Electrical Wiring and Landlord Tenants Rights
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We keep tripping a breaker and found that 7 lights and plugs all run off the GFI plug in the bath room. The apartment is about 60 years old. Is this electrical wiring normal? |
Landlord and Tenants Rights Electrical Wiring Issues
[ad#block]Question: We keep tripping a breaker and found that 7 lights and plugs both in the bathroom and down in the living room all run off the GFI plug in the bath room. If the GFI plug trips off then all the items are off. The apartment is about 60 years old. Is this electrical wiring normal?
This electrical question came from: Terry, a Tenant from San Diego, California.
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question Terry.
Terry this is an indication that wiring in the apartment has become overloaded. While the original circuit wiring may have been acceptable when this 60 year old apartment building was first built, it definitely does not provide the circuits and capacity that is required for today’s lifestyle. This is an indication that the owner of the property may want to consider upgrading the electrical system. The landlord may or may not be obligated to upgrade the electrical wiring depending on the local building codes, however the general electrical safety items would include GFI Protection and Smoke Detectors in the required areas. Notify the landlord of the situation. You may also consult your local agency about tenant rights for more information.
The Following links will assist you with your electrical question:
House Wiring Circuits and Circuit Breakers
breaker
Electrical Wiring Protection using Circuit Breakers
A guide to home electrical circuit breakers and how they work to protect your electrical wiring. When properly installed, your home electrical wiring is protected by a circuit protection device.
Bathroom Wiring
Bathroom Electrical Wiring Requirements
This wiring diagram and pictures explain the basic bathroom electrical code wiring requirements required for most new or remodel projects. Give your bathroom a face lift when you enhance the electrical devices that will bring out the best in you. Make your eyes sparkle with get a breath of fresh air when you install one of these smart upgrades.
The following may also be helpful for you:
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Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.
The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!The Non-Contact Electrical TesterThis is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.
The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring!The Plug-In Outlet TesterThis is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use.
Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!The Wire Stripper and Wire CutterMy absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use. |
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hi – i am renting a house that I love, its old and the phone jack is like 50 years old.. is this on me to pay for to replace/repair since the phone bill is in my name? Also the landlord put heating tape on so their crappy job of roofing wont leak, now that is on my electric bill… should this really be my burden to bare? I am on fixed income and dont really feel this is my responsibility yet its on my phone and electric bills.
We live in an apartment complex in Riverside county, CA. Each unit has a concrete patio on the lower level apartments, and wood patios on the upper level. On the patio there is an electric socket (I assume it’s for electric grills, etc.) There is no waterproof covering over the socket, but it’s under the overhang of the patio cover.
We like to wash off the patio from time to time with a hose to keep it clean (we’re on the lower level). Is it okay to have the kind of socket on the outside of the building with no waterproof cover on it? I believe it could be dangerous to use the hose on the patio with the open socket there, and there is no switch to turn it off.
Thanks for your answer.
Patricia,
This outlet on the outside patio should have a weather proof cover. I would contact the apartment manager to have this corrected asap.
Dave
I have been renting out an apartment in Carmichael,CA for almost 2 1/2 years(a 1bd 1ba 600sq ft unit) and have always got extremely high SMUD electric bills. The unit has all electric appliances. My last bill was $321.02 mind you I work 12 hours a day and I’m normally home to eat and sleep so I don’t use too much energy. I have always fought with SMUD about my bills because they have always been way too high. I tried to find out what was causing this issue and I found I had 2 outlets that were faulty. One was so hot it melted my cord into the wall and burned my finger. The other one did the same but caught on fire. Once I became aware of this I had them replaced and after they were fixed my bills have now gone from $321.02 to $66.50. Now I am fighting with my landlord to pay or pay me back for this $321.02 SMUD bill but they wont. So my question is, what rights do I have or how can I get this issue resolved? My landlord told me my bill is correct and I know for a fact it is not. I had SMUD do an investigation, wrote corporate a letter, sent in my bills and graphs to prove my energy usage dropped AFTER the outlets were replaced and they still refuse to take responsibility. Do I have any legal right to make them pay the bill that was due to faulty equipment? I don’t know what I should do next. I have given them all the correct paperwork to prove this but they simply don’t want to do anything as usual. Please help!
Hi Kara,
Unfortunately this type of situation could get somewhat complicated, and please understand that I cannot give any legal advise, however I will share a few thoughts about what you have described. First though, I would point out that your local office whom represents Renters Rights for the State of California may be your best resource about this matter. What may be important to consider is if the electrical wiring in the complex is faulty in any way, especially if other tenants are experiencing similar situations. SMUD may be able to review similar tenants in the same complex and look for abnormal utility bills, however that could be complicated due to personal work schedules, individual living habits and preferences. As for the damaged outlets, further investigation would be necessary to identify the cause of the damage, such as what devices or equipment could have been plugged into the outlets which may have contributed to the damaged. For example, some small appliances such as a space heater may contribute to a damaged outlet, and that may not be considered the responsibility of the apartment complex unless it could be proved that the electrical wiring was faulty.
I hope this helps you,
Dave