Wont turn on my water.. (Starkville: apartment, renter, how much)

[Brandy39483]

Watch out for the Foxworth Water Company they don't always ready your meter right and they also make you pay off the old renters water bill in order to get your water on. It's not fair, I just paid off my bill of $63.34 and now they want me to pay a bill of $562.51 from the last people that rented it. I don't have that kind of money to pay, so now I can't even stay in my own place that I am paying rent for because my kids need to have the water on. I tried everything to get help, but no place can help me cause it is not my bill. What can I do.. Any one with any ideas please let me know

[blktoptrvl]

If you are saying that you are renting a property - for which they will not turn on the water because of a previous renter's bill. And if you are in no way related to that previous renter, then I think you need to take the issue to the local renter/tenant board.

You also should see about canceling (not breaking) the lease - because a landlord in every place I have rented cannot rent to you if there is no water. If the water company is looking for someone to pin the bill on - it can only be the former resident - or the landlord.

You are not responsible for other people's bills.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by Brandy39483

Watch out for the Foxworth Water Company they don't always ready your meter right and they also make you pay off the old renters water bill in order to get your water on. It's not fair, I just paid off my bill of $63.34 and now they want me to pay a bill of $562.51 from the last people that rented it. I don't have that kind of money to pay, so now I can't even stay in my own place that I am paying rent for because my kids need to have the water on. I tried everything to get help, but no place can help me cause it is not my bill. What can I do.. Any one with any ideas please let me know

The best thing I can think of is to go talk to them. Explain it to them exactly like you explained it here.

People are all just people. You might find a more sympathetic ear if that ear is connected to a face which is in front of your face.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by Brandy39483

Watch out for the Foxworth Water Company they don't always ready your meter right and they also make you pay off the old renters water bill in order to get your water on. It's not fair, I just paid off my bill of $63.34 and now they want me to pay a bill of $562.51 from the last people that rented it. I don't have that kind of money to pay, so now I can't even stay in my own place that I am paying rent for because my kids need to have the water on. I tried everything to get help, but no place can help me cause it is not my bill. What can I do.. Any one with any ideas please let me know

I would start with the mayor and all the city fathers I could find. I suspect most water companies have to have some sort of city/county approval to do business.

[An Einnseanair]

This happened to a girlfriend in college (Starkville). She rented an apartment and her first water will was $400-ish dollars. The water company only read the bill at shut off and after the first billing cycle. They did NOT read the meter at turn-on. The best we could come up with was, after the previous renter left, the landlord turned the water back on manually (if it was ever turned off) and used it between tenants. I helped her complain and plead. I even knew someone who worked on the city's water board. But ultimately it was pay or get it shut off.

Lesson learned: always insist on a meter reading at turn-on for all utilities. Otherwise there is no way to prove how much of the usage is yours, how much was the landlord's between renters, or how much was from the previous occupants.

Edit to add:
You are saying that this is clearly the case where the money is owed by the previous tenants. If so, then this would be the responsibility of the landlord. I honestly don't see how they can legally force you to pay in this situation... except I guess they can simply refuse to turn it on until all past bills are clear. This may be a case for small claim's court against the landlord.