Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Missouri

My landlord turned off my water it's in his name no advance warning is that legal


Asked on 7/08/16, 1:56 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Anthony Smith LawSmith

Generally, a landlord may not remove doors or shut off the power or water supply to a rental unit. They can suffer severe civil penalties and possilby be criminally prosecuted. However, in the case where a tenant was supposed to get service in their own name, and did not, Courts have not always punished landlords for taking their name off an account. That can mean that unless the tenant or someone else establishes service in their name, the utility will shut off service to the unit or building. Of course, it may be necessary to temporarily shut off service for some plumbing and HVAC repairs. You did not indicate if water service was provided with your rental payment, or whether you rent a room in the landlord's house, or an apartment in their building. You also did not indicate how long the water has been off. This is assuming that this is residential rather than a commercial lease. For those reasons it is impossible to answer your question.

Perhaps you can re-post with a clearer explanation of your situation or consult directly with a civil practice attorney in your area.

Good luck

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Answered on 7/08/16, 2:24 pm


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