Huge electric bill - Landlord Forum thread

Huge electric bill by Anonymous on August 4, 2012 @13:45

I own rental property in which the tenants are responsible for the electricity. The house is about 2000 ft2, has electric heat and this is Ohio so the monthly bills can average over $400 in the winter. They have somehow managed to run up an overdue balance of $3500 and still haven't been disconnected. (I guess in this day and age of government over-regulation, utility companies are often as helpless as landlords.) Anyway, they are in every kind of assistence program you can think of, but the unpaid balance just continues to grow. Then just yesterday they informed me that they switched the electric account to their mother's name (she does not live in the house), so I assume this is just another dodge to stay ahead of the disconnection man.

Other than this they are resonably good tenants and pay the rent on time. They are on a MTM lease, which clearly states they are responsible for the electric. From reading this forum I understand that there should not be anyway that I am responsible for this unpaid bill, but I still cannot help getting nervous. This appears to be the electric company's problem, but does anyone have any thoughts or advice?

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Re: Huge electric bill by Jake on August 4, 2012 @14:23	[ Reply ]

The best info can be gotten from a call to the electric company.

Re: Huge electric bill by Freda DeMarco on August 4, 2012 @18:40	[ Reply ]

Not paying electric is only a precursor to not paying rent. Terminate their tenancy before they start claiming every hardship excuse in the world to avoid and delay moving out, they already threw dear old mother's credit under the bus, I doubt they care that much about you.

Re: Huge electric bill

Re: Huge electric bill by Anonymous on August 4, 2012 @23:29	[ Reply ]

This is the electric company's problem. You will not be held responsible for the electric bill, as the bill is in their name, and now in their mother's name. You can call the electric company to verify the bill is in the mother's name. You will have to have the mother's name to do this, though.

Re: Huge electric bill