LL suggesting that I move out... (Santa Cruz: renter, loans, house)

[formosahoney]

Just found out that I live in an illegal studio over the garage in Santa Cruz built in late 80's to early 90's.

The on-site LL has historically rented the studio with electricity included for 8 years.

Last summer when they moved to Colorado a new family moved in. LL asked me to assume electricity which I good naturelly agreed thinking it was $20 to $60 and really a reasonable overall increase make my cost to be there at $920 to $960 and I budgeted for that. Bills however have been $120 to $160.

The new renter and I pay a combined $5000 for electricity year-to-date, because it's one meter. Six months back I had suggested putting in an additional meter for this stand-along, with a projected budget of $1000. I offered to chip in $300, having crunched the numbers and realized that a $300 out of pocket now would save energy costs, with consumption costs leaping from 11 cents/KiloWt at base line to 44 cents/KiloWt at the 300% winter consumption for two house holds on one baseline. I am in effect paying 3X the energy cost. I proposed adding a meter on and looked into permits and costs found out that the unit is illegal.

My share of the electricity has been $1,666 for the year! If the studio was on its own meter, it would have been 1/3 of that and with the $300 meter-build out, it still would have been under $1000.

Now the LL is suggesting that I move out by September...
"We do wish to have a tenant in the appartment who is comfortable with using a wood stove, with the challenging environment and weather"

I have a neck disability and I can't lift things beyond 7 pounds and no neck flexion. Moving out would entail a lot of time lost before and after. I have been recovering since my neck operation of two years and living on savings and loans while rehabilitating to re enter the work full time. I took a job as a server in the country club to make my ends meet and only lasted a week due to severe pain. Last week I had steroid injections to three levels so that walking doesn't cause pain and I can sit at a computer for more then two hours to find work...

Now they want me to move... what are my options?

Was I just greatly stupid for agreeing to pay electricity w/o asking for past bills?

[Fontucky]

If the studio was built without permits, you can forget adding a meter.

[formosahoney]

That's clear already.