Location: Manitoba, Canada
I used to live in a 2 bedroom apartment with my roommate M, we have separate leases, and rents. I moved in January of 2024 and moved out at the end of April of 2025.
When I first moved in, M had already been there for a few years and had had everything set up, so she had her name on the Hydro account which only accounted for the electricity. We both had internet, heat and air conditioning included in our rent.
The issue is, since I’d moved in past the usual time most people moved in, I had not been given any instructions or help when it came to setting up my Hydro account. I asked M to help me multiple times, even to just guide me in any way since the process was confusing for me when I’d first attempted it myself. She dismissed me, and eventually we agreed on letting her pay full, with me paying her back my half of the bill. Every single time she sends me the bill, I send my portion without issues.
However last summer, since I moved away until my academic year started again, I did not pay any Hydro since I was not using it. Mostly, I was amenable to paying because around then M and I were on good terms, expect she didn’t ask me to. In a way, that was fair as she was the only person using the electricity and the usage should be less than our usual amount, meaning the bill would be lower.
Over the course of the last academic year, we shifted onto really bad terms. She went through my belongings, damaged them. M had no respect for my private spaces, we each have our own room, I had cleaning supplies in my room as she hadn’t left any space in the common area for me to put them (she occupied most of the space). Because I had good intentions, and wished to be trusting, I left the door unlocked when I’d leave the house.
During those periods of my absence, she would rummage through my things. M would go through my personal belongings, my expensive collection of cards. Eventually I started locking my door, our relationship soured. On other occasions, she has put my safety at risk by having groups of men bringing her drunk self back from the club every weekend, she would store foods incorrectly, she would not lock the door even when she was home, she was extremely unhygienic, and she nearly gave me salmonella.
Because of all of this, I am not amenable to giving her money to pay for her electricity. I am on the lease still, and my tenancy ends on the 15th of August. I pay my rent, but have been ignoring the message she sends me once a month asking me to pay for Hydro. I looked at my lease and it does not say anywhere that I need to be paying for electricity while I am not living in the unit, and since electricity is seperate and not part of the agreement between my landlord and I, but Manitoba Hydro and I, I don’t see any reason I am entitled to give her any money.
She claims she hasn’t been living in the unit for 3 months, but if that is so, why is she claiming that the bill is 30 dollars? Hydro fluctuates based on use, and it does not have a fixed amount. I’ve moved out all of my belongings and have locked my door. My thought is either she is living there and leaving things on, or she is letting other people use the apartment as they please. I told her that since neither of us are living there, there is no use having the electricity stay on as it is a waste of money and resources. I’m wondering if I am legally responsible?