Under state law, the city can put a lien on your property for any unpaid water and trash bills. Gave my notice - Leaving security for happiness. It is true that the Landlord can go after the tenant for the unpaid bill, but many times this is not financially feasible. Bills there with two adults and two kids are typically $75-80 a month just for 5-6000 gallons. While not a substitute for personal advice from a licensed professional, it is available AS IS, subject to our Disclaimers and Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and CCPA. Take the $300 as tuition for the school of hard knocks and make sure in the future that the tenants haven't left any bills you're on the hook for before sending their deposit. Do not rely on advice in this column for legal opinions. What can (and should) the local utility provider do? If the bill is indeed still due, make sure you return the balance of their deposit by the legally-required time, with explanation of what has been deducted and why, per your states tenant-landlord law. If your former tenants do not pay you directly the $300.00 sewage bill they owe, your recourse would be to either write it off or sue them is small claims court for the amount. You typically have 30 days, but be sure you know your laws. Furthermore, if you are renting a house, the utility provider may be prohibited from denying you service because of the previous tenant’s unpaid bills. - Should I cancel the security deposit and take the money for the water to pay it directly? However, as a landlord, there are some steps you will need to take to protect yourself if you find yourself in this tricky situation; I also invest in Baltimore rentals, and because of the potential for water liens on the property I keep the water bills in my own name, so I receive the bills before forwarding them to the tenant. In Minnesota, there is an Energy Assistance Program for renters and homeowners who meet income-eligibility requirements, to help provide financial assistance with utility bills. How you know. familiarise yourself with the latest version. Written by financial journalists and data scientists, get 60+ pages of newsworthy content, expert-driven advice, and data-backed research written in a clear way to help you navigate your tough investment decisions in an ever-changing financial climate! Participation in this column does not create an attorney/client relationship with Klein. Can you legally throw out an adult child without a legal eviction? Water suppliers and treatment facilities are different as well. Is this legal? New or Used Appliances? Information provided by readers is not confidential. Would you pull the trigger on this rental property? We just need a few details to get you set up and ready to go! 1) Check your lease to determine who is responsible for the water bill. Editor, Marcus Herbert. Can it refuse future service to the tenant at a new location? Who is legally responsible – me or the estate that is financially broke at this point? Consult an attorney regarding your particular issues. This info does not constitute financial advice, always do your own research on top to ensure it's right for your specific circumstances and remember we focus on rates not service. Under Ohio law, landlords can be held responsible for a tenant’s unpaid water bills. This is where the water gets murky. They will ask you to fax over a few documents and then allow you to establish service again, and of course, you're not held responsible for the tenants old bill. The previous tenants did not pay the water/sewage bill for 3 months and it was turned off. Other Reclaiming: Mortgage Fees, Council Tax etc, Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Report Holiday Deals, Bargains & Special Offers, Martin's Blogs & Appearances & MoneySavingExpert in the News. In many areas, water and sewage is owned by the city rather than a private utility company. The city has sent letters to them but they have made no effort to pay. Using a phrase of random words (like: paper Dog team blue) is secure and easy to remember. Can my roommate and or landlord kick me out without any notice. The statute doesn’t allow utility companies to recover payment from the owner on a tenant’s outstanding bill for natural gas or electricity. You can probably just call the water company and find out. 1 Answers | 30 Views | Asked in Landlord / Tenant, Can I get my full security deposit back if changed my mind about moving in? 2) Refer to your state's laws regarding security deposits to determine how to proceed. Under current law, with limited exceptions, the only party liable for a Perform credit checks on prospective tenants as part of a background check. Our rental is in Washington state and we JUST called the water company in our county about this (yours may be different, of course) and these were the answers to the very questions you ask: 2) If you can cancel it, I would...until they can prove they have paid the bill themselves. If you brought legal action against them it would hurt their ability to rent from other landlords in the future. 2 Answers | 30 Views | Asked in Landlord / Tenant, Can my roommate and or landlord kick me out without any notice? Unfortunately, our tenants stopped paying rent, and we had to evict them. You will have to call your local water company to figure out how it works. A tenant suddenly vacates her apartment and moves out of state, leaving her water bill unpaid. Unfortunately for you as owners of the rental, you are ultimately responsible for paying the unpaid sewage bill owed by the prior tenants. Do we have to pay our tenants’ outstanding utility bill, or is there another solution? Any time the city can lien my property for a utility then I pay that utility myself and include it in my cost sheet to avoid this problem. As part of your move out procedure, you could require that the tenant provide you access to the utility bills (preferably by authorizing the utility companies to discuss them with you) for any lienable utilities, to prove you will not be stuck with any of them going unpaid. With regard to electricity, if your power company is regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission, it is prohibited from denying you service on the basis of a previous occupant’s unpaid bill. - Am I the one liable for the bill? An official website of the State of Georgia.