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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    5

    Default Shut Off Electricity, Non-Payment of Rent

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Florida

    My roommate moved out WITHOUT any kind of notice late week, she was not on the lease.

    The electric bill was in her name as the main account holder (for 6mos+), and I was listed as a contact or someone able to disscus the bill or make certain changes to the account. We had a disccussion on Friday via text message that she would go in Monday and get it transffered to me. When we set up the account in the begining but I paid the orginal $250 deposit.I recieved a text Monday morning from her saying it had been transfered to me and that I needed to go to the electric company to accept the transfer in writting. What actually went on that morning was she had our service disconnected. The previous deposit of $250 was applied to the final payment so that is paid. But I had to re-start service in my name. I now have a $290 - Deposit and a $27 - Establishment Fee as well as the amount of electric used before they read the metter.

    She did not tell me that she was going to be disconnecting the service before she did it or after she did it. I understand that the main account holder was her, but I also have a text from her saying that SHE herself had transfered the service to me not a disconnect order, and that i was to go up there and sign a form stating i agreed to take it over. I called to have her meet me there after I found out, and she of course never showed up. Is it possible to take her to court for the deposits shes lied about?

    I was also reading that by law I became her landlord because she never signed a lease and also she paid the rent to me to live there, was she supposed to provide me with a 15day notice before she left, because she paid rent monthly? And if so, does that mean I can sue for her portion of Januarys rent, all of Januarys rent, or the remainder of the lease?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: Shut Off Electricity, Non-Payment of Rent

    If she was paying for the sublease monthly, you can try to get the January rent due to lack of 15 day notice. She's not subject to your lease duration.

    I'm not sure what all the crying about the electrical is about. She's under no obligation to you for transition of the power. If you think that she owes part of the last month bill that your deposit was applied to, you can try getting that, but absent a real agreement it's going to be hard to enforce. If the power bill was in her name, she is presumed to be the owner of the deposit.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Shut Off Electricity, Non-Payment of Rent

    First off im not "crying" about anything. When you have someone you only let move in because she is the girlfriend of your best friend then give constant leniency to, in reguards to the amount of bills paid each month and well as the constant late paying of bills im pretty freakin ticked that now I have to come up with even more money with less than 10 days notice.

    I think I have come to terms with the electric dispute. I was just never notified that she would be disconnecting the service. She said/text (and i will be getting a copy of the text from the phone company) she would be transferring the service, then I recieved a text message that she had taken care of everything. Only to of course find out she lied, then bassically "hid" from me instead of confronting me about it. I have found out in Florida I can still take her to court for the rent portion she owed even if she did not sign a lease because lived with me for more than 30 day. I'll just throw in my concern with the electric and see what happens.

    Any other advice from anyone?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: Shut Off Electricity, Non-Payment of Rent

    It matters not what she said or texted you. She's under no obligation to you with regard to the electrical service. As I said, unless you're going to allege that she owes you for some of the deposit that was refunded to her (which you will need more than just stating so), the rest of the reconnection charges and the new deposit are yours alone.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Shut Off Electricity, Non-Payment of Rent

    Ok. That i completly understand. Now the initial $250 that was required on her account she is getting applied to the final payment and the refund sent to her. The initial deposit was paid on my debit card. Is that something that I can try for. Also, since I paid the deposit that is being applied to the final bill, its basically like I paid it off, so can I try for her portion of the electric as well? The amount is about $150, there were three of us, so $75 for her portion and my intial $250 deposit?

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