My electric bill doubled over the prior year. After much investigation, I proved that my upstairs neighbor had no power and was using our electricity. Proof: electrician, electric company, apartment maintenance man, pictures and acknowledgement from the apartment complex management company. I initially thought that they were stealing my power outright, since I could see a TV flickering 24/7 and I had conformation from the electric company & the maintenance man that they had no power. But it was later determined by an electrician (that I found & the apartment complex paid for) that all electrical outlets in their living room, and one in their hallway were connected to my electric box. Apparently there was a fire 10 years ago and it was re-wired it incorrectly. I have pictures of the complete mess of wires behind the breaker boxes. The electrician just stood there shaking his head it was so bad.
We have lived here for 22 months, and I've been paying part of the electric bill for every resident who has lived upstairs over that time frame. I always thought it was high, but It wasn't until our bills doubled this summer (from $150-$175 to $300-$330 for a 1000 sq foot apartment) that I noticed. I suspect that when the upstairs neighbor's electric was turned off, and they noticed that they still had power in some outlets, they plugged everything into those outlets. The apartment's management company admitted guilt with the bad wiring, and gave us $400 dollars off last months rent. They said they were still working with the electric company trying to figure out additional compensation. They also said that the first person they were working with was zero help, so they were going to talk to a different person.
Three questions:
1) Would offering them a settlement of $50 dollars a month be fair? That would end up being $1100 for 22 months. It doesn't seem like it's too much or too little.
2) Should I let a small claims court judge decide compensation?
3) Once we figure out fair compensation, could I claim that the faulty wiring is a possible fire hazard and get out of my lease? There is zero way it is up to code. It's a jumbled mess, and it's all unlabeled.
We have lived here for 22 months, and I've been paying part of the electric bill for every resident who has lived upstairs over that time frame. I always thought it was high, but It wasn't until our bills doubled this summer (from $150-$175 to $300-$330 for a 1000 sq foot apartment) that I noticed. I suspect that when the upstairs neighbor's electric was turned off, and they noticed that they still had power in some outlets, they plugged everything into those outlets. The apartment's management company admitted guilt with the bad wiring, and gave us $400 dollars off last months rent. They said they were still working with the electric company trying to figure out additional compensation. They also said that the first person they were working with was zero help, so they were going to talk to a different person.
Three questions:
1) Would offering them a settlement of $50 dollars a month be fair? That would end up being $1100 for 22 months. It doesn't seem like it's too much or too little.
2) Should I let a small claims court judge decide compensation?
3) Once we figure out fair compensation, could I claim that the faulty wiring is a possible fire hazard and get out of my lease? There is zero way it is up to code. It's a jumbled mess, and it's all unlabeled.
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