Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Nov 25, 2020 5:18 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 25, 2020 5:23 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 25, 2020 5:29 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Fishsticks913 [IA]) Nov 25, 2020 5:30 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Richard [MI]) Nov 25, 2020 5:57 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Dave [MO]) Nov 25, 2020 6:19 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by melinda [MD]) Nov 25, 2020 6:47 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 25, 2020 6:57 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Sorta Blonde [CA]) Nov 25, 2020 7:00 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 25, 2020 7:07 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by razorback_tim [AR]) Nov 25, 2020 7:18 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 25, 2020 7:42 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by ned [AL]) Nov 25, 2020 8:20 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Mike45 [NV]) Nov 25, 2020 8:34 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by on [WI]) Nov 25, 2020 9:25 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by WL [CA]) Nov 25, 2020 11:24 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Dee Ann [WI]) Nov 25, 2020 11:29 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Hoosier [IN]) Nov 25, 2020 11:47 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Nov 26, 2020 1:27 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Robert J [CA]) Nov 26, 2020 5:38 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by T [IN]) Nov 26, 2020 7:09 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by J [FL]) Nov 26, 2020 7:40 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by John... [MI]) Nov 26, 2020 8:33 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Nicole [PA]) Nov 26, 2020 9:31 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by J [FL]) Nov 26, 2020 9:44 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 26, 2020 9:53 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by FloridaNative [FL]) Nov 26, 2020 11:14 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Robin [WI]) Nov 26, 2020 12:34 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Nov 26, 2020 12:39 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by LisaFL [FL]) Nov 26, 2020 1:23 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Vee [OH]) Nov 26, 2020 5:45 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Ned [AL]) Nov 26, 2020 6:53 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by ned [AL]) Nov 26, 2020 6:54 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Nov 27, 2020 1:05 AM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by mike [CA]) Dec 1, 2020 4:40 PM
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 5:18 PM Message:
Heads up! A new c19 hit on your income!
I did not see this coming.
Utilities are not allowed to disconnect service during the pandemic.
In Indiana an unpaid sewer bill becomes a lien on the property.
Our checklist for Deposit Settlements at move out includes calling the sewer company to see if they owe any money.
Yikes stripes! a $637 unpaid water/sewer bill. $400 of that will become a lien which *I* get to pay for their poop. (Collecting will be tough. These guys owe $7500 in back rent and cleaning/repairs, and have trouble keeping minimum wage jobs.)
I guess it's natural for someone who does not pay their rent to also not pay their utilities that cannot be shut off.
Those residents you have been "working with" are probably not paying their utils.
I suggest you call the util companies that can be placed on your properties for the folks who are running behind.
I'm wondering how many of our properties also have unpaid sewer bills.
When the rules are lifted (someday?) I picture folks paying their utility balances first so they can have heat and water, long before paying their back rent like the govt expects.
BRAD
--73.102.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 5:23 PM Message:
All in the name of safety right? Anybody had enough yet? --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 5:29 PM Message:
Is this nationwide? I need to use this to my advantage for leverage. I may stop paying my public utilities and just escrow that money into my own account for now. Send them a notice each month stating that I'm withholding this money until this restrictions are over and include a copy of the order.
Very soon, all bets are off folks. They are continuously changing the rules in the middle of the game. How far will you comply in your business and how far will you comply in your personal life? --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Fishsticks913 [IA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 5:30 PM Message:
SO, I'm wondering how that works when there is a Landlords Agreement?
If my tenants power is up for disconnect, the utility company calls me, they tell me it is up for disconnect. Can't tell me why, but they can tell me it is not a voluntary disconnect. At that time, we do not support service. My tenants do not know that we get the call, but I tell them we will not support service and they get disconnected.
Now, if it comes to the part that we takes our properties off of the landlords agreement so that we don't get those calls, I think we can "side step" it.... but then I fear that with Old Man Winter coming, that we will have frozen pipes or something.
--98.21.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Richard [MI]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 5:57 PM Message:
Yet another requirement for us to pay for someone else. That net amount we get after paying everything is getting smaller and smaller.
How long will it be before many landlords just cannot pay bills for freeloaders?
What next?
Do we supply them with food? (Yes we do!) Our taxes support the food pantries, free lunch in school, bags of groceries any school kid can take home and more). Also, the never ending begging from lots of groups. (It's for the kids, etc!) Last I checked, I haven;t heard of a single kid starving to death in this country. (If one did, you can bet it would lead on the news.)
Do we provide them with a car? With gas? With entertainment?
They get free (paid for by taxpayers) phones while we pay. They get free services all over that we pay for.
I'd rather leave my places empty and tell the bank I'm on a moratorium from payments. I can grow flowers in the yard and sell them at a farmer's market and make more net income than having a non paying parasite in my house. Plus less wear and tear.
Heck, if the govt doesn't like it I can go around collecting used tires and get paid to remove them and pile them 10 feet high in the yard and fill the house with them. Thousands of them at a few bucks apiece. I'll call them emotional support tires.
--75.7.xx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Dave [MO]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 6:19 PM Message:
Brad, our city here in SWMO. does the same thing. It’s a tax passed to the owner if not paid by the tenant.
Now the city cannot charge for more than 90 days even if the tenant owes for 6 months.
I have a form that the tenant fills out at lease signing and I turn that form back to the local city after the tenant signs.
What this form allows the city to notify me by mail if the tenant becomes delinquent on their sewer bill . Also, no deposits are refunded until I verify with our city waste water bill is a zero balance.
I would be willing to share this form. --173.216.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by melinda [MD]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 6:47 PM Message:
Southern Maryland/St. Marys County-
Those renters on public water system here can avoid paying their sewer/water bills for now (and who knows how long?) They are SUPPOSE to set up a payment system with the providers to pay bit by bit.
