 WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Hi all, seeking some legal advice for my sister (and I've told her to seek legal advice) She moved into an apartment in St Louis and asked the landlord about the possible availability of laundry machines in the building, so he had some installed, but had them wired into HER utility service somehow so that shw will be on the hook for the electrical and water usage by all the other tenants. Not sure how he did it, unless the service the machines are on are on the same meter as her unit, but she is obviously wigging out, and I'm 900 miles away so can't offer much more than moral support (and push her to contact an attorney) She COULD put a electrical lockbox on the power cords of the machines as well, IF she could find them, but that might cause legal problems for her even though this asshat is as unethical as they come, but not sure what other options she has. I would think that the Utility comapany would have issues with providing service to two seperate entities on ONE bill (the landlord and his washer/dryer, and my sisters apartment unit), but I'm open to advice! Thanks!
Last edited by mert; 08/18/2013 8:29 PM.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,482 Likes: 5
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,482 Likes: 5 |
How long has she been living there?
Does she have electric and/or water bills from the past? (save those for her attorney)
Save any current bills AND PAY THEM, she might be able to question the bill hike to the power and/or water dept.
If it's a "legal" apartment, bills should be separate, ie: apartment"a" bills go to apt. "a", apartment "b"s go to apt "b" etc. and shared utilities like out door security lighting and laundry rooms are/should be community bills and the landlord should get this bill, or split between the tenants.
Are the machines coin-op.? Who gets the money?
Get an attorney!
'04' Black America
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,048
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,048 |
She should pay the power company her average bill, add a written protest for anything higher and tell them what has happened.
I think you'll be surprised how quickly the power company will investigate this and force the landlord to correct it. It sounds like he did the wiring himself. There may be safety factors involved by putting too much load on one system.
Personally I think it's early for an attorney. Power companies are "usually" governed fairly closely by state commission/boards and they tend to be very helpful when needed.
Clay
Last edited by frijoli; 08/18/2013 4:22 PM.
01010100 01110010 01101001 01110101 01101101 01110000 01101000 <3
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Steve, she's only been there a month. I told her to get the hell out of dodge as soon as the lease is up, but not so easy when money is tight! She also had a maintenance guy make some inappropriate passes at her, but the landlord just laughed her off.
Clay, I agree it might be early for an attorney, but this guy sounds like the threat of expensive legal trouble might be the ONLY thing that gets him to sit up and pay attention and play straight. If he's pulling this crap now, how will he be about returning her security deposit. And I would agree that the electric company would want this set right, since resolving billing issues would be a major headache when two parties are involved. She's got enough crap going on in her life that she doesn't need this idiot and his crap
added on top of everything else.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,393 Likes: 1
Second Wind
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Second Wind
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 8,393 Likes: 1 |
I dont know how this could be possible. Having built buildings for 20 years I dont know of any way to wire or plumb one unit in such a way . How ever first things first.
She needs to first advise the super that some thing is wrong. Also she needs to contact the utility companys and get them to start investigation, and they will. Next contact a plumber / electrician, a licensed handy man or builder. Have the repairs done, and contact a lawyer to make the building management company pay all the expenses.
I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.
Edgar Allan Poe
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1 |
Written correspondence. Certified mail.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821
Bar Shake
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Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821 |
Cousin Nunzio in Joisey might be able to help.
Contra todo mal, mezcal; contra todo bien, también
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,839 Likes: 3 |
Sounds to me like this is something that code enforcement should be told about. There are laws protecting tenents in situations like this. If he has illeagaly wired this thing in without proper permits that meet code for rental properties then there are problems waitng for him you can do things at your private property that is none of code enforcements buisness but when it comes to rental property its a whole another ball game all such things need to be installed per code. When they get done with him I will bet he will be happy to break her lease and let her move out. Sounds like a shister landlord that needs to be taught a lesson. 
ENJOY!!!!! NEWT!!!!!
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 5,720
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 5,720 |
I agree, Code enforcement does indeed sound the way to go, I would imagine it would take a minimum 100 amp service dedicated exclusively to run 3 washer/dryers and a service change like that without a licensed electrical administrator's signature on a valid permit would ruin this dude's matzo balls. Ask your sis. to call the local Building Inspectors and state her concerns.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,236 Likes: 56
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,236 Likes: 56 |
I sell residential heating and air conditioning and a permit is applied for with every job. Some even get inspected. The local utility will know if there was a permit applied for and as its a multi unit rental property it more then likely would be inspected prior to start up. As others stated electrical authorities take this stuff very seriously. If landlord owns other properties they can expect some visitations there as well.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 124
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 124 |
First call is to the utility companies and get the situation on record. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I work in the utility industry.
Second call is to the City/County Building Inspection/Code Enforcement Department.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,146 |
I have a number of rental properties and have the accounts moved from the tenants names to my own from time to time. Somebody at the utility company screwed up big time if they allowed a new these changes on HER account without HER approval. Give them a call. She can insist that things be put back the way they were before they added to her account without her approval.
They made a big mistake and should be happy to, at the very least, put thing back the way the were before the unauthorized changes.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,685 Likes: 20
Monkey Butt
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Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,685 Likes: 20 |
All she has to do is call in a trouble ticket to the power company. They will send a guy out and he will see the problem. They will then average her bill for the next and previous month. Or, she could put coin controllers on the machines and charge the other tenants for the use. 
I try to aggravate one person a day. Today may be your day.
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,152
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,152 |
Quote:
Hi all, seeking some legal advice for my sister (and I've told her to seek legal advice) She moved into an apartment in St Louis and asked the landlord about the possible availability of laundry machines in the building, so he had some installed, but had them wired into HER utility service somehow so that shw will be on the hook for the electrical and water usage by all the other tenants. Not sure how he did it, unless the service the machines are on are on the same meter as her unit, but she is obviously wigging out, and I'm 900 miles away so can't offer much more than moral support (and push her to contact an attorney) She COULD put a electrical lockbox on the power cords of the machines as well, IF she could find them, but that might cause legal problems for her even though this asshat is as unethical as they come, but not sure what other options she has. I would think that the Utility comapany would have issues with providing service to two seperate entities on ONE bill (the landlord and his washer/dryer, and my sisters apartment unit), but I'm open to advice! Thanks!
This seems unlikely, is there any chance your sister could be misunderstanding something?
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Re: WAY OFF TOPIC LEGAL QUESTION
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
No, because the landlord said that it shouldn't raise her electric bill too high, but that if it did, he would help her pay it. Of course, all of this was verbal, therefore not even worth the paper it wasn't written on, but....
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