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View Full Version : Who is responsible if a landlord forgets to list a utility in a lease?


cougar1993
Jun 13, 2010, 03:10 PM
Moved into a new apartment in February. We were told that the apartment had electric heat. About a month ago we found out the apartment has gas heat. In the lease we agreed to pay for electric and water. There is no mention of gas or gas heat anywhere
In the lease (with exception of maintaining the heat at 55 degrees). We also have a sewer bill to pay for which was also not mentioned in the lease. Who should be responsible for these utilities? By the way the landlord won't amend the current lease to reflect our responsibility for the gas and sewer.

excon
Jun 14, 2010, 06:59 AM
There is no mention of gas or gas heat anywhere
in the lease (with exception of maintaining the heat at 55 degrees). Hello c:

More importantly than who is responsible for paying the bill, is do you want to stay there. If you do, pay the bill. If you don't, don't pay, and move. Then the utility will sue you, because they don't care. You did USE the heat, after all.

Clearly, if you pay, you're not going to be happy with your landlord, and if you don't pay, they're not going to be happy with you.

excon

Fr_Chuck
Jun 14, 2010, 07:17 AM
It is ( or appears to be) a obvious mistake, where they believed that unit had electric heat and you agreed to pay the cost of the heating.

I can see nothing that would not make you liable for paying for the heat. The lease does not say the landlord will pay for it.

You may argue or discuss the trash, since trash is often either part of the water bill ( in a lot of areas) or included with the property