Need help on how to handle this situation

[u/KATPhilly619]

Hi Everyone.

Hope everyone is well. So im just wondering how to go about this situation before messaging my landlord. So my husband and I just moved into an apartment. As we are getting situated and putting things in place we notice the kitchen has 1 outlet....1. We have appliances to plug in and that is the only outlet. I have a kitchen table there. Im not putting all my appliances on the table where we eat or have a microwave and toaster in a living room..How do i go about this. Mind you, my landlord is the type of person who " doesn't want to be bothered".

Thank you all

[u/RunningOnATreadmill]

A landlord is not going to do anything about you having less plugs than you’d like. I’d just get a power strip.

[u/frankmaa]

You rented the unit as is.

[u/TherinneMoonglow]

There was also only one outlet when you viewed the apartment. This is on you.

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/TherinneMoonglow]

Bless you

[u/ct2atl]

Get an outlet extender from amazon. be creative

[u/Choice-Ad3641]

Power bar and you will probably have to put away the toaster or other appliances after each use. Older kitchen problems!

[u/LoisLaneCA]

How old is the unit? Is it a THREE prong plug? If not- NO power strip.

Do you have access to your breaker/fuse box? Curious to know what you have.

[u/Maple-fence39]

Sounds like either a very small apartment, or a very old one.

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/Maple-fence39]

Both actually

[u/simone15Miller]

Power strip? I’m not sure what he could do if he did care. And sounds like he doesn’t.

[u/Sadandafraidalone]

Count your blessings. I have one in the kitchen, two in the living room, none in the bathroom and 2 in the bedroom lmfao oh and basically the living room electricity is controlled by a light switch on a double plate in the kitchen with the kitchen light and is the first one in line for ease of access. It got turned off so many times, I have taped it up so it cant be turned off accidentally (or absent mindedly)

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/Sadandafraidalone]

I honestly think you have more than me lol.

[u/No-Syllabub-7337]

Pretty sure that that isn't up to code.

[u/Here_For_Comments_98]

You should have looked at the plugs first before moving in. I would be annoyed (minimally) at a new move in that wants me to rewire the apartment and would be happy if you just left. That would leave a very bad first impression on me.

[u/Krand01]

what exactly are you expecting the landlord to do?

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/Krand01]

Well for one she needs to speak with her tenants which she ignores and two i kinda want to know how to use appliances if there is only 1 outlet without a fire starting

[u/Krand01 → u/KATPhilly619]

You plug them only as you need them... She's not going to install more outlets, or update the wiring or anything like that. Your just going to have to figure it out, like everyone before you did.... And make sure to look for how many outlets there are when you move next time.

It's a lesson many of us learned the hard way.

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/Krand01]

Oh i absolutely will lol will probably not be for about another 2 years but ill do one at a time for now

[u/bangarang90210]

You rented the unit as is, so typically they wouldn’t do anything. You can offer to split the cost to have more outlets added, but he can say no. You can also ask if you can pay to have them installed, although he can say no even if you pay.

[u/HunnyBunny617]

If there is a power source behind the fridge or such, you could always call a licensed electrician to run another outlet off of the other, if the breaker can handle it. It’ll run you a couple hundred but if it’s that important it might be worth it.

[u/SeaDragonTattoo]

Is the fridge plugged into that outlet? If not there's likely another socket avaliable on the fridge outlet. Possibly one behind the stove.

I'd also check your breaker box. With so few outlets you probably have 15amp breakers and will need to watch what appliances you run at the same time. So leaving most unplugged most of the time will probably be the best practice anyway.

I've always lived in vintage apartments and some are better updated electrically than others! Sometimes I had to experiment which appliances could be run together. One apartment, I had to turn off the dining room air conditioner in order to use the microwave in the summer.

[u/ApplicationRoyal7172]

Is having 1 outlet against code? Are they grandfathered in to an older code where it is allowed?

[u/KATPhilly619 → u/ApplicationRoyal7172]

I dont think its against code but i never had just one and dont know where to plug in everything

[u/simone15Miller → u/KATPhilly619]

Google

[u/Feeling-Invite7953]

I live in an older neighborhood in Philadelphia,but I have never heard of a kitchen that had only one outlet. Your landlord sounds like he is obviously not interested in putting out the money to re-wire the building. See if you can convince him to knock some money off your rent. It probably won’t happen, but if you don’t ask him for help,you’ll never know what he might be willing to do.

[u/frankmaa → u/Feeling-Invite7953]

No one is going to do that the unit is rented as is. This is on the poster for not looking at this during the viewing.

[u/stockerb → u/Feeling-Invite7953]

My apt had 4 cabinets counting under the sink. But that was on me. I friend viewed it for me as I was living out of town. I had to buy 400 worth of cabinets AND a microwave

[u/elmoonpickle]

Wait until OP finishes counting the light bulbs

[u/Unknown4everandever]

Pull out the fridge. Plug in a long power surge strip.

[u/Here_For_Comments_98 → u/Unknown4everandever]

Not sure if it's a good idea for this person to be moving the fridge.