All Apartment Units Are on One Power Meter

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Georgia
I have just received power bills from landlord from the last three months all in one go. It's the total number he's been billed by GA Power for each month. All he says is to divide it by 5 and pay him that amount. 5, because there are 3 of us living in the given unit and 2 in other units, all located in the same building. The thing is that the amount for last two months seems particularly high for our unit, as there hasn't been a dramatic increase in the use of power (we have been cooking, charging our laptops/phones, using light about the same amount, and NOT using space heaters as opposed to three months ago for which we are billed a lot less). Any word on liability for power use from other units or anything I should look for in the rental agreement. Another thing is my contract says that "For months when rent is paid on time (or before the 1st of the month) Management will pay the first $150 of electric bill and first $75 of water bill; any usage above that will be divided amongst the residents. ". The totals for each of the three months are way above the $150. However, the landlord has just said that not everyone in the building has signed under these terms. So, who owes what amount gets even more complicated from here.

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Quoting aninsidejoke

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Another thing is my contract says that "For months when rent is paid on time (or before the 1st of the month) Management will pay the first $150 of electric bill and first $75 of water bill; any usage above that will be divided amongst the residents. ". The totals for each of the three months are way above the $150. However, the landlord has just said that not everyone in the building has signed under these terms. So, who owes what amount gets even more complicated from here.

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Your lease governs your tenancy. It doesn't matter whether any or all other tenants have different provisions in their leases.

If the utility bills are being divided as described in your lease, then the amount you are being billed is correct. If your landlord is not deducting the initial $150/$75 before calculating your share, ask that the landlord correct the calculation of your share.

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Quoting Mr. Knowitall

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Your lease governs your tenancy. It doesn't matter whether any or all other tenants have different provisions in their leases.

If the utility bills are being divided as described in your lease, then the amount you are being billed is correct. If your landlord is not deducting the initial $150/$75 before calculating your share, ask that the landlord correct the calculation of your share.

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Yes, the 150/75 not being deducted is alone a reason to recalculate the bill. But, before I ask the landlord to do that, I was wondering if there is any room for arguing against splitting the utilities with people living in other units. "Any usage above will be divided amongst the residents". What's a resident? The lease lists property address as "# such-and-such st. apt X", not "# such-and-such st. PERIOD". I'm renting a room within a separate unit within a building, not a room within a building. Wouldn't the residents be my direct roommates instead of everyone occupying the building? This is not explicitly stated anywhere on the lease. Thank you for your help.

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Quoting aninsidejoke

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Yes, the 150/75 not being deducted is alone a reason to recalculate the bill. But, before I ask the landlord to do that, I was wondering if there is any room for arguing against splitting the utilities with people living in other units. "Any usage above will be divided amongst the residents". What's a resident? The lease lists property address as "# such-and-such st. apt X", not "# such-and-such st. PERIOD". I'm renting a room within a separate unit within a building, not a room within a building. Wouldn't the residents be my direct roommates instead of everyone occupying the building? This is not explicitly stated anywhere on the lease. Thank you for your help.

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In my state what you are talking about would not be possible. The landlord would not be able to structure a lease that way. If the landlord did not provide separate meters for utilities the utilities would have to be included in the rent and the landlord could charge whatever rent he/she felt appropriate, assuming that people would agree to sign a lease for said rent.

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Quoting llworking

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The landlord would not be able to structure a lease that way. If the landlord did not provide separate meters for utilities the utilities would have to be included in the rent

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That's the kind of thing I'm looking to fall back on. Wonder if there is something like that in GA.

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Quoting aninsidejoke

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That's the kind of thing I'm looking to fall back on. Wonder if there is something like that in GA.

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You are going to have to review the landlord/tenant statutes.