1. Make sure your landlord knows about the problem

Your landlord may have cut off your utility on purpose. Or they might not know that someone working for them has done this. They also might have failed to pay the bill.

In any of these situations, you should tell your landlord that it is against the law and that they must take steps to restore the service right away.

Keep notes for yourself about when you talked to your landlord and what each of you said.

If your landlord does not fix the problem as soon as possible, send a letter or an email asking your landlord to fix the problem. Make sure to keep a copy for yourself.

Illustrated Repair Request Form for Tenants with drawings
Repair Request Form for Tenants

Use this form to tell your landlord what needs to be fixed.

If a utility company has cut off your service, contact them to find out why. If it is because your landlord told them to turn it off or didn’t pay a bill they were supposed to pay, ask the company to give you a letter telling you this. If the energy company will not give you a letter, make notes about who you spoke to at the company and what they said.

It is safest to keep paying your rent while you are trying to get your landlord to deal with the problem. If you do not pay all your rent for any reason, your landlord can try to have you evicted.

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