If you suspect your landlord of not paying the bills or denying you service;you would more than likely have to put your rent money into a non interest bearing escrow account and take him to Housing court. Even though you are not oaying the rent to the landlord you still have to show the judge that you have intentions of paying.

Posted by: bedstuy59 at January 28, 2008 1:33 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

1:33 you are wrong, a tenant may not unilaterally withold rent in the way you describe.
OP please seek legal advice, these comments are incorrect.

Posted by: guest at January 28, 2008 3:54 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

When I first bought our townhouse in 2005 I had a major argument with Keypsan as they argued that as we were a 3 Family house we were classified as being a commercial user and therefore automatically had to pay a $1,000 security deposit, which after a year we'd get back if we paid in time. I refused to pay that and while I won the argument it did take 8 months for them to remove the $1,000 'charge' on our account. Although we'd always paid the gas usage bills in a timely manner our two tenants received 'disconnection notices" on two occasions.

In a way I should have just paid it as the hours spent on the phone with Keyspan employees was annoying and incredibly frustrating but sometimes I prefer to stand up for principle.

Posted by: guest at January 28, 2008 5:07 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

At least you don't have a matzoh factory in your basement.

Posted by: Rehab at January 28, 2008 7:29 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

To 7:29pm
What's the story about living above a matzoh factory?
Was the apartment too hot?

I had a friend who lived above a pizzeria in park slope and she said
the heat used to rise all the way up to her apartment.
In the summer it was unbearable.

Her husband was so cheap he refused to buy an air conditioner.
Eventually they moved out.

Posted by: Ysabelle at January 28, 2008 9:19 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

Is Ysabelle smoking crack?

Posted by: guest at January 28, 2008 9:37 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

Matzoh is UNleavened. Enough said.

Posted by: guest at January 28, 2008 10:21 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

Very few people know how matzoh is made.
Not everybody in brooklyn is jewish.

Posted by: Ysabelle at January 28, 2008 10:40 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

I would call 311 and ask what your options are. I think you may be able to pay the utility bill on behalf of your landlord and deduct it from your rent.

Posted by: guest at January 28, 2008 10:48 PM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities

I think you should call 311 and ask them how matzoh is made.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 9:50 AM in response to Landlord Not Paying Utilities