Can my roommate turn of the electricity to force me out?
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Can my roommate turn of the electricity to force me out?
My roommate and I had a verbal disagreement. He is leaving the country for 1 month. Can he turn off the utilities which are in his name?
Asked on September 5, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Connecticut
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
If the utilities are in your roommate's name, he can certainly turn them off so you are better off talking to the utility company and seeing if he is in arrears or try to find out from your landlord. If the landlord has you both on the lease, then the landlord has to ensure you have light, heat and water. More likely than not, your landlord will have to handle this so make sure you discuss the matter with your landlord but don't say anything until you know whether or not your roommate will actually go through with it. Make sure you have your ducks in a row on this one. Simply shutting off service is pretty unlikely unless the landlord is informed ahead of time to ensure the account is transferred to him or her so that he or she won't have to pay opening fees again.
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