Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm renting a small 1 bedroom cottage which is around 500 sqft and I've discovered this winter that utilities for the electric heat are over $250 which is unaffordable for a single person in a tiny house. That $250 is when I'm only heating one room to save on utilities as well.
The utilities are in the landlord's name and the first few months he made a habit of giving me two months at a time and wanting immediate payment, so one day without warning I'd have a $500 bill that was due to be paid immediately.
I told him several times over the last few months that I wanted to pursue this issue with the electric company because I cannot afford these utilities. I cannot speak with them directly because it is not in my name. I asked him to put the utilities in my name, and he refused saying that it would raise his taxes. Note, he has two separate meters with a false address linked to my meter.
I wanted the utilities in my name so I would get them in a timely manner, I could work out a payment plan with the company, and I could figure out why it was so high. He refused.
So, instead of continuing to wrack up a utility bill in his name that I can't afford to pay- I decided I needed to move. I found a place that includes utilities and is available to move in now. This means breaking my lease four months early.
Even though I've told him many times this is what would happen, he was very angry when I called to tell him. He threatened to take me to court, which I told him he was welcome to do so. He asked me if I wanted to give him money to avoid court, I of course refused. He yelled at me and I told him I would not be spoken to that way and eventually the phone call ended with "I don't appreciate being spoken to this way, so I'm going to hang up now."
I was polite and calm through this conversation, even as he yelled at me and insulted my "warped sense of reality"
I'm a single female, recent college graduate and so he's treating me like a "dumb little girl" which I don't appreciate.
In addition to these issues, the house is located off to the side in the woods where there is no paved path, no lighting to my front door, the doors don't lock, they are difficult to even latch, I have no smoke detectors, some of my windows cannot be used as they will slam down on your hands and are a hazard, there is peeling paint, and there is a big hole in my counter top that has become moldy. None of my outlets are grounded, and some of them don't work. These are all issues I've reported to him, and he has stated he would fix them but has not.
In the off chance that he does sue me for breaking the lease which is doubtful considering he's evading taxes- what is my standing?
I was planning on living out the last month's rent (yes, it's called last month's and not a security deposit) and just paying the utilities I owe when I leave. Now because he's being so aggressive and I don't have locking doors I want to leave as soon as possible. Which means I'll forfeit part of my last month's rent so to recoup that I'm not going to pay for the utilities.
Can he sue me for rent/utilities? I'm not trying to be a jerk here, If I was I'd just run up a huge utility bill for the next year or so and then just leave.
I'm not sure why you keep reporting things to him, he obviously doesn't care. What does your lease say about early termination?? What state are you in? I would have a building inspector in there because it sounds like there are a lot of code violations.
Rent is $700 which is average for a 1 bedroom in this area. The new place I'm moving to is $850 but it includes heat, electric, and internet so it's all in all about $150-200 cheaper than where I live now with no surprises.
I live in CT where I'm technically liable for the rent $ through the end of my lease - but he has to try to rent it first, and I'm liable for the time it takes him to rent it up to a maximum of the end of my lease.
I think that the high utilities combined with the lack of repairs is a justifiable reason to break the lease- and I've been telling him I would have to move out for several months so he did have sufficient notice.
First there's something very fishy about a $250/month bill for a 500 sq ft cottage. Add in the arrangement of the meters and my guess is that you're paying for more than your own electrical usage - likely why his attitude.
You didn't say in what state you're located but check for a link to your state in the first "sticky" on this forum and see what's said about early termination, or Google "(your state) lease termination". In most states the LL has a duty to mitigate his damages by making every effort to find a new tenant and can't just sit back and have you pay rent for the remainder of the lease term. Also read your state laws about habitability where the non-grounded electrical outlets are concerned as these are likely illegal and pose a habitability issue.
Have you addressed the maintenance issues in writing, even by email or text? For future reference, follow up every oral communication with an email so you have a paper trail - and take dated pre-move in and move-out photos on a rental. Take dated pictures now of the cottage, the outlets and anything else that isn't up to scratch and save any and all correspondence you've had with him.
