Q: I rent the downstairs of a house(finished basement)our signed rental agreement since nov 2015 states everthings include
Can my landlord all of a sudden increase my rent AND now ask that I pay half the oil bill? I live in mass please help
A: The short answer is that the rent has to be reasonable and he can ask to increase the rent once the lease you have expires. If there is no lease then he can ask to increase the rent upon 30 days notice. My first question however is the basement apartment in compliance with local requirements to rent out? Many people in Cambridge and Somerville have rented out illegal apartments in the past, which if an inspector or assessor comes to the home will create serious problems for both the landlord and the tenant. Assuming it is a legal apartment, then the landlord can increase the rent so long as it is reasonable and at market rates. Generally a landlord is required to provide heat, water and light to a tenant unless separately metered. The landlord could instead estimate the cost of his oil for next winter and raise your rent $X per month provided it is not above market rate. So the short answer it is not technically legal to ask you to pay a percentage of the oil bill going forward but he can raise your rent upon 30 days notice once your lease expires or if you are on a month to month lease.
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