Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Massachusetts
Utilities Payment and responsibility
I rent a 3 BR apt. with a written agreement that I am a tenant at will and will pay utilities. When we moved in I moved the electrical bill and the phone bill into my name from the landlords (who lived here previous). The apt has natural gas powered central air and the building is a very old 3 family. It is now January and I just received a bill addressed to ''Occupant'' Apt 1. This is the first piece of mail I have recieved from KeySpan regarding anything. The bill is for $400 for one month!!! I called the landlord and asked her if this was mine and if she knew who was paying the bill from August to December and she said she said call the gas company and look into it. I have a feeling she was paying the bill and then saw a rather large one come up and she decided to have it sent to my place under ''occupant''.
Am I responsible for this bill because I did not open any account with keyspan and my name is not Occupant?
Our central air system provides heat to the two common hallways for the two other floors, shouldn't the landlady be responsible for a % or all of it?
Thank You
S.H.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Utilities Payment and responsibility
Check your lease. You can only be responsible for utilities if there is a written agreement that makes you responsible. You should not be paying for common areas except for maybe the light outside your front door. If you are being billed illegally, you can call the utility and have them correct the bill.
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