There’s probably no shortage of “landlord special” stories around, especially with the current housing market in the US, but one tenant’s discovery in New Jersey has led to one of the most absurd landlord abuse stories ever. That’s because the tenant found out that they’ve been paying for one year’s worth of electricity for the landlord’s son, who happens to live in his dad’s special basement.
The disgruntled and frustrated allegation came from a Reddit user, alyriu, from New Jersey. Redditor alyriu has been living in an apartment owned by a family for a year. They eventually found out that the electric meter assigned to their unit is also connected to common areas such as stairs, hallways, outdoor lighting, and even the basement. These areas weren’t covered in the lease.
Reddit user alyriu went from frustrated to fuming after further finding out that their apartment unit’s meter is connected to the special room in the basement where the landlord’s son lives. As a cherry on top of the cake, the landlord has also proposed a four percent rent increase. So far, it appears alyriu hasn’t confronted their landlord about the matter and is now seeking legal recourse and a possible way to reimburse all the electricity bill payments they made.
Due to the ridiculous nature of this landlord’s setup, some of the most upvoted answers in the comment section advised the New Jersey tenant to call the utility company first before informing the landlord. That way, they wouldn’t be able to prepare for the authorities since what the landlord did was a possible utility theft.
A Crackdown on the Basement Dweller is Also Advised
While some of the online legal advisers on the thread were busy providing some steps on how Reddit user alyriu can recoup what he paid for the landlord’s son’s bill, others were also advising the tenant to contact building inspection authorities. People online also suspect that the special room in the basement for the son isn’t legal or doesn’t follow building codes.
Thankfully, most people agreed in the thread that what happened to alyriu was theft. Therefore, there’s a chance that the New Jersey tenant could win a big payout from his landlord if the courts favor his side, assuming the utility company can prove that the unit’s meter is indeed connected to the aforementioned rooms and areas in the whole apartment.
Despite the high chance of winning, however, Reddit user alyriu also needs to find a new apartment because things are about to get awkward and heated in his current one.
“This is a very common practice normally referred to as stealing,” says PizzaWall
“So notify the utility company first, don’t tell the landlord, then when they come and inspect, they’ll realize he’s breaking the law,” advised Moobygriller
“Congrats, play your cards right and that overpayment should turn into a big refund with interest penalties and bonus,” according to hihihonhon
“That’s theft by the landlord and his son. Call the police. Probably illegal as well, living where he is,” claims Potential-Rabbit8818
