Can the landlords and tenants share utilities/meters?

[Miltiana Holdip]

There are so many landlords I decided to ask this question here!

So first off, I just moved to NJ from NY. In my previous apartment we had a set rent that included everything. In NJ we now pay for electric, gas and rent separate which is totally fine because I’m learning how houses work!

So my landlord is house hacking, she lives in the “apartment” above me. Which I don’t believe is an actual apartment because the house only has a mailbox for the first and second floor so we essentially share a mail box... which brings me to believe that the second floor was suppose to be a duplex and the 1st floor was just suppose to be one level.

We can’t control our own heat, they won’t wire the pole outside so our cable guy can set up a coax cable outlet in our apartment which is making it difficult to work from home and on top of that there is only 2 meters which brings me to my question.

If you’re an attorney reading this, is it legal for a landlord to share the same meters as the tenant, without the tenants knowledge?

If you are landlord reading this, have you ever seen situations like this or have you ever shared a meter with a tenant?

I would love any insight on this matter!

Thanks!!