i AM A CURRENT RENTER WITH BIG PROBLEMS

[Marie C.]

I HAVE BEEN RENTING A 3 BEDROOM HOUSE IN PA. FOR 3 YEARS. SIGNING THE LEASE, LANDLORD  PAYS FOR WATER, SEWAGE, GARBAGE PICKUP, AND HEAT, HARD COAL WITH OIL BACKUP.  I PAY ELECTRICITY, RENT IS $900.00 A MONTH. AFTER MOVING IN I REALIZED THERE IS NO WATER BILL, THERE IS A WELL, WHICH GOES THROUGH A WATER SOFTENER WHICH RENT COVERS COST OF SALT @ $12.00 A MONTH.  LANDLORD LIVES NEXT DOOR WITH A 2 CAR GARAGE BETWEEN US THAT GOES WITH THEIR HOUSE. I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE PUMP AND I PAY FOR PUMPING ALL THE WATER OUT OF THE DEEP WELL INTO MY HOUSE, THROUGH THE SOFTENER AND THEN TO THEIR HOUSE.  THEY SAY IT ISN'T MUCH, BUT IT SHOULD BE ZERO!  TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THEY HAVE A SPA. LIKE A FOREVER POOL THAT THEY DRAIN, CLEAN AND REFILL AT MY EXPENSE. WHEN I CONFRONTED THEM I WAS TOLD TO PAY OR GET OUT!  ALSO LEARNED THAT THEY ARE USING AGAIN MY ELECTRICITY AND MY COAL TO HEAT THEIR SPA, THE COST OF COAL COMES OUT OF MY RENT.I FEEL OUR HOUSES SHOULD BE TOTALLY SEPARATE! AM I WRONG? EVERY SUMMER WHEN I STOP USING COAL AND THEY ARE CLEANING AND REFILLING THE SPA MY ELECTRIC BILL DOUBLES!  WE ONLY HAVE ONE STICKER ON THEIR GARAGE FOR GARBAGE PICKUP AND I HAVE TO CARRY MY GARBAGE UP TO THEIR GARAGE, SEEMS I AM ALSO PAYING FOR BOTH HOUSES.  THE WORST THING OF ALL IS THAT I THOUGHT THERE WAS A SEWAGE BILL. SINCE THERE IS A WELL THERE IS NO WAY TO MEASURE USAGE SO THE FLAT MONTHLY UNMETERED RATE IS $26.99 A MONTH.  BUT THERE IS NO SEWAGE BILL!  THEY ARE DUMPING RAW SEWAGE FROM BOTH OUR HOUSES INTO THE STREAM BEHIND OUR HOUSE THAT RUNS EVENTUALLY INTO A RIVER. AT LEAST 2 OTHER NEIGHBORS ARE DOING THIS ALSO.  IT MAY SEEM ODD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MOVE! IT IS A RURAL AREA VERY PRIVATE, I HAVE 3 SMALL GRANDCHILDREN LIVING WITH ME AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE BEST AROUND. THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH IN THEIR LITTLE LIVES I DON'T WANT TO UPROOT THEM.  HENCE MY PROBLEM, SHOULD I OFFER THEM A RENT REDUCTION?  I WILL BUY MY OWN COAL $100.00 A MONTH OFF THE RENT. NO SEWAGE $26.99 A MONTH OFF THE RENT.  CHARGE $10.00 A MONTH FOR ELECTRIC USE TO PUMP WATER TO THEIR HOME, BUT THEY MUST REMOVE EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE SPA FROM THIS HOUSE? IF I FILE A CLAIM FOR FOREIGN LOAD THEY WILL HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS FOR A SECOND PUMP, IF I NOTIFY THE EPA ABOUT THE SEWAGE THEY ARE LOOKING AT $41,000 FOR A SEPTIC SYSTEM FOR BOTH HOUSES. ALSO I PAY RENT IN CASH, THEY REFINANCED AND I WAS ASKED TO LEAVE THE HOUSE DURING INSPECTION BECAUSE SHE LIVES HERE AND HE LIVES THERE. WONDER IF IRS IS AWARE? ALSO IS IT FRAUD THAT IN THE LEASE THEY STATE THEY PAY UTILITIES THAT DON'T EXIST?  ANY INSIGHT INTO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  I WITHHELD LAST MONTH'S ELECTRIC PAYMENT BECAUSE I WENT FROM $106.00 BILLS ALL WINTER TO MAY'S BILL BEING $181.00. FURNACE WAS OFF, NO AIR, NO FANS, NO LIGHTS TIL 9PM. VS. 5 OR 6 PM.  I WAS TOLD PAY OR GET OUT, THEY DON'T USE MUCH WATER, SO IT DOESN'T COST US MUCH!  SHE LOST  HER MIND THINKING I WOULDN'T PAY, BUT CANNOT SEE WHY I DON'T WANT TO AND SHOULDN'T BE EXPECTED TO PAY HER BILL!  ALSO WHEN WE MOVED IN WE WERE TOLD NO PETS BECAUSE SHE IS ALLERGIC. WE HAD TO GET RID OF OUR 9LB. MIN PIN.  ONLY AFTER MOVING IN TO FIND OUT THEY HAVE A DOG, A BLACK LAB!  SO SHE IS ALLERGIC TO A DOG IN A HOUSE SHE DOESN'T LIVE IN, BUT ISN'T ALLERGIC TO A DOG THAT LIVES IN A HOUSE SHE DOES LIVE IN?  LOL, GO FIGURE!  WE PAID FOR HER TO DO BACKGROUND AND CREDIT CHECKS, SHE SAID SHE WOULD REIMBURSE US IN THE FIRST MONTH'S RENT IF WE GOT THE HOUSE.  SHE CALLED TO TELL US WE GOT THE HOUSE BUT THEY FEES WERE MORE THAN SHE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE SO SHE CANNOT REIMBURSE US!  I KNOW YOU ARE MOST LIKELY GOING TO SAY LEAVE!  BUT I DO LOVE IT HERE, I JUST WANT TO BE TREATED FAIRLY, A NEW START WITH EVERYTHING ON THE UP AND UP.  IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?  YOUR HELP WILL BE SO VERY GREATLY APPRECIATED!  SORRY IT IS SO LONG, I JUST TRIED TO NOT BE CONFUSING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH CLARIFYING MATTERS. I HOPE I SUCCEEDED!