Late rent and internet

Late rent and internet

Member since 2021 · 61 posts · 14 votes

Open to any advice on the matter.

Is it permissable to pause internet service to one tenant of 3 who live on a property due to late rent ?

The other two will still have full access but giving that the internet is a service and not a utility and isnt a necessity for the dwelling to be habitable due to rent being late can I pause it until rent is paid. I pay internet every month. Each tenant has a separate lease and in the lease it states

"UTILITIES and SERVICES : Landlord will directly pay for all utilities, services and charges provided to the property including any and all deposits required. "

Do to the lack of specificity of which services and the service still being paid in the state of North Carolina I believe I am well within my rights to pause service because it's not a utility.

That's fact based answer but I also wanting to know is this bad practice or a fair practice in others eyes and what you might do in a situation to nudge a tenant to pay rent any day after it was due on the 1st per the lease.

1Reply
21 views

4 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Realtor · Hanover Twp, PA · Member since 2018 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y

    @Demon S Rogers, when they pay up on rent how much would you refund them for the loss of service because at that point they would have paid for it and not received it! Is that amount specifically called out in the lease?

    Another example, is that if they work from home could they sue you for the lost earnings once they pay up?!?

    Sounds like a poor practice. I would provide whatever I promised to provide as long as they are my tenant. 

  • Real Estate Appraiser · Isabella lake, CA · Member since 2018 · 628 posts · 491 votes
    4y
    I could argue that internet service is a utility these days.
  • Member since 2021 · 61 posts · 14 votes
    4y

    @Kevin Sobilo good thought thanks for the advice

  • Member since 2021 · 61 posts · 14 votes
    4y

    @Lee Bell I guess you could. I tend to think it's not but it does seem like a necessity especially if you work from home. But I get what you're getting at thanks.

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.