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Just Found Out My Landlord's Son Has Been Secretly Using My Electricity—and I've Been Paying For It All Year.

I rent an apartment in a multi-family property and pay for my own electric bill, as required by my lease. Today, I discovered something that honestly has me fuming.

Apparently, the electric meter assigned to my unit doesn’t just power my apartment—it also covers all the common areas: stairwells, hallways, outdoor lighting, and even the basement. None of this was disclosed in the lease, and there’s no clause saying tenants are responsible for utility costs outside their own units.

Here’s where it gets worse: the landlord’s adult son has been living in a sectioned-off room in the basement—separated by a makeshift door—and that room is also connected to my meter. Meaning, for nearly a year, I’ve unknowingly been footing the bill for his electricity usage.

To top it all off, the landlord just proposed a 4% rent increase.

I never agreed to pay for common areas, let alone subsidize the landlord’s son's living situation. Has anyone dealt with something like this? What are my options for recourse? I'm in New Jersey.

Location: New Jersey

submitted by /u/alyriu
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Just Found Out My Landlord's Son Has Been Secretly Using My Electricity—and I've Been Paying For It All Year.

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