Damn neighbors

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:47 pm

I live in an apartment attached to a large house that's rented out room by room.

Since I've been here for sooo long, the water bill's in my name.

Almost 2 weeks ago I gave them a copy of the latest bill (2 months worth) which I'd ALREADY paid and asked them to reimburse me ASAP.

Not a dollar so far, not even an acknowledgement of owing the money or receiving the bill.

I hate this...total waste of my time looking after a bunch of freakin' kids like I'm their finiancial guardian or something. Now it's up to me to go banging on their door and chasing down money that shouldn't be owed to me in the first place. Wheee, I love days off.

CiscoKid · Post by **CiscoKid** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:51 pm

Just go through with a bat...non-payment = no knees...

I know how hard it is getting money from someone who shouldn't even owe it to you to beggin with...

mikemean · Post by **mikemean** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:54 pm

Are you the landlord? I can't see why the water bill is in your name.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:56 pm

It gets awkward trying to be a hardass with them.

They're all nice people so I don't want to be a jerk to them...but at a certain point I realize I'm being taken advantage of, even if it's non-intentional.

cybotron r_9 · Post by **cybotron r_9** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:57 pm

Originally posted by mikemean
Are you the landlord? I can't see why the water bill is in your name.

ditto

no offense but that is just dumb

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 3:58 pm

Just give them drugs...

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 4:23 pm

Originally posted by mikemean
Are you the landlord? I can't see why the water bill is in your name.

Because that's how my landlord rents his dwellings out.

He's a good man but a money grubber. I pay rent but utilities are in my name...just depends on how your landord wants do things.

So the water bill has to be in someone's name, right? And if the landlord doesn't have it in his name that doesn't leave too many choices does it?

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 4:51 pm

maybe he forgot? maybe he never recieved it ?

i find the pester technique works well

Croc · Post by **Croc** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 5:42 pm

That's a pain Humboldt. There should be some way to change the way this is done. Is he paying you to collect the money from the other tenants? After all, he is the one benefiting from the rent of the house and apartment.

I own a rental property and the local Council here has responsibility for water charges. They are collected as part of the land rates and the account always goes to the registered owner of the property. If there is excessive water used the owner collects from the tenant.

Different for electricity/gas. Those go to the tenant because the tenant has the connection in their name and they disconnect the service each time the tenant changes. The difference with water is that so much goes to keeping the property maintained. The tenants don't consume all that's used.

Croc.

ms_pammy · Post by **ms_pammy** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 8:02 pm

You need to check out the rental laws in your state, most states say that if your dweling is for more then 1 household then the landlord is responsible for the utilities, since all units share utilities there is no telling who used how much of what!

If I was you I would be getting those utilities out of my name and fast...what happens if they move out and your stuck with the whole bill? Then you have to pay it or loose your utilities and be stuck with bad credit

bug · Post by **bug** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 8:35 pm

deduct the total from your next rent payment,
plus give him the bill statement

make a copy for your records.

like pammy says, get that bill out of your name
this could bite you big time, and bad credit
can be real tough to get straightened out

RoundEye · Post by **RoundEye** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 8:37 pm

I would turn the water off. Take a bath at a friends house for a couple of days. When they bitch, inform them that you are broke and coudn't pay the bill since they never reimbursed you.

I bet they never forget after that.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 9:35 pm

Checked out a copy of the CA rental laws and they don't really mention water accounts.

Gas and electric must be in the renter's name but it doesn't mention water other then that it must be available both hot and cold

They've never NOT paid, it's just a hassle and a pain in the ass to get it from them. I normally just pay the damn thing and then they owe me the money and not the water company so it won't effect my credit. I just have to make sure to have it cut as soon as I'm outta here.

Just went over and talked to them and they were just spacing it. Said they'd have the $ to me by tomorrow.

Sheesh.