Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Michigan

Old Lease

I lived in an apartment for two years. The first year all of our utilities were included in rent. When we renewed, there was no notification that this had changed. The second lease ran out in August 2007. Recently, I received a bill from the electric company for a year's worth of electricity in during the second year of the lease. Are we responsible for this when we never turned on electric in our name? Can the electric company charge us for something that we never turned on and without ever having sent us a monthly bill?


Asked on 1/20/08, 8:59 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Audra Arndt Audra A. Arndt & Associates, PLLC

Re: Old Lease

If you did not set up an account with the company, then you are not responsible, but you will have to prove you did not set up the account.

And you will also have to verify the terms of the NEW lease making the landlord responsible for the utility bills, whether or not in your name.

Something doesn't add up. If it had been in your name all along, you would have received monthly bills - not just 1 bill at the end of the year. It could also be a mistake by the utility company.

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Answered on 1/24/08, 8:41 pm


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