What to do if my landlord is not paying for water as required by the lease?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What to do if my landlord is not paying for water as required by the lease?

My lease says the landlord pays for water/sewer. We are still paying rent. We now have a shut off notice on the door due to non payment of water bill. The water company says they can’t help us. The property manager says to take the notice down and forget it. I do not have money to move even if I can legally get out of the lease. How can I enforce the lease?

Asked on September 21, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Washington

Answers:

M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

By going down to landlord tenant court and starting an action against the landlord and asking the court to allow you to pay your rent in to court or pay the bill in lieu (instead) of the rent.  landlord tenant court is filled with pro se plaintiffs (plaintiffs representing themselves) and the Judge's are used to the issues.  I would take the notice down and hold on to it as proof.  But do not forget it.  The landlord has breached the lease agreement and if the water is shut off has created an uninhabitable condition.  And name the management company in the suit as well. Since it is unclear who is on the lease and who runs the place for paying bills, etc., you need to make sure you have everyone. Good luck.


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.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption