My electric bill, Please advice?

Question

HI we recently got our electric bill and it is 3 times from the normal, its 350, for 2 months, is usually 150. Our hot water leaks and the landlord is taking forever to fix it, nobody really knows whats wrong, I have to boil water everyday for a bath! The hot water lasts about 2 mintues if even. Well we asked if they can deduct some of the electric bill from our rent and they keep saying we will get back to you soon. What can we do, small claims? I am so tired of this.

Answer 1

If you are in Los Angeles County, then you should call the Building code & zoning Department for an inspection of the property. Do not tell your Landlord about this. Just schedule the appointment & be at your property on the time & date & let the inspectors look at everything you think is not working properly. They will sent you a copy of the violations (apx 2 weeks) & you use these to build a case against your landlord. In the meantime, you stop paying your rent to them & instead, you put it in a special account that is set up at a bank or at the Housing Office. You must file a claim with the Los Angeles County Housing Board & make a Fair Housing Claim. Small claims can come later. Right now, you need an inspection to protect yourself so that you are not taken for every last penny by this slumlord of a manager. I used the Office on Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys, CA for a manager in that area. GoodLuck. Also have your utility company do an inspection of ALL your GAS & ELECTRIC APPLIANCES & if you get a red tag, make copies for your case. These red tags MUST BE FIXED IN 72 HOURS. Start with that.

Answer 2

Call your local Housing authority before you do anything, just to determine your rights, but my husband and I rented a unit in a triplex where the septic tank overflowed into our unit. The landlady told us that she would get it taken care of, but we were without a bathroom for two weeks. This was in Florida, and we were told that we could withhold rent until the problem is fixed. In my opinion, we should have been entitled to more considering we had to drive to my parent's house to use a bathroom, but it lit a fire under my landlady. The only thing is, we had to pay the past due rent when the problem was fixed.

Answer 3

google landlord/tenant laws in your state......each is a little different....but utilities are clearly spelled out and landlords are given a very short time to address any problems......

You should send him a letter immediately, summarizing the sequence of events....including dates and promises, and your specific inconveniencess.....

Tenant laws, in some states, allow the tenant to fix the problem and legally deduct the cost from rent; others consider no hot water for an extended period cause to void the lease because the residence in unihabitable, etc.

You have options, but the key is to communicate in writing and document everything.......

Answer 4

to file a claim in small claims court in Illinois cost $100.
I would just deduct it off the rent myself and if he does not like it move out and let him boil the water

Answer 5

Report yer landlord to the housing authority. You don't have to be getting Section 8 to get help. It sounds like you have a slum landlord...there are a lot of them around!

Answer 6

Find out where your Housing Board(I think that is what it is called) is located and see them with letter of complaint in hand.. It is the office that you complain to pertaining to landlords, etc. If you do not know. ask a Realtor to give you the office name/number/etc

Answer 7

your landlord must fix water problems within 24 hours of you reporting it- you need to call the fair housing office

Answer 8

Call your local Fair Housing office and ask for advice

Answer 9

check out the better business bureau in your town,and see what they have to say on this.it should be repaired by the landlord.

Answer 10

Provide me with his info?!