Please help! gas leak, non efficient furnace

[laurantom]

I really need advice on what I should do about my current situation involving my landlord. I live in a duplex that I rent with my mother, my husband and my 3 yr old son. We are currently going through some money problems and 1 week ago had our gas shut off. Being that it is summer our situation has been liveable, using our stove, taking a shower and doing dishes in hot water has been pretty unbearable but we are making do. We have come up with the 1439.89 dollars to turn our gas back on!! A Worker from the gas company came out today to turn it on and informed me that there was an external and internal gas leak so they could not turn it on. She told me that I needed to talk to the landlord and have a certified gas plumber to come and repair both gas leaks before they would be able to come and turn it back on. She had also told me that this could have made our gas bills go up but not by a large amount. She also said that our furnace is very old and is using way too much gas and it's not very efficent and that has definitely alot to do with the amount we pay each month for gas. (This past winter we forked over 400 dollars a month!! This past march was somehow our highest gas bill of the year, a whopping 553 dollars!) So we then immediately called the landlord and explained to him that he needed to get a certified gas plumber out here to find and fix the leak immediately. He then told us that he would talk to "his" plumber and sometime tommorrow they would come out. My husband asked him if he could make it quick being that we have not had gas for a week already now and he said that it depends on when his plumber calls back! We told our landlord that the gas company said that our furnace should be replaced and that would save us alot of money on our bill and our landlord replied with "bull-****, the furnace is fine and pointed out that it was our fault for not telling him the bills were so high." We obviously would have told him this if we had known there was a leak, we do want to save money! Anyways we had no clue. I wanted to explain the whole story so you knew excactly what happened and can further answer my questions easier.

1. We are paying way too much money for gas, is there anything we can do if the landlord does not put in a new furnace as the gas company suggested?
2. Can the landlord kick us out after all is said and done? (have been living at residence for 8 years, do not have current lease)
3. If it takes a prolonged amount of time for "his" guy to fix our leak, what can be done? (We cannot live without gas for long, and we think he is going the cheapest route with his plumber)

I also wanted to note that our gas leak outside the house is big and the one inside is small. We are worried that it might take a long time to repair and quite possibly alot of money for the landlord. After this is done am I right to assume that he has the right to raise our rent on us?

I thank you very much for taking the time out to read my questions, I think it is very nice and much appreciated that they have a site like this we can go to! Looking forward to your reply!

[OHlandlord]

1. We are paying way too much money for gas, is there anything we can do if the landlord does not put in a new furnace as the gas company suggested?

No, there is no requirement that the LL install an energy eficient gas furnace. But he does have to have the gas leaks fixed. This is required. You can put plastic over the windows in winter, weatherstrip the doors, windows, and install foam insulators behind electric cover plates. These are cheap but will cut your heat bill.

2. Can the landlord kick us out after all is said and done? (have been living at residence for 8 years, do not have current lease)

Without a current lease, the landlord can give you notice to vacate anytime. Most states require 30 days (sometimes 60 if you have lived there longer than a year) notice to vacate. He can indeed give you notice after this is finished. Without a lease you have no protection.

3. If it takes a prolonged amount of time for "his" guy to fix our leak, what can be done? (We cannot live without gas for long, and we think he is going the cheapest route with his plumber)

Write a letter to the LL telling him about the 2 leaks the gas company found in his house. Let him know in writing that they will not restore your gas service without these repairs and that you will be without hot water (and whatever else) until they are fixed. Ask nicely for a timeline when these repairs will be completed as you need hot water (and whatever else). Keep a copy for yourself and send it certified mail, return receipt requested. Make the tone of the letter cordial. If he doesn't make the repairs within a reasonable time period, contact the court about their requirements for rent withholding. No gas, hot water, or ability to cook would make your house uninhabitable. That should allow you to pay your rent to the court to rent withhold. He cannot access his rent money until he makes the repairs. This will make no friends, but it does force him to make repairs.

I also wanted to note that our gas leak outside the house is big and the one inside is small. We are worried that it might take a long time to repair and quite possibly alot of money for the landlord. After this is done am I right to assume that he has the right to raise our rent on us?

Without a lease, he can increase your rent. I would think about looking for another place, just in case. Gas repairs usually are not cheap.

We had the same situation, thanks for helpfuly advice!!!