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Your main concern should be those shared bills that are in your name, not the legal status of the studio.
That should be your only concern. As far as the legality of the unit is concerned, I suggest you mind your own business. If you believe that the utilities of the two units are shared and you're paying the total bill, then talk to your landlord.
Our lease makes no mention of shared utilities, let alone any mention of a detached garage that will be rented out separately. It wasn't until after the signing of the lease that I stood up on something, looked over a newly constructed fence that divided the house from the garage and we asked him about it. That's when he told us its a studio he converted to a garage and that walking through the driveway past the home renters house and cars has never been a problem. I highly doubt this. It's already a problem for me and it still needs to be fixed up to be rented.
A representative of the landlord (his mother I believe) had to come last night so we could figure out the gas leak. Afterwards she spent some time cleaning in there. But when I noticed the lights were on, her using the bathroom, and throwing garbage in my trash cans, I assumed that I was paying for all of this on my bills. I'm debating calling the utility companies and asking if there is a way to separate the two, if there isn't a way already.
I just found your first thread. Why did you start a second one? Don't see any need for one, just confusing.
I was unsure if anyone would reply to the entire thing. I hadn't asked if there was a specific place to find out if this was legal or not. I figured a shorter post directly to the point could get me an answer faster. I apologize that I confused you.
This garage apartment is not currently being rented out, has apparently been vacant for quite a long time and yet you're making an awful lot of assumptions and looking to cause a whole bunch of trouble without even talking to the LL? Why on earth are you even thinking of approaching the utility companies before discussing your concerns with your LL? You just moved in there and are worrying about a bunch of "what ifs" before you've hardly settled in. This is not the way to be going about things if you want to have a decent relationship with your landlord.
Unless the garage is listed as yours to use on the rental agreement, then what the landlord does with it is none of your business. It's even separated by a fence. There is no reason for you to even mistakenly believe that it went with your house.
Find out if you are paying electricity for both, and then that is something you can protest about.
Unless the garage is listed as yours to use on the rental agreement, then what the landlord does with it is none of your business. It's even separated by a fence. There is no reason for you to even mistakenly believe that it went with your house.
Find out if you are paying electricity for both, and then that is something you can protest about.
Right, which is why I didn't even know it was a part of this house. But it's the fact that this house has one narrow driveway, which is the only entrance and exit of that back garage. So that tenant would have to pass my drive way that I am renting (stated in the agreement) and pass my vehicles to enter and leave that place. Wouldn't that technically be trespassing if the lease states that I'm renting the driveway as well as the house itself?
There was someone in the garage last night cleaning stuff and throwing garbage in my trash bins. Therefore, the lights on in that back house are probably being charged to my electric utility bill and filling my trash bins up that I'm paying waste management for. Yes, there are some what-if's, but things are already actually happening that are concerning me.
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