Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Massachusetts
Cross metering
The electricity in our apartment is on the same circuit board as the apartment below us. We were aware of this problem before we moved in, and we agreed to pay 1/3 of the electric bill (split with the floor below us) in the lease we signed. However, I am realizing that this may be illegal (to charge us). Additionally, the circuit board is not able to handle the electric loads of both houses (it popped 3 times one night in a 5 hour span).
Should we call housing inspection and is there a legal way that we can refuse to pay electricity until our landlord splits up the circuitry?
1 Answer from Attorneys
This is not legal.
I am handling a situation like this right now for another client. You may want to complain to your landlord in writing and give him or her an opportunity to address the problem. If they do not, you can contact Inspectional Services to come out and prepare a report. You can take that report to your electric company, who will then open an investigation.
You can refuse to pay any more electricity, but I would give your landlord at least one rental period of notice before doing so.
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