Can I cut off BGE/Internet for non paying tenant if the BGE/Internet are under my name?

[Konan]

Maryland

I have a question, I wonder if you could help

I have very bad tenants who refuse to pay rent, I will file for eviction on Monday

However, unknowingly I let them use internet and BGE under my name

I pay for those services myself and they reimburse me (which they don’t and use BGE extremely excessively)

I know it is a long process to evict someone in Baltimore country, but can I at this point close my internet account and/or BGE since they refuse to pay for them ?

Thank you in advance for all your help

 

[Taxing Matters]

I know it is a long process to evict someone in Baltimore country, but can I at this point close my internet account and/or BGE since they refuse to pay for them ?

That will depend a lot on exactly what your lease says about provision of those services. I've not read your lease to know the terms of it. You might want to run that by an attorney in your area that handles landlord-tenant matters.

 

[adjusterjack]

If the rental is in the City of Baltimore see Subtitle 9 Page 40 Prohibited Acts:

An agent, a landlord, or an operator may not:
(5) without the consent of the tenant, intentionally:
(i) interrupt, terminate, or diminish, any utility service furnished to the tenant,
including, but not limited to, water, heat, light, electricity, gas, elevator, or similar
services to which under the expressed or implied terms of the tenancy the tenant
may be entitled;

http://ca.baltimorecity.gov/codes/02 - PLL.pdf#page=51
That phrase "but not limited to" could prohibit you from terminated the tenant's internet service.

 

[Konan]

If the rental is in the City of Baltimore see Subtitle 9 Page 40 Prohibited Acts:

An agent, a landlord, or an operator may not:
(5) without the consent of the tenant, intentionally:
(i) interrupt, terminate, or diminish, any utility service furnished to the tenant,
including, but not limited to, water, heat, light, electricity, gas, elevator, or similar
services to which under the expressed or implied terms of the tenancy the tenant
may be entitled;

http://ca.baltimorecity.gov/codes/02 - PLL.pdf#page=51
That phrase "but not limited to" could prohibit you from terminated the tenant's internet service.

Thank you for your help

It is actually Baltimore county

 

[FlyingRon]

The Baltimore COUNTY Code 35-3-101 reads:

(a)Prohibited. A landlord may not deprive tenants of or impair or reduce essential services furnished to the tenant, including1)Means of ingress and egress;(2)Gas, electricity, water, heat, light; or(3)Furniture, furnishings, or similar services to which the tenant may be entitled under the express or implied terms of the tenancy.
.
The code doesn't include phone, internet, and TV, but some might define internet as such.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Is BGE gas and electric? If so, I don’t think you can turn that off.

 

[NeilTheCop]

The Baltimore COUNTY Code 35-3-101 reads:

(a)Prohibited. A landlord may not deprive tenants of or impair or reduce essential services furnished to the tenant, including1)Means of ingress and egress;(2)Gas, electricity, water, heat, light; or(3)Furniture, furnishings, or similar services to which the tenant may be entitled under the express or implied terms of the tenancy.
.
The code doesn't include phone, internet, and TV, but some might define internet as such.

Is internet an essential service?

 

[LdiJ]

Is internet an essential service?

It might be if the tenant works from home or has school aged children, etc.

 

[cbg]

I doubt if internet is considered an essential service in the same way that electric or gas is. That the tenant might need it for school or work does not make it the responsibility of the landlord unless the lease says so. Heat, light and hot water are a different story. If it's not considered essential by the code (which it does not appear to) and the tenant finds it "essential" then the tenant needs to get off his or her ass and pay the rent.

 

[Just Blue]

It might be if the tenant works from home or has school aged children, etc.

Are you kidding? Why is it the responsibility of the LL to provide internet for someone elses child/ren?

 

[adjusterjack]

Are you kidding? Why is it the responsibility of the LL to provide internet for someone elses child/ren?

Perhaps because of this.

to which the tenant may be entitled under the express or implied terms of the tenancy.

The OP has already been providing the service under the "implied terms of the tenancy."

can I at this point close my internet account and/or BGE since they refuse to pay for them ?

You've read the arguments. Now it's up to you. Shut it down and see what happens, or don't shut it down and go through the eviction process.

I suggest, however, that if you decide to shut it down, give them a week's written notice that you are shutting the internet down if they don't bring their arrears fully up to date. Might be the opportunity to get some money out of them.

 

[not2cleverRed]

It might be if the tenant works from home or has school aged children, etc.

Seriously?! No. There are many digital "have nots" out there with children. Even if.

There are families with children living in subsidized housing without internet at home.
There are families with children living in emergency housing (homeless) without the internet.
These children are told to "use the library". I know this because I have discussed the problem with parents in my school district that are living that reality.

Maryland

I have a question, I wonder if you could help

I have very bad tenants who refuse to pay rent, I will file for eviction on Monday

However, unknowingly I let them use internet and BGE under my name

I pay for those services myself and they reimburse me (which they don’t and use BGE extremely excessively)

I know it is a long process to evict someone in Baltimore country, but can I at this point close my internet account and/or BGE since they refuse to pay for them ?

Thank you in advance for all your help

You cannot stop electricity. "Self help" evictions are not legal, and could subject you to fines and more legal trouble. I'm not even going to try looking up your state specific information, because you are so obviously off base.

Whether or not you can close the internet account in your name depends on other factors, such as 1) what's in the lease, and 2) how they gained that access. If it's in the lease, you just have to lump it for the moment. If it's not in the lease, there might be other options, depending on how they acquired access to the internet. (For example, if they hacked into your account because your wifi password is something stupid like "Konanhouse", you can change your password.)

To be on the safe side: continue offering the amenities and services they have come to expect with their lease, but keep a tally of what they owe. After they are out of the unit, you can pursue in small claims court the amount owed after everything is accounted for.

Note: your eviction proceedings will no doubt take longer if they have even remotely credible counterclaims.

 

[bcr229]

BGE = Baltimore Gas & Electric. No you can't cut that off. Same with the water service.