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What Are Your Rights if Your Landlord Uses Your Electicity After You Move Out

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  • 07-10-2017, 10:02 PM
    MrLogan13
    What Are Your Rights if Your Landlord Uses Your Electicity After You Move Out
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Pennsylvania (Philadelphia).

    My lease ends on July 31, 2017 but I moved out at the end of June. I paid rent for the month of July. My lease requires me to retain responsibility for electricity until the end of my lease term, which I was fine with. However, my former neighbors have informed me that management has been doing work in my apartment and using power tools and the air conditioner while the electricity is still my responsibility. Are they able to do this, or do I have any recourse? It doesn't seem fair that I should pay for the management's use of my electricity. Do I have any rights after surrendering the apartment if my lease isn't up yet and I have paid through the end of my term?
  • 07-11-2017, 10:09 AM
    adjusterjack
    Re: Electricity Use by Management After I Moved Out but Utility Still My Responsibili
    Quote:

    Are they able to do this,
    They are already doing it which would indicate that they are, indeed, "able" to do it.

    Quote:

    or do I have any recourse?
    No. Your lease says leave the utilities on. You signed the lease.

    Quote:

    It doesn't seem fair that I should pay for the management's use of my electricity.
    Fair is where you go on rides and eat cotton candy. Has nothing to do with your contractual obligations.

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    Do I have any rights after surrendering the apartment if my lease isn't up yet and I have paid through the end of my term?
    Probably not.
  • 07-11-2017, 10:40 AM
    Mr. Knowitall
    Re: What Are Your Rights if Your Landlord Uses Your Electicity After You Move Out
    What did your landlord say when you called and indicated that if they wanted to use the AC and power tools in your unit, they need to do so on their own dime?
  • 07-12-2017, 05:34 PM
    MrLogan13
    Re: What Are Your Rights if Your Landlord Uses Your Electicity After You Move Out
    Quote:

    Quoting Mr. Knowitall
    View Post
    What did your landlord say when you called and indicated that if they wanted to use the AC and power tools in your unit, they need to do so on their own dime?

    She said the work was completed during the day and that a "nominal" amount of electricity was used, and reiterated that my lease requires me to leave the utilities on.

    I understand that I'm contracatually obligated to keep the electricity on until the end of my lease period, I honored that. And if it's really just nominal use while work is being done, fine. But if they're cranking my AC and leaving it on 24/7, that's beyond nominal use and pretty upsetting to me.
  • 07-12-2017, 06:44 PM
    Mr. Knowitall
    Re: What Are Your Rights if Your Landlord Uses Your Electicity After You Move Out
    A/C is generally one of the more expensive items to run, not a "nominal" expense.

    The purpose of leaving utilities on is to prevent damage to the unit. While the occasional use of power tools likely would be nominal, if the A/C is running for many hours that could result in a considerable charge.
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