questions & answers

Question: Have been noticing landlord by verbal and writen notice to why Tennants being over charged more then prevailing provider by 35% at 15 cents per KWH. only reason is given is previous owners had done it and they feel they are entitled by showing EPA federal tax which is charged per sub-meter yet how can this be when it's perproperty approx $7 to master meter yet they charge approximate 40 Tennants $7 each... I gave the city Mesa charge 11.7 cents residential price which they can charge yet they make ample profit from bulk rate 9.7 cents on old 1950 power grid which needs up graded. Need help

Answer: You should contact a legal advocate. There are links to free and low-cost legal services on this website (at http://www.azlawhelp.org/accessToJustice). The Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act states that “If a landlord charges separately for a utility ... the landlord may recover the charges imposed on the landlord by the utility provider plus an administrative fee for the landlord for actual administrative costs only. The landlord shall not impose any additional charges. The rental agreement shall contain a disclosure that lists the utility services that are charged separately and shall specify the amount of any administrative fee that is associated with submetering or the use of a ratio utility billing system” (A.R.S. 33-1314.01(B)). The Arizona Mobile Home Parks Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which applies if the tenant owns the mobile home but is renting the mobile home lot space, states that “If the landlord separately charges for utilities, the landlord shall not charge more than the prevailing basic service single family residential rate charged by the serving utility or provider” (A.R.S. 33-1413.01(B)).