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cjm2970 · Oct 30, 2009, 06:03 AM

Hi,
I am hoping for some guidance here. I have no valid lease as the original lease I signed 9 years ago lists a different apartment in the building and the owners have changed. We mved a couple years ago to another apartment I the same building. We are now moving out after buying a house. How much notice if any are we required to give and can we pro rate the rent for the time that we will be there the last month?

I should mention that this landlord has had our electric account put into his name by the electric company for foreign wiring. We're not on good terms with him. He's now trying to get us to pay the 5 months worth of bills that were incurred during the time it took him to fic the foreign wiring problem. Why it took so long, I don't know. Can we be held liable for them?

If someone could help, I'd appreciate it.

JudyKayTee · Oct 30, 2009, 06:30 AM

You used the electricity - why would the landlord pay your electric bill? Yes, you owe him - unless you had an agreement that he would pay until it was repaired to make up for whatever inconvenience you experienced.

As a general rule you give the same notice as the term of the rental - if you pay monthly, on the 1st, you must give notice before the 1st.

Prorating does vary from State to State. Pennsylvania does NOT prorate. Your landlord, however, cannot collect double rent. If he/she is able to rent your apartment mid month and it is vacant you would not have to pay rent or would get a refund.

cjm2970 · Oct 30, 2009, 07:08 AM

The account was put in the landlords name because he had the heater wired to our meter even though there is another tenant upstairs benefitting from that same heater. Essentially we were paying $200.+ electric bills to keep our upstairs neighbor toasty. Should have been a third meter for the heater and any common items, porch lights etc that would get billed to landlord. Landlord pays heat, it's included in the rent. My problem with bills is he lazily took 5 months to fix situation, we were not getting bills nor would PECO speak to us because the account was not in our names, he did not respond to calls,now he wants to present them all at once and have us pay in a lump sum. He still has not produced the bills.

JudyKayTee · Oct 30, 2009, 07:21 AM

What was the agreement about the neighbor getting heat which you were paying for?

Was it ever addressed?

cjm2970 · Oct 30, 2009, 07:43 AM

No, it wasn't until I brought it up as our bills were skyrocketing and my boyfriend discovered that the heater was wired to our meter. We tried everything to get the electric bills down and they kept getting higher as it got colder, which it what led him to start looking at the heater. According to PECO, this is illegal and the landlord should have known this. We pay the same rent as the tenant upstairs and we were then also paying approximately an extra $100.00+ in electricity to run the heater. Our bills before the heater went on were around $100.-$110. Per month.

I can't wait to be rid of him.

JudyKayTee · Oct 30, 2009, 07:56 AM

Then I would file in Small Claims Court for the amount you paid each month to provide your neighbor with heat.

I'll bet you can't wait! Wonder what else was going on that you don't know about - ?

cjm2970 · Oct 30, 2009, 08:16 AM

Right- at this point I don't want to know... just want to get out and never think of him again. Thanks for the information. Have a great weekend.
Christa

JudyKayTee · Oct 30, 2009, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by cjm2970

right- at this point I don't want to know...just want to get out and never think of him again. Thanks for the information. Have a great weekend.
Christa

No problem - let us know how it all works out. What you've experienced very well could be helpful to someone else.