How do you collect water bill from tenant?

[Mandar A.]

Hi All,

I am going to buy a property soon. The tenant pays all the utilities on this one except water and sewer. The water bill has to be in Owners name in our city. The previous owner used to pay monthly water bill and then ask tenant to reimburse the money every month. This was not part of the rent and the tenant pays a separate check for water bill every month. Once I buy the home I feel like this will increase my work and its extra co-ordination with tenant every month to get water bill reimbursed. Has anyone got any suggestion to streamline this? Does any one have a suggestion to deal with this differently?

I would like to put new system in place as soon as I buy the property rather than wait.

Regards,

MSA