I rented a condo from a private owner in 2008. I never transferred over the electricity bill the entire year I lived there and never heard from the owner either. I didn't realize I was supposed to, but looking back at the old lease it states I should have transferred it into my name.

I lived in the unit for a year.

Now the owner left me a message and is trying to get me to pay the entire amount he owes which is in collections (the electricity was never changed out of his name the entire time I was there) and he is trying to say that I am liable for the entire amount with the interest and late charges tacked on which he is trying to say is $5000.

Electric bills for units that size run between $40 and $80 a month tops and living there only 12 months that would be under $1000 total.

What are my rights? I think I should only have to pay the amount of the actual original electric bill and not the late charges since he never notified me of a need to change it and I had no idea?

Ask him for the bills so you can see for yourself what the charges are, and pay accordingly. Fair ? Yes.

Tick

Let me see - your rental contract required you to change the electric service into your name and, presumably, pay it and you never did.

On the other hand, the owner got electric bills for a year, never paid them, never contacted you.

You are liable - as far as the amount, ask for copies. If the owner does sue you he/she will have to present documentation of the total amount in Court and you will review them then.