Since when can a landlord charge extra for an AC unit bought by the tenant?
A New Yorker reached out to the community in r/Renters because he’s dealing with a very strange situation with his landlord. Since the apartment he’s renting doesn’t have an air conditioning system, he bought a unit and installed it in his bedroom. After a new management company realized he had that, they told him he should start paying a monthly fee of $35 because it is a “seasonal appliance,” and it increases the building’s power bill.
This is totally insane. I also live in a city that gets very hot during the summer, and luckily, I have an AC in every room of my apartment. My wonderful landlord told me, when my roommate and I moved in, that for some reason, in this part of town, power bills don’t get up too much during the hot days due to the AC. But, in case we notice any abrupt increase, we should let him know right away so he can find a solution together.
My personal situation works as a great example of what this landlord should be doing. If we all live in the same city that gets crazy hot during summer, we can expect the tenant to have an AC in the apartment so he can sleep at night. And the funniest thing is that the power bill is under his name, so he’s taking full responsibility if the monthly tax gets really high. I don’t really understand how they can start charging that invented fee for something he’s super mindful and responsible about.
I found in the comments that very helpful information can give this renter a hand. According to some Redditors, the final answer should be in the lease. If there’s no mention of an AC unit whatsoever, he’s totally entitled to have that unit and not be charged for it. We all know that the new management company wants to charge him extra just for the kick of it, although it could be against the rules. Scroll down and find out what happened to this New Yorker!
Author: Kayitsi.com
