[SunSheen]

When the lease agreement was signed last year, the utilities marked to be paid were gas and electric. The one for water was NOT marked. When I kept getting the water bill I took it to the rental office and kept being told they would handle it. Now the apartment is under new management and the new rental office person keeps telling me I have to pay the water bill! Though I have not paid it for the year I have been living there.
I had a friend call and inquire about living at the apartment and what utilities had to be paid. She was told gas, electric and WATER depending on the units. She asked what was the difference and was told that the last two buildings had to pay water because the way they were built and that there was a fire there many, many years ago.
Is this legal to say I have to pay water when it was NOT indicated on the lease agreement?
Is it legal to specify which units are required to pay and why didn't they ever say anything about it, instead telling me they would handle it. Why wasn't it added to my monthly payement and/or why wasn't the water ever disconnected.

Please advise and thank you for your help!

[Fr_Chuck]

If your lease says you don't havve to pay, they can not make you pay, they can make any new tennants, pay, and when you renew your lease this year they can change the terms

But a new onwer or management company can not change your lease without your approval,

Now the question is who are you getting a water bill from ? Since if you did not pay for water, it would not be in your name, but in the name of the apartment complex, and you would not be getting a bill, unless you are getting a bill from the apartment complex

But for a new renter, they can rent them in most places any way they want, they can rent every other apartment with water furnished if they want to, It is there apartments. The deal is they can not change you lease in the middle of the lease, only when it renews.