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Old 11-24-2012, 06:42 AM
 
2 posts, read 15,522 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello
I just moved in to New Jersey and
I am about to sign a lease for renting an apartment in Princeton area.
In the contract it says I will be responsible for paying
the sewage electricity and gas fees, and the landlord will cover all the rest
including the water.
My question is, is it customary here that the tenants pay for the sewage fees?
I had the impression that it falls under the landlord fees.
Since time is pressing with signing the contract I will appreciate
a quick response
Thanks.
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Old 11-24-2012, 07:38 AM
 
Location: The Triad
34,091 posts, read 82,438,418 times
Reputation: 43642
Quote:
Originally Posted by omerbr View Post
I am about to sign a lease for renting an apartment in Princeton area.
In the contract it says I will be responsible for paying...
My question is, is it customary here that the tenants pay for the sewage fees?
You'll have to ask people in Princeton how the utilities are set up there.

Everywhere else in the world I've been have WATER and SEWER on the same bill
The water is metered with the sewage fees a percentage based on that.

Quote:
I had the impression that it falls under the landlord fees.
Only a foolish LL takes responsibility for payments that they aren't forced to...
especially so for fees they can't regulate the use of or separately meter (like water or electricity).
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Old 11-24-2012, 08:55 AM
 
8,539 posts, read 12,259,217 times
Reputation: 16432
Is water metered to each individual apartment? That would be my question. Since the sewage charge is based upon the amount of water used, if it's not separately metered how can a sewage charge be equitably apportioned?

If it is separately metered, I don't know whether or not it's "customary" but it's certainly fair that a landlord not pay for utilities which are solely controlled and used by a tenant.
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Old 11-24-2012, 02:57 PM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,480 posts, read 47,405,393 times
Reputation: 77676
Quote:
Originally Posted by omerbr View Post
Hello

My question is, is it customary here that the tenants pay for the sewage fees?
I had the impression that it falls under the landlord fees.

Thanks.

Whose poop is going down the sewer? If it is not the landlord using it, why do you think he should be paying for it? Why do you think that that someone else should be paying for utilities that you are using?

Around here, sewer bill is completely separate from the water bill. The sewer is a fixed fee, the water is on a meter.
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Old 11-24-2012, 05:45 PM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,418,810 times
Reputation: 26726
Quote:
Originally Posted by omerbr View Post
I had the impression that it falls under the landlord fees.
Unless there's something in NJ landlord tenant laws which specifically states that a landlord is legally bound to pay for sewage fees, your lease terms are your guide and its terms are those by which you have to abide. Now if your sewer system backs up through no fault of your own, that's covered under general maintenance which is usually (legally) the responsibility of the LL. If you're interested in the NJ landlord tenant laws you'll find them linked in the first "sticky" on this forum. Good luck in your new place.
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Old 11-24-2012, 08:14 PM
 
1,624 posts, read 4,030,876 times
Reputation: 2322
I am in NJ and water and sewer are separate. Because of where I live I pay sewer to one township and water to another township (we live on the border of both)

So yes, I would say it is normal. The only apartments I have rented in NJ had utilities included.
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Old 11-25-2012, 03:14 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 48,814,423 times
Reputation: 9477
In my community the amount a home owner has to pay for waste water services varies depending on how much water they use, so it makes sense to require that the tenant pay for all of the utilities that they use.
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Old 11-26-2012, 08:16 PM
 
Location: southwest TN
8,568 posts, read 18,025,835 times
Reputation: 16701
If you want to know if it's customary to pay for utilities in the Princeton area, check the ads in the Sunday paper to see what's customary or contact a rental agent and ask. You can try the NJ forum also.
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Old 11-27-2012, 10:11 AM
 
912 posts, read 5,236,296 times
Reputation: 2088
Quote:
Originally Posted by omerbr View Post
My question is, is it customary here that the tenants pay for the sewage fees?
I had the impression that it falls under the landlord fees.

However its billed, you are paying for it no matter what. Whether you cut a check to the city yourself, or you pay a slightly higher amount of rent that includes this cost.
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Old 07-16-2018, 12:26 PM
 
1 posts, read 5,587 times
Reputation: 10
I have a sewer that backs up into my basement all the time I have a new owner of my building in New York City and he wants us the tenants to pay for sewer cleanup if it happens in the future is this legal there are 14 Apartments
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