My landlord (North CA) has filed to have me evicted for accrued late fees and a water bill which I disputed (i disputed the late fee also) from 2 previous owners. the total amount is less than $400 yet I have paid over $40,000 in rent over the past 2 years. with every request for payments for these 'late fees' I asked for a break down and informed them that i had 'issue' with them-but never got a response. over the past year I kept paying rent and they would accept. Over thanksgiving they decded to file the UD for the 400. I get a separate bill for water/E I don't pay the landlord (any more)
So, Can utilities bills and late fees be counted as 'rent' subject to a 3 day notice. the lease does have some verbage saying that everything is 'rent' but I don't know how legal that is-
CC 1671 says late fee are not. After the UD was filed they finally provided a breakdown and defined the amount AS late fee& old water bill.
I can't find a legal code/case that says utilities can not be counted as rent even though the CA tenant handbook and other sites state, only rent can be used as cause for a 3 day, but through legal jargon they have turned every bill/fee into 'rent'. I'm sure the intent of the 3 day is for true rent and not other rent to be used. I want to file a demurrer but don't quite know how to say rent is rent, utilities is utilities. After all the the lease is written they could UD me if I did not pay ATT or comcast??? I think they just want me out do to the rapid rise in rents in my area over the last 6 months.
advice/help needed asap.

