I was not billed by the electric company because of my landlord, now they are collecting. Do I have to pay?

Question

I didn't get an electric bill for six months because my landlord gave them faulty information. They even admitted over the phone that this was the fault of my landlord. They are trying to collect the back payments now, but I think my landlord should have to pay because it was technically her mistake. Is there any way I can get out of this?

Answer 1

Yes, the landlord screwed up, but YOU!!!!!!! received the service.  You owe the money.

Try to work out a plan with the electric company.  But you owe the money because you received the service.

Answer 2

NOPE

Come on now, who used the electricity?

You knew you were using electricity and that you were required to pay for it by your lease.  A billing error doesn't excuse you, and you could have/should have worked to get this straightened out yourself.  It was YOUR responsibility--not your LLs--to arrange for your electric account.  So your failure to act and your LL acting, but making a mistake doesn't give you any escape clause.   Perhaps you can get LL to pay any penalties.

Answer 3

No, the costs are yours.  You would have paid them anyway, why should the landlord pay them?  You knew there should be electric bills, but failed to put money aside for them?  Hoping they would go away?

Now, if they want to charge interest or extra fees because of the mixup, you could TRY getting that off the landlord.  But the electric bill itself is 100% yours.

Answer 4

The landlord cannot put the electric service into your name. That is your responsibility.

You knew you were liable for the electric and in six months, never bothered to give them a call to find out what the deal was or why you were not getting a bill? Do you think you are entitled to free electric?

You used the electric, therefore you owe.  

Answer 5

The Real Estate Guy is right.  Under the law you are liable for two reasons 1) your lease probably says you will pay all utilities during your leasehold, and 2) the legal theory of "unjust enrichment" demands that you pay for a benefit you received.

You may get your landlord to pay for any late fees or penalties cause by the delay in payment, but that is it.

Answer 6

go to small claims court

Answer 7

If your lease specifies that you are responsible for paying the electric bill, then you are still responsible for it.  If you knew you were supposed to pay for electricity, and didn't get a bill, you should have called the electric company - not wait 6 months to find out the landlord made a mistake.

If, on the other hand, the electric bill is supposed to be the landlord's responsibility, then that's a different matter.  The electric company shouldn't be going after you - they should go after the landlord.  Be very careful - you don't want the power company to put something on your credit report that isn't your fault.  Get a letter from the power company explicitly stating that the bill is not your problem.  If the power company turned this over to a collections agency, they may not know - nor will they care - about the specifics.  Their job is to get the money.   You'll need that letter to get them off your back.

In the meantime, move.  No apartment is worth s******g up your credit because of a bad landlord.

Answer 8

You used the electricity, didn't you? Pay up. Ask them to waive any late fees.

Answer 9

If the electric bill is in landlord's name not yours, then landlord is responsible for paying it. If want play it safe, contact the electric company and have service transferred into your name starting with new acct and minus back charges. Let them go after the landlord.