I haven't had a lot of time to look on-line and was hoping someone could help me.

I just rented a home. Got the keys this past monday morning. The property that manages our rental home did not tell us the water was turned off. I did not even realize it until Monday around 6 pm when I went to go to the bathroom and wash my hands.

Tuesday I sent in a request for the water to be turned on and they said hopefully it will get turned on today, Wednesday around 3pm.

So I have been paying about $155 a day to rent a home that has no running water and we can't live in it. Last night we had to sleep on our living room floor in our old house, since we couldn't stay at the new house without water.

I can't find anywhere that the laws are stated that I should have to pay for a home that is not livable.

anyone know about rental laws based on what I an experiencing?

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I don't know, I see this a little bit differently; I think as a renter, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure the utilities are transferred to your name and turned on.

My mom just recently moved. She didn't fill out the application to have the water/power transferred to her name so the utility company could come turn it on so she was unable to move in until 4 days after she signed the lease, paid rent and received the keys.

I'm sure the other side is wondering the same thing....
Why should they (the rental company or the home owner) have to pay for water/power that YOU use?

See what I mean?

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I have rented out my property in California so I am familiar with their laws. The property owner should have it on record with the utility company that the property is a rental so you could have it turned on. The lack of water renders the property uninhabitable according to California law. Until they can get it turned on, they can't rent it out to you.

http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/l...problems.shtml

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Thank you for this. I knew that there was something not right here. I have rented homes for the last 15 years and I have never had this issue.

thanks so much for helping me out. This move has been a nightmare so far.

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I have no dog in this fight whatsoever but nothing in the link you posted says the owner or management company has to have the utilities turned on....

It only says "Plumbing facilities in good working order, including hot and cold running water, connected to a sewage disposal system" ~which this house apparently DOES have, just that they aren't turned on in the renters name....

That's how it works here in MN anyways and I know California can be as clear as mud in laws/rules so I may be interpreting it incorrectly but that's how I read it...

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The only time a rental already had water on when I moved in was when it was still under the previous tenants name (or owners) for the remainder of the month; as typically happens when moving in less than a month after the previous tenant vacated it.

If it sat empty for a couple months, after the cleaning crew came through, I'd expect the utilities to be cut off and require my having them moved into my name.

My DD just went through this. I prepared her as much as I could to expect to have everything turned on before moving in or expect to stay with us at night until everything was turned on. The internet was the worst for her, two weeks with homework due.

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In my experience, California's laws side with the renter. If the property owner has the unit listed with the utility company in such a way that the tenant can't turn on the water independently, the property wouldn't be rentable until the management company turned it on. Now, if the property company notified a renter in writing in advance about the situation and the renter failed to give proper notice . . . . it's a different story.

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That makes sense but I wonder if "Daycare" asked the utility company to turn the water on for her then or if she just assumed the water would automatically be on for her when she took possession of the keys. I took it as the latter... She didn't say anything about the utility company saying she couldn't have it turned on

Daycare? Inquiring minds want to know...

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I fully expected to have the water on with the requirement of having to transfer it into my name the day I got the keys. BUT of course, (sorry men) my husband went to get the keys from the property management company and he failed to ask ANY questions. He is always like that....lol

The owner just left the house on APril 12, house was fully cleaned and carpets were shampoo as well, so I am not too sure why the water got turned off.

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How come nobody asked the obvious question? Unless things are different in the US.

Does your rent include utilities? If so, they have to get it back on. If not, it was your job to get them switched over to your name.

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because my husband didn't ask...he just assumed..lol

I talked to the water company and they said that it's the property management responsibility to list the property under their name and force the new tenant to prove water services have been transferred to their name prior to even giving the keys. They did not inform us of any of this regarding water. I just read all of the lease and it even says water must be transferred to your name prior to taking possession of the home. So I guess in this case we are both at fault. I didn't see that part. I have always done it the day I got the keys and just transferred it over to my name. I have never rented a home the water was not on.

I think the thing I am worried about most, is that today is the last day to test everyting and record/report it back to the property company. While they will still fix it, they are only giving us this time to report anything, otherwise it falls under us accepting the house as it is kind of thing....ugh

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Yes this is how it generally works! Hope you get it sorted soon

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See I expected to have it switched over to my name, not have to go and have it physically turned back on.

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