Tenant Utility Disconnection Laws

Summary

Landlords in New York cannot legally disconnect essential utilities if tenants have made good faith efforts to establish service. Tenants should provide documented evidence of their attempts to resolve utility issues with the service provider. If the issue escalates, seeking legal counsel is advised.

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need to talk about renters rights in new york state
Hello ****, I'd be happy to provide some general information on renters rights in New York State. Could you please describe the specific issue you're facing so I can provide more tailored advice?
My landlord is threatening to turn off my utilities. Is that legal?
No, it's not legal. In New York:
- Landlords cannot interrupt or cause the interruption of essential services like heat, electricity, gas, or water.
- If utilities are unlawfully interrupted, you may be entitled to sue for damages.
Are there any stipulations to that law?
Yes, there are few stipulations to consider:
- The landlord can interrupt services for a reasonable period for repairs.
- The tenant should not be in serious violation of the lease terms.
- This law doesn't apply if the interruption is due to uncontrollable circumstances like a natural disaster.
Can I explain my situation and let you let me know if they are acting lawfully?
Absolutely, ****. Please go ahead and describe your situation in detail. I'll do my best to provide you with relevant legal information based on the circumstances you describe.
So, I received a letter in the mail from my landlord (apartment complex if that changes things) saying that I have yet to set up my electrical services and if I do not set them up by */*, my services will be disconnected. I have set up for connection of my electrical services back on September 18th through National Grid, but unfortunately something in their system got stuck so it shows I have failed to connect service. I have reached out to National Grid numerous times and they have been unable to assist me yet. Now I only have 3 days to fix before I lose power. Is my complex right in threatening to disconnect my services?
Based on the information you provided, your landlord should not disconnect your utilities since you've made a good faith effort to establish services. It's advised you provide documented evidence to your landlord showing your attempts to resolve the issue with National Grid, and consider seeking legal counsel if the issue escalates.
In your opinion what documents would I provide to prove that I have made effort to establish my service? I have email documentation from setting up my online profile which includes my account number. Would that be fair?
The documents you could provide include:
- The email confirming account setup with National Grid.
- Any communication between you and National Grid about the problem.
- If you have a case number or any formal complaint made to National Grid, that could also be useful.
Remember, this is general advice and for specific legal advice, please consult with an attorney.
You're awesome thank you
I'm glad I could help, ****! If you have any more questions or need further assistance in the future, don't hesitate to reach out. Best of luck with your situation!