Comments on: Is the home owner responsible for unpaid utilities on a renter?

By: Landlord

Landlord — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:42 +0000

Yeah, the water and sewer bill will have to be paid by you. You need to always check that this is paid before you return a security deposit. You can take the money from that..

By: cutiepie81289

cutiepie81289 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:42 +0000

No they have to go after the renters for unpaid bills since they were in the renters names.

By: Sponge!

Sponge! — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:42 +0000

As long as the renter is living in the house and under a lease, he should pay; however, if the utilities are under this person’s name, then the landlord is not liable for he is not responsible for switching the name on the utilities.

By: David Z

David Z — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:42 +0000

probably only water.

By: scatterbrainedgenius

scatterbrainedgenius — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:45:42 +0000

The cool thing about getting an electric bill in YOUR name is that when you default they hunt YOU down not your landlord.

So NO they will not come looking for you just because you own the property, the person will most likely never get water or lights in their name again unless they pay their bills.

Call your local power or water company and see if this is the case, if they want to hold you accountable and you still have the deposits then you legally can use the deposit to pay that debt. But what you need to do now is make a rent agreement with the clause in it, "Any unpaid utilities are not the responsibility of the landlord, the renter will pay all debts, responsibilities, etc. Otherwise the deposit will be used to pay these debts" Basically you can make them do it.