I’m a current renter who is on a lease agreement for 12 months. My situation is regarding our utilities. We moved into our townhome on a lease agreement for 12 months @ $1345 per month. To our knowledge our utilities were paid by us in our $1345 rental amount. We signed our lease agreement and moved in June’08. We paid our deposit, pro-rated month, and got a month free. So in August we paid our $1345, and for September we have paid. Now we recently received a notice that we missed September’s $84 water, sewer, garbage bill. Which I thought was unusual because we did not receive a notice like this for August. I re-read our lease agreement which states, “Tenant will pay $84 for water, sewer, garbage.” Which is what we have done, our garbage picked up and water/sewer still working. So I called to the office to find out what the notice was about. The manager states that we did not pay the $84 charge, I then explain that our rent is $1345 and that our agreement does not state that the water,sewer, garbage was an additional $84. Our rent would then be $1429, which is more than we set up for. I then asked the manager why didn’t we receive the same notice for last month and her explanation was that maybe billing made a mistake and didn’t get it out, and since there was a mistake that she will waive that month but we still have to pay for September.
My question: is this right for the Landlord to charge and additional utility fee, even though a renters rent is signed as a set amount and on the agreement it does show the water, sewer, garbage charge but is that included with the rent?
Normally water, garbage, and sewer are included with rent; but not always. Whatever the agreement states is what the legally binding agreement is. You mentioned that the agreement showed that you are responsible for paying the $84 bill, but you did not clarify whether the agreement said that that amount was already included with the rent. Based on what you have said it seems that the $84 mentioned in the agreement would be in addition to the rent, why else would it be in the agreement? Check the agreement again.
Who charges for water?! That’s crazy to think your landlord would hold you responsible for the $84 water bill. I would fight it! I just had a problem with my landlord concerning some charges to my deposit, after trying to work with him I decided to file a complaint with the RPA. That was the smartest thing I ever did! My landlord was quick to work with the agent assigned to my complaint. Yeah, it’s dumb that it took me to file a complaint before the problem got resolved, but hey, I shouldn’t have to get bullied around– and neither should you!!
Read the lease carefully. From the wording that you stated, “Tenant will pay $84 for water, sewer, garbage,” it means that you are responsible for that payment in addition to rent.
Crystal | Renter
Gary | Landlord
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