Landlord did not pay the utility bill

If your landlord must pay for water, gas, or electricity and does not pay, your service may be shut off. If that could happen, you may pay the utility (water, gas, or electric) company yourself. You can then subtract what you paid from your rent.

Utilities (water, electric, gas) are different. Say your landlord is supposed to pay a utility bill and does not. If you pay the utility company to keep service on, state law lets you subtract that payment from your next rent. For gas, electric, and steam this works through the Public Service Commission's tenant payment rules.

Sometimes the heat is off because the building's gas or electric bill is in the landlord's name and the landlord did not pay. The company cannot shut off service without warning you. It must send a written notice to your home at least 30 days before it turns off service.

If the landlord still does not pay, you and the other tenants can keep the service on by paying the company. You pay the amount of the landlord's bill for 1 month, and the company must keep service on or restore it promptly. Any money you pay the company comes off your rent. For example, if you pay the company $150, you pay your landlord $150 less that month.