Landlord Question and Answer Forum

I inherited a three-family apartment house as a result of my divorce. Tenants are responsible for their own electric and gas bills, I pay for water for all the units. There is a fourth gas meter for the radiators in the hallways, but there is no separate electrical meter for lights and appliances that are intended for common use (porch light, interior hallway lights, basement lights and laundry machines). In the past my ex had installed a coin operated washer and dryer and the tenants were expected to plug the machines into outlets that were dedicated to their apartment's electric meter. As you can imagine, this "honor system" didn't work all that well. After the commercial machines broke down, my ex did not replace them and the tenants have been using the local laundromat. How do I go about getting an extra meter added? I understand it's a big deal and will involve rewiring all three current panels and replacing the older meters with the updated ones. I live in Fairfield County, Conn. and pretty much anything you do to involves permits and a lot of red tape.

First thing I would do is contact your local zoning board to determine there are any permits needed. After that, find a CERTIFIED and LICENSED electrician who often will be able to work with your locality to obtain permits and get the work done.

Posted by Donna , NC on Monday, December 6, 2010