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Post by High Priestess on Jan 20, 2017 17:16:14 GMT
The city of Anaheim runs its own utilities, and is using that to bully short term rental operators. People who flout the city's ban on short term rentals may find their power cut or their water shut off. Good reason never to let a city government control the power and water -- consider all the possible ways they can bully residents with this. Pass any law you like and if someone flouts it, they can no longer take a bath. I'm going to venture a guess and call this unconstitutional, via the 8th Amendment protections against "Cruel and unusual punishment". It's also a move that could put someone's life at risk, who may depend on medical equipment that requires power to run. www.ocregister.com/articles/city-741555-term-short.html |
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Post by helgaparis on Jan 20, 2017 23:21:18 GMT
That reminds me of an infamous landlord in my hometown, who did that to tenants he wanted to get out, wgich is generally very difficult iin Austria, if they pay their rents and charges.
It took the town a few years to get him to cese that. (When ge tore down stairwells for "renovation" it was too much and he spent a few years behind bars).
But a town acting in such a way? What if someone breaks a leg in the unlit house? Will they pay for that?
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Post by High Priestess on Jan 21, 2017 3:41:04 GMT
Yes, Helga -- that's exactly the problem I see -- a liability problem for the city, about what could happen if they cut someone's power. In my area, it can be illegal for a utility company to simply shut off someone's power, even if they haven't paid their bill. The potential risk to that person is figured in. See this page about that: www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/utility_and_heating_disconnect.html |
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Post by helgaparis on Jan 21, 2017 21:49:05 GMT
Our electricity company cannot totally cut it either, they can only reduce the debit. (I remember a poor neighbor boiling water in a kettle via the socket in the staircase, when he had reached that stade again. Have light or hot water or a bit of warmth or the fridge)
If you show good will an pay installments and tell them that you make an effort, they don't even reduce it for quite a while.
When we moved to France, that was not the case, but they changed the law after a few fires. People falling asleep with candle lights and burring the house down.
The neighbors in an apartment building are in danger of that too.
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