Evicted my first ever tenant do I have to pay the water bill?

Question

So I just evicted a tenant for not paying there rent. And I believe the water company shut off water.

I plan to call the utility company. But I am wondering if I have to pay the bill that the tenant didnt pay.

Per lease tenants are required to pay utilites. It is under was under name.

Sam Leon · Answer

I would ask the city what their actions would be for non-payment.

Do they go chase after the tenant whose name is on the bill or they go after the property.

Where I am at in FL non payment would trigger a lien on the property no matter if the account is under the name of a tenant, a previous owner, or a realtor.  A new account cannot be activated without the previous balance zeroed out.  Some cities have started to require name on account being the owner and no one else.

I would just pay it and deduct against security deposit and move on.

Sterling Chapman · Answer

@Robert Hernandez who’s name was it in?

Robert Hernandez · Answer

@Bob Prisco I an in Lousianna

@James Wise Utility was under tenant name

Cassie Montalvo · Answer

I’m in FL and utility bills stay with the property. Here, if you want service turned back on, you must bring the account current ... it doesn’t matter whose name the bill was in nor who owned the property.

James Wise · Answer

Was the water bill in your name? Here in Cleveland, Ohio the water bill runs with the land so in a situation like that the answer would be yes it's 100% on you to pay it.

Bob Prisco · Answer

@Robert Hernandez where ?

Theresa Harris · Answer

I'm assuming you kept the deposit.  Where I am the water is the one thing that is tied to the house.  Even if the bills go to the tenant, the owner is on the hook if they aren't paid.

John Underwood · Answer

Whose name is the water bill in?

For my area all the utilities are in the tenants name and they are solely responsible for the Bill's. Their is also no such thing as a utility lien against a property. That may not be the case for your area. Your water company should be able to give you more details.

Lynnette E. · Answer

It really depends on where the house is located.  Where I invest in TN the city actually is the water company, but they do not charge the landlord or place the bill against the property.  They find where the tenant went.

Where I grew up, in CA, the water companies can lien the property so in that case the water bill goes to the property owner if it is not paid.  If renting in a place like CA, then generally the landlord would directly pay the water bill (even if they then back charge the tenant) to avoid the bill going against the title to the property.