Can the city call my landlord about my water bill?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can the city call my landlord about my water bill?
Can the city call my landlord about my water bill? I have a shut off notice that I attend to pay this week and the city called my landlord and told them I had a shut off notice and the amount of the bill.
Asked on May 7, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Michigan
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Yes, the local water department of the municipality can and has the legal obligation to call your landlord about the impending water shut off notice that you received for the following reasons:
1. your landlord owns the building that you are renting and if the water is shut off, a potential danger could result due to lack of sanitation in the rental separate and apart of a fire issue where should a fire arise, there would be no immediate water to help eliminate the fire;
2. your failure to pay the water bill for your rental could very well be a breach of the express conditions of your presumed written lease and if not, could very well be a breach of an implied agreement with your landlord.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.