Am I obligated to pay for the cable service if I didn’t sign up for it and it’s not in the lease?

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Am I obligated to pay for the cable service if I didn’t sign up for it and it’s not in the lease?

The manager of apartment complex that I’m living in right now forgot to turn off the cable service from the previous tenants so I had free cable for 6 months since I moved in. I’ve never agreed to obtain any cable service from them, and it’s also not in my lease. However, they just realized about it and now they are demanding me to pay for those 6 months by sending me an invoice. The cable is still going right now. I wonder can they really force me to pay for that cable service? If I refuse to pay, can they take it from my security deposit?

Asked on September 18, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Ohio

Answers:

FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

Under the laws of all states in this country if your lease does not state that you are obligated to pay for the cable service that you have been receiving and you did not enter into your own agreement with the cable company to provide such service, then you have no obligation to pay for it.

Your landlord cannot force you to pay for such service from what you have written. Legally, your security deposit cannot be debited for such charge.


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