Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California
I have given notice to vacate and have already vacated, yet have also paid rent for the required time. I shut off the utilities which were in my name. Can the landlord turn the utilities back on before the date of vacate since I have paid rent up to that date.
2 Answers from Attorneys
If you have turned the utilities off by hand, then yes, the landlord could physically turn them back on. That is not a legal question.
If you contacted the utility company and told them you moved, then they should stop billing you. If the landlord wants the utilities on, he will have to contact the utility company and have them turned on in his name.
In my experience, and this is just my own personal experience in Landlord/Tenant law, some landlords never have the utilities completely shut off. Instead, when you contact the utility company of your move out date then you are not billed for any utilities after that date. The landlord pays for the time between tenants. When the new tenant moves in, then they pay.
It might work different in your area. But you never should have to pay rent for after your lease date is up and you have vacated so long as the utility company knows about your move out date.
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