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 Wisconsin, landlords are prohibited from intentionally interrupting a tenant's utility services, which include electricity, gas, water, sewer, internet, telephone, cable television, security systems, and trash collection, as a means of forcing a tenant to vacate the premises or to punish them for late or non-payment of rent or other disputes. This is considered a form of illegal eviction. However, a landlord may interrupt services temporarily for bona fide repairs, construction, or in the case of an emergency, as long as the interruption is reasonable and necessary for the work to be completed. These regulations are designed to protect tenants from unlawful evictions and ensure they have access to essential services. Wisconsin's regulations on this matter can be found in the state's landlord-tenant statutes, specifically in the Wisconsin Administrative Code and the Wisconsin Statutes. Tenants who experience illegal utility shutoffs by their landlords may have legal recourse and should consider consulting with an attorney to understand their rights and potential remedies.