Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Re: Electrical meter miswiring

You would be entitled to compensation under any number of legal theories, but if you develop the proof you are probably better off to negotiate with the landlord and/or the other tenant than to sue (unless there is deliberate fraud and punitive damages might be possible, the dollar amounts involved probably wouldn't warrant a lawsuit).

One way to check is to choose a time when the other tenant will be drawing a lot of electricity, say 7 p.m. Turn off ALL your electrical loads including clocks, the refrigerator, etc. Then note (probably with a flashlight) whether the disk in YOUR meter is turning. When you are not drawing any electricity, that thin aluminum horizontal disk inside the meter should be stationary. There is a formula to convert its rotational speed (RPMs) into kilowatts of electricity being consumed. The faster it turns, the more power is being drawn through that meter.

Another method would be to turn off your power at the main switch for your unit (if there is one) and see whether the neightbor complains. Or, better, perform this test with the neighbor's cooperation.

This is the kind of dispute that is best handled with cooperation and negotiation, but if you detect fraud or deceit or deliberate theft of power, consider consulting a private lawyer or maybe the district attorney.

Re: Electrical meter miswiring

In Los Angeles there is a local ordinance that requires a landlord to disclose this fact to you and if there is non-disclosure the landlord can be held liable. There are other remedies as well. Bottom line is it depends on where you are located as to what remedies you would have.