Legal Question in Real Estate Law in New York
stealing my electric/utilities?!?
My lanlord hooked up electric from the house I rent from him to a barn on the same property in which he has renovated and made into an appartment for himself. He never outright told me but I saw this occur over the past year. my electric bills are much higher. he uses appliances and air-conditioning, etc. he even hooked up cable tv line to my box that is in my name. Can he do this legally? He never told me and does not offer any money to help me with my elec bill, etc. Also, he has no c/o or build permit to renovate the barn, is there something I can do about all this???
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: stealing my electric/utilities?!?
If the facts of the case are as you describe them: 1) your landlord is stealing cable TV service from the cable company by tapping into the box on the outside of your home--report him to the cable TV company (they hate(!) theft of service and typically prosecute vigorously); 2) as to the electric, that he is stealing from you, not the electric company; you can sue him for theft of service in civil court (probablly small-claims given the likely magnitude (or lack thereof) but you can also have an electrician disconnect the line and include the expense in your civil suit (ASSUMING that you have a valid lease on the property and that lease does not give him the right to use your electrical service; 3) as to the regulatory violations, a simple phone call to your town's zoning/building board/commission should set the proper wheels in motion.
Good luck, sounds like your landlord is a real piece of work.
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