Water Bill and tenant payments

[Daria B.]

Before I call the water department I would like to hear from other investors who have their tenants paying the water bill. 

Currently, I have the tenants paying BGE (electric on their own account) that has a revert account process so when they leave it reverts back to me and my account.

How does water work, do they have something similar?

[Joe Norman]

Unlike BGE, if a water bill goes unpaid it can turn into a lien on the property. For that reason I always keep my water bills in my name and sent to my home address, and then forward them to the tenants for payment. If a bill gets sent to me marked Past Due then I will pay it (in order to avoid it turning into a lien) and invoice the tenant, plus a late fee, per my lease agreement.