Landlord Fails Utility Payments

Q: If my landlord is responsible for utilities and stops making payment, do they become my responsibility? How can I get my landlord to pay?

A: If it is contracted that your landlord pay certain utilities and your landlord stops making such payments resulting in the disconnection of your utilities or the threat of a disconnection, you may pay the balance of the utilities to the utility company and deduct that payment from your next payment of rent. Doing so is conditional on the fact that the utility service has not been discontinued because of your misuse of it, you have provided the landlord with 48 hours of written notice (or 24 hours subsquent to giving oral notice), and the utility service remains unpaid just before the time of your intended rent payment. Be sure to obtain proof of payment for the payment that you submitted to the utility company and include that proof with your rent payment to your landlord.