Wisconsin renter loses power after new landlord forgets to set up the duplex's utility account, then claims he thought it was the tenant's responsibility: 'I have a lot of units, I forgot'

Nothing says "welcome" like accidentally turning off the power…

A Wisconsin renter's transition to a new landlord took an unexpected turn when the property's electricity was shut off because the owner never transferred the utility account into his name. Even though the tenant immediately explained the problem, the landlord initially insisted it wasn't his responsibility. The power was eventually restored three hours later, but the incident left the renter wondering whether the utility setup and the landlord's mistake could have legal consequences.

I really don't like when problems arise about things that are so easy to confirm. In this case, the landlord is explaining that it was the tenant who had to transfer the utility account to get power, and even though this was not the arrangement he had with the previous landlord, it's what he had to do. Now, this is not what should have happened, according to the tenant.

Apparently, it's the homeowner's responsibility to have these situations sorted out before renting a property, and since he had bought the duplex recently, he was the one who should have gone and fixed this issue. I do wonder if anyone didn't check the lease before ranting at each other? Or in the state's law… Before jumping around and having everyone debate who was right and who was at fault, it would have been easier to fix this issue by just checking some papers.

Since I'm a renter, I do understand the great importance of having a good relationship with your landlord. There's a lot of money involved, and we are still talking about someone's home, so having a good and respectful bond is going to be key for everyone to be at peace. I hope this tenant has the chance to fix the relationship with the new landlord, since he's been living in the duplex for almost a decade.