the landlord is not permitted to take the law into his or her own hands and must instead seek remedies from the court.
- It is not necessary for the Applicant (disposed party) to have a legal right to possess the possession.
- The question here is whether the Applicant voluntarily and legitimately consented to the repossession; if not, it was illegal.
Due to the urgency of such circumstances, spoliation orders are sometimes obtained through application proceedings rather than action proceedings.
In Pennsylvania, may a landlord turn off utilities if the rent is not paid?
Even if you are overdue on your rent, your landlord is not authorized to tamper with your utility service. A landlord cannot lawfully turn off your utility service, even if it is included in your monthly rental payments for water, sewer, gas, or electricity. This could be construed as an illegal attempt to evict you without following necessary legal procedures; if this occurs, or if the landlord threatens to do so, you should seek legal advice or contact legal aid. See Eviction: Q & A for further information. My landlord has threatened to evict me if I don’t pay my rent.
Is electricity and gas included in the rent?
In a rented property, tenants are likely to be responsible for all utilities, including water, electricity, council tax, gas, broadband, television licenses, and other fees. Some leases include some utilities in the rent, but they rarely cover all of the utilities that renters consume. Examine the leasing agreement carefully and inquire about utilities and who is liable for them. To understand more about this subject, see the tutorial below.