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I moved into my apartment on the first of November. I had made arrangements for the gas company to come and I had called the electric company. The electric company told me that an inspection was in the works that my landlord had to take care of and that they couldn't turn on my service until that was done. This was a few days before I was moving in so I assumed it would be completed.
On move in day I found out that the inspection was not done and I would have no electricity. When the gasman showed up I found out that the access to the meter was on the other side of the basement which is only accessible through my neighbor's house and she would not let him in. So I had no heat or hot water.
After five days I finally was able to get electricity. I still do not have gas. The landlord said he would provide me a key to the back door to the basement so I don't have to deal with the neighbor, but he hasn't done it. No heat or hot water for over a week.
Is it legal to move a tenant in and not give them access to hook up their utilities? What can I do?
No it is not legal, most states require the availability of basic utilities as a condition of habitability. i.e. the apartment is not habitable without utilities. You have grounds to terminate the lease if it is not taken care of immediately, and/or demand a rent rebate for the days you could not fully use the apartment.
I moved into my apartment on the first of November. I had made arrangements for the gas company to come and I had called the electric company. The electric company told me that an inspection was in the works that my landlord had to take care of and that they couldn't turn on my service until that was done. This was a few days before I was moving in so I assumed it would be completed.
On move in day I found out that the inspection was not done and I would have no electricity. When the gasman showed up I found out that the access to the meter was on the other side of the basement which is only accessible through my neighbor's house and she would not let him in. So I had no heat or hot water.
After five days I finally was able to get electricity. I still do not have gas. The landlord said he would provide me a key to the back door to the basement so I don't have to deal with the neighbor, but he hasn't done it. No heat or hot water for over a week.
Is it legal to move a tenant in and not give them access to hook up their utilities? What can I do?
Check your state's laws, but you might have grounds not to pay rent for a portion of this time due to a habitability issue. Others will know more about this, but while habitability issues have a really high standard, usually things like NO electric and NO gas (especially if the place is heated by one of these things, hot water, etc) qualify.
I agree - this is not at all legally acceptable. You'll find your state landlord tenant laws linked in the first "sticky" on this forum and need to read the section on habitability. Or you can search, "(your state) landlord tenant laws habitability". Good luck getting this taken care of!
why doesnt the gas company have a key to the utilities area? thats very odd that they dont .. and frankly I would have already been on the phone with lawyers and the city and who ever else would shake the tree called stupid landlord ..
get busy and stand up for yourself ..
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