I really need help badly! I live in an attached duplex & my neighbor is on my electricity so I am paying for the whole house. We both own a side however the old neighbor comingled & I hope someone can tell me how this was done & what can I do .
I really would appreciate some answers. Thank you!!!
2006-09-06 09:55:08 · 14 answers · asked by lorrina b 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Contact your landlord and the electric company.
2006-09-06 09:57:18 · answer #1 · answered by Gina 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Keep copies of all the electric bills dating back to when you started paying the bills for both units.
If it can be determined who wired both units to your electric meter (eg your neighbor did this), then you have a legitimate case for small claims court. You should be able to demand at least 1/2 of the bills be repaid. It is absurd that your current neighbor can assume they don't have to pay for electric power. It is called theft.
Contact your electric utility for advice how to handle this. They are a neutral party, and will want to straighten this matter out for all customers. They can determine if somebody was acting with malice (to steal power), or it was an oversight in not having two separat meters.
2006-09-06 10:10:48 · answer #2 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First I would contact a licensed electrician, have him cut -off the neighbor's power. Then I would contact the local "Building Code" Authority and have the system inspected, CAUSE THIS IS ILLEGAL. If both homes have the same address, then it would have 1 meter. But if you and your neighbor have separate addresses, there should be 2 separate meters. Call the utility company, they're getting cheated too.
2006-09-06 10:09:54 · answer #3 · answered by uncle bob 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK, first thing, phone your electric company and tell them of your problem. Then have an independent electrician come out and disconnect the other service and only keep the service going to yours. You'll have to pay the electrician for this, but then it's done. If the neighbor complains, tell him to go hire an electrician to come and hook his up correctly. He'll have to pay MORE than you will for that service, for sure, because you have an existing account with the electric company and he doesn't.
2006-09-06 10:03:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Call a certified electrician and have them come out and see exactly what has been done. Do this at a time when neither your neighbor or landlord will know about it. You will have legal recourse against both of them for this and can possibly get money out of it in court. DON'T have the electrician fix the problem, just document what has been done and call the sheriffs department.
2006-09-06 10:03:38 · answer #5 · answered by mufasa 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He probably wired up the busses in the electric box. Hire a certified electrician and have him check it out. If they did purposely try to rip you off, don't tell them and call the utility district and sheriff and they will be punished. You may then be able to get money from them in court. Don't tell them what you are doing because they can undo it in a couple of minutes.
2006-09-06 09:59:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
call the electric company and demand they put in a meeter for the other home of the neighbor refuses the cut the power and turn it on only as you need it! we were in a similar situation, it may make you look like the bad gut but it WORKS!
2006-09-06 09:59:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
when a house is built with one common elect system it must be split to get separate service for each unit. An electrician could install a system but it would cost you a lot . otherwise devideing the bill evenly would not be easy because of the basic dishonesty of people.
2006-09-06 11:21:03 · answer #8 · answered by alanpendragon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call your Public Sevice commissioner, they have invetigator that will get to the bottom of problem and it's no charge to you. They can handle electric co, and landlord alot better than you can. They are usually on the spot with a problem like yours.
2006-09-10 07:55:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contact your electric company so they know that it should be two different bills, if that does not resolve it contact your land lord, so they could take care of it. Don't pay for your neighbors use on power.
2006-09-06 10:01:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
call your local electric company about who to contact.
THIS IS ILLEGAL.
or have your electric turned off when you know they'll be having company and a freezer FULL of food. you can live without for a few days (vacation time or stay with friends).
2006-09-06 09:58:50 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