Utility shut offs
What your landlord is doing is ILLEGAL. Please talk to a lawyer immediately. It’s important to get legal advice as soon as possible.
In California, Civil Code 789.3 states that it is illegal for a landlord to shut off a unit’s utilities if it’s under their responsibilities as this is a constructive shut off (constructive meaning that the landlord is trying to create an environment that forces you to leave). Utilities include water, heat, light, electricity, gas, telephone, elevator, or refrigeration. The Code states that if this happens you are allowed to sue your landlord for damages. If the landlord violates Civil Code 789.3 and interferes with the tenant’s utilities, the landlord opens himself to liability.
Save receipts of everything you are buying to adapt to the utility shut off. For example: Food you’re buying because you can’t have groceries, water bottles you are using if you don’t have water, flashlights or candles if you don’t have electricity.
If you have rent control (Do I have rent control?), you are eligible to file a Rent Adjustment Petition with the Oakland Rent board to get money back for the days your landlord decreases the service. This, however, takes time. Let’s figure out what you can do in the meantime to try and get your utilities back up.
