Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Forced to pay late electrical bills.

My husband, 4 year old son, and I rent a room in someone's house. At no time was a lease given to us to rent the room. All the owner has said was to pay rent which in the beginning was only $350. Two years later the rent has risen to $500. Recently she has asked us to pay for the electric bill to split it with her. She never let's us see the bill until my husband came across the paper in the kitchen. There were late payments she has not made since August. She said the electric bill is $360 and expects us to pay $160, and blames our portable air cooling system for the increase of her bills. But we do not run the air cooling system only at night for 5 hours then shut it off. The air cooling system is one of those personal ones you buy in Sears and so forth. Upon looking at the electricity bill we find that $180.88 is the current bill with an added of the late fee. The total amount is actually $320.01. My question is, can she force us to pay for the bill that is her late payment? Or only charge us the split amount that is actually due for the month which is $180?

Thank you for your time and I hope I may have a quick response. I appreciate it.


Asked on 10/26/07, 10:25 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert L. Bennett Law offices of Robert L. Bennett

Re: Forced to pay late electrical bills.

You have permitted the landlady to have more power over you than she should.

You need a written lease, with everything spelled out.

You also should not pay the electric bill without seeing a copy each month.

While she can't force you to pay for her late payment, she also can evict you, so you really have to decide whether to assert your rights, or give in to her.

If you need more help, you may e-mail, or call, my office over the weekend. You may also need to retain an attorney to write a very strong letter to the landlady.

This isn't legal advice, but common sense: You have put your family into a very dependent situation with someone who appears to be less than honest, and if I were you, I'd try to find other alternatives (like moving!) ASAP.

Good luck!

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Answered on 10/26/07, 10:50 pm


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