My advice, given what you've said and his attitude, is to move out as soon as possible and let him do what he wants to do. Pay rent up until you move (whole month even if you leave before the new month is up) and, if he's holding a security deposit, read your state laws on how these are handled.
Get cracking on those state laws and just get out of there. Not something I'd usually recommend but my guess is that he's not going to follow up on anything as he has something to hide. Good luck!
I'm not sure how putting the electric in your name would raise his taxes. The electric company isn't going to report him to the IRS. He already pays property taxes on the property, they aren't going to go up if the township finds out he's renting the place out as opposed to it being empty.
How does he have a false address? The electric company has to read the meter, they can't show up to do so at a property that doesn't exist.
Your LL sounds like a loon.
Quote:
In addition to these issues, the house is located off to the side in the woods where there is no paved path, no lighting to my front door, the doors don't lock, they are difficult to even latch, I have no smoke detectors, some of my windows cannot be used as they will slam down on your hands and are a hazard, there is peeling paint, and there is a big hole in my counter top that has become moldy. None of my outlets are grounded, and some of them don't work. These are all issues I've reported to him, and he has stated he would fix them but has not.
With all of the above going on, I would bet your cottage isn't very well insulated either. Electric heat is expensive and CT has cold winters.
I know you are moving out but if you want to, you should call the town that you live in and ask who you should speak to about the rental property you live in and regarding the fact you have no smoke detectors in the property you are renting. A fire inspector should come out an he will give your LL notice to remedy the issue or be fined. Usually 30 days. You can also inquire who you should speak to about having code violations in a rental property (such as peeling paint that may be lead based, outlets that aren't grounded, entry doors that don't lock, etc.). looked at.
Or you could tell your LL you won't take him to court if he refunds your entire last month of rent and lets you move out without any fuss.
In CT a LL must:
Quote:
keep hallways and entryways lighted well
Quote:
{provide}good locks on the doors of the apartment
Quote:
{provide}a smoke detector that is in working order
The meter is digital, so there's no meter reader that comes around. The reading is pulled electronically. The copy of the bill he gives me lists an address that doesn't actually exist as opposed to the address where I'm located. He said that when he called the electric company they told him they would call the tax assessor if he put my meter in someone else's name.
The place I live in was basically built by his grandparents or something like that. Everything was done by friends and family as opposed to an actual contractor so the bills coming in so high is probably because there's so many drafts that I'm keeping the squirrels warm.
If he gives me any trouble then I'll report all of the code violations, the lack of repairs, the false address and whatever shady thing he's doing to avoid taxes.
Yes, I'm breaking the lease, but I think a place that's out in the middle of the woods with no lighted pathway, no locking doors, extremely high utilities and potentially shoddy wiring are all good reasons to break a lease.
Not to mention with the way he spoke to me on the phone I no longer feel safe living here at all. I don't think he'll try to come in the house because I do have dogs, but they are little toy poodles. All they'd do is bark at him. Hopefully that's enough of a deterrent to keep him from trying any funny business considering I can't lock the doors and this place is literally in the middle of the woods.
Or you could tell your LL you won't take him to court if he refunds your entire last month of rent and lets you move out without any fuss.
This was my thinking exactly while reading your OP. Tell him you are moving out immediately, and you expect to not be charged any more rent, and to receive your full deposit back. In exchange, you agree to not sue him or to report him to the tax authority, the building inspector, and anyone else you can think of.
It's legal to settle with someone, offering to not sue them on your end of the settlement.
Then wait and see what he sends you - a bill or a partial refund, etc., and decide if it's worth going forward with your threats.
By the way, if the rental is illegal, the contract is void. Tell him that, too. Contracts for an illegal act cannot be enforced.
First there's something very fishy about a $250/month bill for a 500 sq ft cottage. Add in the arrangement of the meters and my guess is that you're paying for more than your own electrical usage - likely why his attitude.
This was my thought as well unless you have electric heat. I can't figure out how your bill could be that high as a single person in such a small space. My bill is typically 1/5th of that with two people in a place twice as big. Power is cheaper in Maine than CT, but not that far off.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
