Comments on: Heat & Other Essential Services – FAQ

By: John Bartlett

John Bartlett — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:59:13 +0000

You said that you signed a lease. What does the lease say about water or other utilities for that matter? Do you have any written documentation that the water was included in the rent. A landlord is not allowed to change the terms of the lease until the lease ends. I would start putting all your requests in writing so that you can document what is happening. If things get ugly and you end up going to court, the more documentation (letters to the landlord, pictures, complaints to the City, etc) the better off you will be. Another option could be to ask the landlord to buy you out of your lease.

By: Kinga S

Kinga S — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:25:16 +0000

When we signed our lease for the house that we are renting the leasing agent told us that water, and lawn care was included in the rent. For the first couple of months we didn’t pay any additional money for water, and nobody ever came to take care of the lawn. We had a friend come and cut the grass, and fix up the front yard out of good will.
After a couple of months the landlord told us that we have to pay $40/month for water, there are four of us on the lease so I thought that he is trying to basically charge $10/person/month. I also wrote him a letter stating my concern for this sudden charge, and for the lack of lawn care service, and he wrote me a letter back stating that we must pay for the water, he also charged us $40/month for the first few months that we lived there, and didn’t have any knowledge of a water bill. Is he allowed to charge us this after we were told at the lease signing that it was included in the rent? Is he allowed to charge us for those first few months when we didn’t have any knowledge of a water bill, as it is not directly stated in our lease?
He is turning out to be a “slumlord” who doesn’t want to fix anything! and also told my mom on the phone yesterday that he is sick of us bothering him with things to fix, he also told her that if “we don’t like it, we can move.”
What should we do? How should we approach this person?

By: John Bartlett

John Bartlett — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:51:57 +0000

I do know. Most utilities will turn on the utility if you can show them a lease with the current owner and show that it is a new lease starting since the bill was accumulated.

By: Jorge Ortiz

Jorge Ortiz — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:39:35 +0000

Hi, i have a question about turning on utilities after a foreclosure. Say someone will become a “tenant” in an abandoned/foreclosed home in which the previous owner had a balance of, say $500 with the city of chicago water depatment…

How can one go about getting water turned on…I called the water dept., and they said the owner has to pay…but the previous owner is long gone…

It’s stated above that one can call the utility company and pay the bill…are there other options? Can one get the service under one’s name even though one is not purchasing this foreclosed home and sort of “becomes’ a tenant?

Thank You.

Jorge

By: John Bartlett

John Bartlett — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:53:38 +0000

In answer to your question, I think that you need to start with your landlord. The landlord is who you have the rental agreement with. The law states that the unit needs to be 68 degrees during the day and 66 degrees in the evening. You might want to get a thermometer so that you can document the temperature.

By: e.lopez

e.lopez — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:30:14 +0000

I live in my landlord’s rented out condo (which is really a slightly rehabbed older Chicago walkup with the label “condo” slapped on it). The heat for the apartment is included in the rent. Last year our boiler blew out and we had to survive part of that Chicago blizzard without heat.. my space heater was not cutting it. They eventually got it fixed and the radiator heat was working. In order to make up the money he lost fixing the heat, my landlord raised my rent, which is understandable. Now my issue is that the heat is barely turned on. Its on for maybe an hour during the mornings when I’m off at work, but when its lower 30s outside during the night its not on. The apartment itself isn’t insulated so the heat doesn’t stay inside. Ive already gotten sick, my fiancée is getting sick, and even my dog is getting sick (from laying on the frigid floor since we dont have carpeting – but that’s partly his fault because he’s never in his bed).

I don’t know if I should contact our landlord or the condo association (hesitant to go because they never actually help me). I feel that I should go to the association and request they turn on the heat more often or at least review the current timers they have on it. But will I be ignored because I don’t actually own my dwelling? Or should I go talk to my landlord? Since he pays for the heat in my apartment, I’m worried he’ll object to my wanting to be warm.

By: Faith Phoenix

Faith Phoenix — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:27:11 +0000

When I turn my space heater on at the time my fellow housemate has his on (in the bedroom next to mine), my circuit-breaker blows and I have to go to the basement and click it back on, providing the jerk who rents the basement lets me in. (I’m on 2nd floor of townhouse.)
The best thing for me to do is MOVE OUT, but as I stated before, I can’t afford it. I shall call the City and see what they say.
Thank you.

By: John Bartlett

John Bartlett — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:14:24 +0000

I am not sure what the law is going to say on this matter considering that the owner actually lives in the unit that you occupy. There is a minimum heat requirement for residential housing. The minimum heat at night is 66 degrees and 68 degrees during the day. You could call the City and request an inspection though if the owner is home and refuses access, I am not sure how the inspectors will handle that. You are not covered by the landlord and tenants ordinance so your rights are limited. Have you had a conversation with owner? What about a space heater?

By: Faith Phoenix

Faith Phoenix — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:56:22 +0000

I rent a room in a house belonging to a family (husband, wife & two children). They live there, too, along with two other adult renters. The homeowner only turns the heat on in the winter a few times a day (for 30-45 minutes), but not at all during the night. He does this to save money to fatten his wallet. Everyone in the house had gotten sick, including his two children. This all happened the past winter, and he’s doing it again. I just figured it’s his house and he can do what he wants. But *I* believe that as long as we pay him money for rent, we are tenants and have rights. If this is true, I fear he might raise the rent (again) in retaliation if I file a complaint. I cannot afford to move out, nor do I have friends/family to move in with.
We just want to be warm and comfortable!

By: John Bartlett

John Bartlett — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:46:40 +0000

You might want to call 311 and request an inspection from the City of Chicago. If there is insufficient heat, you can try calling Section 8 they may inspect for a lack of heat.