Can I Turn Off The Electric?
Here I am, a first time landlord in Texas, and I'm having a problem with my first tenant only a month into his tenancy. The lease states that HE is supposed to pay for electric, not me. However, he wanted to move in right away, so I told him that he could while the electric was still in my name as long as he switched it over soon.
Now, a month later, the electric is still in my name. I've emailed him several times and brought it up in person, and he always gives some excuse about how he was having trouble switching it over because the account is in my name for that address. I don't buy it; the utility company told me that they would have let him put it in his name no problem.
Can I legally close that account and terminate service while he is living there? What are the rules for terminating a utility that is supposed to be paid for by the tenant anyhow?
Do not know about Texas law but I know in my neck of the woods you can not do it. Tenant can got a stir up a lot of trouble over it. Do you have anything in writting? Is tennant on a lease or month to month?
He is on a lease. And I checked; it very clearly says that he is to pay for electric.
I'm skeptical, but would the utility let you switch the electric to his name if you had all of the necessary info? I'm thinking of asking my utility if they have a form that the tenant fills out (when they move in) requesting the utilities be switched.
I like that idea for the future. In Texas we are deregulated, so if anyone currently does that in Texas, please let me know which electricity provider is letting you do that.
However, some providers require a deposit depending on a credit check, so you'd have to find out in advance if a deposit was required and collect it from the tenant and turn it in with the form.
When you close your account with the Electric company, they are not going to disconnect the service right away. They will just stop billing you.
Then if they see that power is still being used even though it is not on somebodys account they will disconect it. You should have had the power taken out of your name the day he took occupancy - hooking it back up is the tenants problem.
When I bought my personal home it was new construction. The power was on from the builder. The electric company told me on the phone that my street did not exist (it was too new to be on mapsco) and they would not open my account. I whent three months without paying for electric before they decided that I really did live there and they should let me open an account.
SBC, Oncore, or whatever it is called now is not the most organized organization around. Deregs messed things up pretty good in TX.
Well, I'd say that he's pulling your chain. First off, just because you get the bill doesn't mean that he can't pay it. When you get the electric bill, call him and let him know that it will be included in this months rent. Then tell him that this is the last month that you are managing his utilities for free and that if he wants you to do it you are going to charge him a $25 handling fee.
Explain that if there is a problem switching the account you will gladly three way call the company with him at his earliest convenience but that the lease clearly states that he is responsible for the utilities.
Tenants are like young children, it's your job to setup boundaries because they will ask and take as much as you let them. Don't try to be friends, it's a business deal.
[addsig]