Utilities in the 'grey-zone'

[Jacob Lindgren]

Hello everyone,

I am closing on my first rental property the first week of next month. The property is in an area with moderate to high demand for rentals. The property also only needs minor updates and a couple appliances to be move in ready. I should be able to get it ready within 30-days for showings.

My question is, what is the most effective way to handle the utilities of the property for those 30 days? Is the simple solution of setting everything up in my name and then cancelling everything the only option? Are there any tips on how to reduce confusion on this process with the utility companies?

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thank you!

[Nathan Gesner]

You can often set up utilities with a Landlord account. When the Tenant is ready to move in, they can set up their own account but your Landlord account stays active. If the tenant fails to make payments or tries to shut off utilities, they should revert to your name.