# Can I cut my neighbors' power? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 2, 2008, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834 "2008-03-02T08:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tonedef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@tonedef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonedef)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/21 "2008-03-04T13:43:21Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] Flick their power on and off every twenty minutes or so. That’s something that isn’t easily traced to you but disruptive to a party. [/QUOTE] Also really annoying having to reset all the clocks in the house 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/22 "2008-03-04T14:43:36Z")
I _sincerely_ doubt that you have any legal right whatsoever to cut the utilities of a third party if you are not the utility company, barring an emergency or safety concern. My understanding of utility access law, which is incomplete (and my lawyer has not yet come in today) is that at a minimum you could be in civil court over it if they saw fit to bring a case against you, and I am fairly certain in some cities cutting utilities purposefully and maliciously is a misdemeanor crime. You will have to check your city, county, State, etc. ordinances to find out for certain. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/23 "2008-03-04T15:10:51Z")
Wait, wait, waitaminute. You’re in Jersey. Can’t you just have them whacked? ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/24 "2008-03-04T15:15:30Z")
[QUOTE=boytyperanma] I can say pretty certainly the main breaker does not belong to the power company. The only things that belong to the power company on a standard service is the wire going from the grid to the house(not even that on an underground service) and the meter that is socketed into a meter socket that belongs to the owner. [/QUOTE] Interesting. I worked as an electrician’s helper on commercial work (petroleum stations), and I was told that the big disconnects, and meter stations belonged pretty much to the power co., and once we got service, nobody was to mess with it other than them. I just assumed. :smack: Of course it wold make sense that any electrician could fiddle with it. Still, at an Apt, complex, most main disconnects are connected to the metering stations here in FL, at least and have a slew of warning stickers about not messing around with them. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/25 "2008-03-04T15:17:18Z")
In Jersey? No. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/26 "2008-03-04T15:33:57Z")
iwakura43 - I’m sorry to hear about your troubles with the neighbours. It’s especially tough because it sounds as if they simply have no respect for others in general, and you in particular. I’m assuming reconciliation is no longer an option, so now what I think you should consider is either moving (a drag) or getting the landlord to not renew their lease. First thing, complain to the landlord, and tell him how unhappy you are. (Threatening to move may work, but only if it is a threat you would follow through on.) Most landlords would rather keep a good tenant and get rid of a noisy one. Is there anyone else in the building to get on your side? What about the neighbours in nearby buildings? If others can be convinced to complain to the landlord, that can help immensely. Another thing - take a look at the noise by-laws in your area. Where I am, you are allowed to make a reasonable amount of noise between the hours of 7 am and 11 pm. After that, if you are making noise that the neighbours can hear, they can call the cops. So, the next party, call the cops at 11:01 pm, and explain about your neighbours’ previous behaviour. Keep yourself at a distance - you don’t want to end up getting assaulted. Above all, try to keep to the moral high road yourself, and it will make your case with the landlord look better. Best of luck with it all. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/27 "2008-03-04T15:36:26Z")
I think it would be _highly_ unwise to do this. It could become a civil matter, at the very least, if you do so. I’m a landlord and I wouldn’t do it. Especially in the winter. You _do_ need to call the landlord about this. If they have a disruptive tenant that is upsetting their good tenants, they will want to know about it, before the partiers drive off all the good people. Call whenever it happens, and hopefully that will put a stop to it. Leave the power alone, though. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/28 "2008-03-04T16:56:07Z")
I wouldn’t be worried about the guy throwing the party coming down to confront you. I would be worried about the entire party coming down to confront you. Video your ceiling bouncing up and down. Show to Fire Department. FD inspector will come down on them for having too many people in the building. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/29 "2008-03-04T17:41:53Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] Your neighbors fusebox is in your apartment? What does he do if he blows a fuse and you’re not home? Or for that matter, even if you are home he still has to either call you or go downstairs and knock on your door to get the burnt-out fuse changed. [/QUOTE] Perhaps it is a two-family house and the breakers are in the common basement. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/30 "2008-03-04T18:03:22Z")
[QUOTE=Keeve] Perhaps it is a two-family house and the breakers are in the common basement. [/QUOTE] Perhaps you should reread the OP: > [@](#): > > what would be the ramifications of flipping a couple of the switches on the fusebox which is in my apartment? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/31 "2008-03-04T18:08:46Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] FD inspector will come down on them for having too many people in the building. [/QUOTE] Probably not the best idea when you happen to live in the building also. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/32 "2008-03-04T19:20:24Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] Video your ceiling bouncing up and down. Show to Fire Department. FD inspector will come down on them for having too many people in the building. [/QUOTE] I’ve never heard of a FD coming down for having too many people in the building, and our tenants have thrown some amazing parties. The thing is having too many people living in a building. Thee are noise ordinances in every town in New Jersey, and probably in the country. We call it the 9 to 9 law–on weekdays, you can’t be noisy before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. On weekends it’s extended to 11 p.m. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/33 "2008-03-05T01:45:31Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] Flick their power on and off every twenty minutes or so. That’s something that isn’t easily traced to you but disruptive to a party. [/QUOTE] Makes me wonder if there is a market for a marijuana scented little smoke bomb or aerosol device for just such occasions. Kinda like a bug bomb. ‘POP’ toss STFU or I will call the cops and tell them you have been smoking up a storm here. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834/34 "2008-03-05T05:57:21Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] Makes me wonder if there is a market for a marijuana scented little smoke bomb or aerosol device for just such occasions. Kinda like a bug bomb. ‘POP’ toss STFU or I will call the cops and tell them you have been smoking up a storm here. 😃 [/QUOTE] That wouldn’t be a good idea, either. Do so, and you’re the one making false statements to a police officer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-cut-my-neighbors-power/439834.md?page=1)