Except under certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions, a landlord generally may not interrupt utilities provided to a residential tenant—such as electricity, gas, water, sewer, internet, telephone, cable television, security systems, and in some areas, trash collection—unless the interruption results from bona fide repairs, construction, or an emergency.

A landlord generally may not shut off utilities to a residential tenant because the tenant is late in paying for the utilities. Laws vary from state to state, and laws related to a landlord’s interruption of a residential tenant’s utility services are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In North Carolina, landlords are prohibited from willfully interrupting a tenant's utilities as a means of eviction or to force a tenant to vacate the premises. This includes utilities such as electricity, gas, water, sewer, internet, telephone, cable television, and security systems. The only exceptions to this rule are interruptions that occur due to necessary repairs, construction, or emergencies. If a landlord interrupts these services without a valid reason, they may be subject to legal penalties. Tenants who have had their utilities unlawfully interrupted by their landlord may have the right to take legal action, which could include recovering possession of the property, terminating the rental agreement, and/or recovering damages. It is important for both landlords and tenants to understand that nonpayment of utility bills by the tenant does not give the landlord the right to shut off utilities. These regulations are designed to protect tenants from unlawful eviction practices and to ensure that their access to essential services is not unjustly interrupted.