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I'm posting on behalf of a friend who lives outside of Scranton PA. The father of her children passed away suddenly a few months ago, shortly after she lost her job of 19 years due to Covid and she is having a real hard time with life.
Long story short:
We recently found out she has been paying the water bill for both her and the above apartment for the entire NINE YEARS she's been living there. It was me who pointed out while helping her go through her bills, that her American Water Company bill was outrageously high, $139.00 for one month for a one bedroom/one bath apartment and her and her 12 year old daughter, and as high as $200 other months. (I pay around $60 and I have a single family home with four people living in it).
She called her landlord who blew her off and said "no no no.. you're only paying for your water". I called the water company for her and they did tell me there is only one meter at that residence, that it was a single family home. I tried calling her landlord and he has not returned my calls. The way I look at it he owes her at least $10,000 and possibly much more for pulling the stunt he pulled.
She has no money to speak of. She doesn't know where to turn. Any suggestions?
Your friend isn't going to get $10,000 out of this. More likely nothing. She and/or her husband should have, and could have, figured this out 9 years ago.
Your friend is obviously not good about finances. Perhaps nine years ago her husband negotiated for reduced rent because of the water bill. I am guessing that she wouldn't know that because she seems unaware of her prior family finances and is just now trying to get a grasp on it.
How much is the other unit paying for rent? If your friend is paying less, it could be because of responsibility for the water bill.
What does her rental agreement say? Did you check that, OP?
$139 for water is not out of line at all if she has any lawn that is being watered.
She has no money to speak of. She doesn't know where to turn. Any suggestions?
Is the water bill in the landlord's name and it's passed on to her for payment?
Is the water bill in her name as the authorized user/payer but the landlord as the account owner?
Is the water bill only in her name?
I'm confused, the water company thinks it's a single family home, but she rents a one bedroom, one bath apartment for her and her daughter (where are the other children, did the father of her children not live there) and there is another apartment upstairs (is this where the landlord lives or someone else).
Did the father of the children pay the bills or has she always paid her bills? Is this a legal apartment? Does she have a lease saying she pays the water bill? Does the person upstairs pay one? Maybe her rent is lower to account for the water bill?
Your friend isn't going to get $10,000 out of this. More likely nothing. She and/or her husband should have, and could have, figured this out 9 years ago.
You're right, with the help of the local Advocacy Alliance they negotiated a settlement with the landlord/his attorney, which will reimburse her $7,500 (divided over quarterly payments) and $300 and change off of her monthly rent for 18 months. That comes to over $12,900 which is the total they estimated over the 9 plus years she's been overcharged for water and sewage. The bill has been switched over into the landlords name. and the water and sewage is now included in the rent as is the law in PA if tenants share a meter.
I'm confused, the water company thinks it's a single family home, but she rents a one bedroom, one bath apartment for her and her daughter (where are the other children, did the father of her children not live there) and there is another apartment upstairs (is this where the landlord lives or someone else).
Did the father of the children pay the bills or has she always paid her bills? Is this a legal apartment? Does she have a lease saying she pays the water bill? Does the person upstairs pay one? Maybe her rent is lower to account for the water bill?
It's been settled. See above. It's a legal Apartment, she's always paid the bills. In PA we found out the landlord must pay any shared utilities and include it in the rent. The landlord has apparently gotten into trouble for not following the law before. The good news is the matter is settled and he's paying up, or so his lawyer says. The better news is I found out he owns several business in the area and I guess is quite well to do.
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