Q: Are we obligated to pay electric for landlords business to use our well?
We rent a house adjacent to the owners business. We signed a lease that stated he would fix the breakers in 90 days.( It has been10 months)...Then proceeded to only give me a electronic copy which pages were removed! I have control of the breakers in my house and feel like turning the water off and calling the health department! When asking landlord about us paying for well eleric he stated they don't use water! Lol it's a store Deli/ gas station! We paid 17 ,499.00 in electric the first 4 years , we were here asking them why to no avail. Breaker blew and imagine this they knew right where to come! These landlords are decieptful and don't know the landlord tenant laws! Can We sue them for damaged?we have all evidence except the lease that we never got legalcopy of. And was signed under deress
A: You need to review everything with a landlord-tenant attorney asap. First, the landlord did not have 90 days to fix the electric, regardless of what the lease said - if it is a residence you are renting, you are entitled to have the electric work properly from day one and may be entitled to a reduced rent until they are. As for the utilities, you don't say whether you have an account with the power company directly or if the account is in the landlord's name and you pay him. Regardless, if you are paying for utility services that benefit others (in this case, the landlord himself), there are legal requirements regarding disclosures to you in the lease and other rules the landlord needs to be complying with. His failure to do so may well entitle you for recover monetary damages. To the extent that you sue him for damages and win, he will also likely owe you for your court costs and attorneys fees. So go review it all with a landlord-tenant attorney - not only will you learn your exact rights but you might also make money on the deal. Good luck.
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