HAHAHA Like they are going to pay. But guess who is finally going to have to pay those water bills???? yep the Landlord.
right now I have some who over over $800 --24.233.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 6:57 PM Message:
They sell curb keys at Home Depot and online. --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Sorta Blonde [CA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 7:00 PM Message:
San Diego has a habit of putting liens on Landlords whose Tenants don't pay the Trash Bill. Same with the water company. Scary since I have my tenants pay trash and nobody told me they weren't paying for 7 months until I got a letter threatening the lien. I stomped down, woke up the tenant and demanded money NOW. She said she thought she paid it. In any case, I paid that day by phone and avoided the lien SDGE our gas and electric does not charge Landlords for lack of tenants payments. They just shut off the services and try to collect from the name on the bill. I should put a clause in the Rental Agreement that tenant is fully responsible for all charges or penalties if utilities are not paid. --72.199.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 7:07 PM Message:
Here's another idea: test plug balloon! --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by razorback_tim [AR]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 7:18 PM Message:
Test plug balloon- a good way to get tenants who are ignoring your calls to call you. --70.178.x.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 7:42 PM Message:
That's what I'm thinking Tim. Hand pump and really strong fishing line to retrieve it and shove it a few feet down the pipe. --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by ned [AL]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 8:20 PM Message:
Where would such a test plug balloon be installed...and how?
Curb key= water meter key... right? --70.92.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Mike45 [NV]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 8:34 PM Message:
My local utilities do not turn off the power, gas or water for non-payment of bills. They will let the bills continue to accumulate, secure in the knowledge that I will pay the bills no matter how large they get. Because my local utility companies will not transfer the utilities to the names of the new tenants unless and until the old bill is paid. If the old tenant owes hundreds of dollars, I am the one who is stuck if I want the new tenants to get power or water or gas. And these bills do constitute a lien against the property, so I am stuck!
Although it is contrary to what most of my esteemed colleagues here recommend, this has persuaded me to keep the utilities in my name and to bill and collect the utilities from my tenants on a monthly basis, along with the rent. This way, if a tenant stops paying his utilities (to me!), I know about it and can take steps (assuming no eviction moratorium) promptly. I do NOT suddenly get a bill for six months of water and power. The utility companies otherwise will not tell me when the bills are being unpaid and are getting large. Only by keeping the bills in my name do I get information.
--71.38.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by on [WI]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 9:25 PM Message:
Why is the garbarge man allowed a 20 year ture of duty
and retire with a union pension
--66.97.xxx.x |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by WL [CA]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 11:24 PM Message:
Mike, your esteemed colleagues here operate under a different system of law where the LL is not responsible for T utility bills. NV law is obviously worse than CA, which is hard to do. I had a T last year who didn't pay her water or electric bills and SDG&E cut off her power and the water company locked off the water meter. I was not responsible for the T bills, but I did find an electric extension cord running from my laundry room to her apartment where I found 3 xboxes and TVs hooked up to my power. She also had a megasized SUV with fancy rims . . . but no rent or utility money. Happily she was evicted before the moratoriums . . . --45.155.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Dee Ann [WI]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 11:29 PM Message:
That's why I keep water bills in my name as MIKE45 does. So I can get the info, it comes quarterly, collect the $ 4 days before the bill is due, and pay the bill.Due to privacy laws they are not allowed to tell you otherwise. The energy company here has a form for LL that lets you check the box: I will pay for utilities between tenants or disconnect utilities between tenants. They consider the tenants their customer so will not put gas/elec in tenants name until they call. They will not keep the utilities in tenants name until the end of the lease either. Instead, I have to take the utilities out of the security deposit. --93.177.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Nov 25, 2020 11:47 PM Message:
Wow. I wonder if we could charge at lease signing a "prepaid utilities" fee or "utility escrow fee" that would be given back at move-out if the utilities are paid up? Basically an extra deposit. Of course, that would mean the tenant would need MORE up-front money...which they likely don't have! --99.92.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 1:27 AM Message:
Utility company says the NO SHUT OFF rule is nationwide.
Fishy,
Get rid of automatic turnovers. I was burned MANY times by those until I got them removed.
Don't believe or trust they will always call you. THe nice freidnly people we've worked with for years are getting new rules where they canNOT give courtesy calls. Or our great contact person retires and the new 20 year old does not care.
And most states have laws stating the LL cannot tun off utils if the home is occupied so you get stuck providing them utils until they leave. No all utils go back tot he LL so let the res deal with the util co.
BRAD --73.102.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Robert J [CA]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 5:38 AM Message:
In Los Angeles City and County a landlord can not allow a tenant to have No Service, i.e. running hot and cold water, power and heat. So if the tenant refuses to pay the utility and turns off service, a landlord must provide those utilities or face a $500 fine.
But there is one exception. If a landlord can "prove" it was the tenants fault they have no service, the County/City must split the fine and send it to both parties.
But if the City/County threatens to send "collectors" after the landlord or put a lien on the rental property, then the City/County has to do the same for the tenants portion....and they never go after tenants without deep pocketss.
I have taken action against the County/City when they go after my 50% share of the fine and don't even send a notice to the tenant.....I send the City and County a 30 day notice of intent, I will sue them unless they go after the tenant for their share of the fine!
This has worked for me for the past 8 years. --47.155.xx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by T [IN]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 7:09 AM Message:
Interesting.... started govt is saying is utility shut off moratorium has been lifted. O know my local w/s won't disconnect long as you payment plan in place. But no communication, turned off.
Curious, if this a sfh, why not have w/s in tenants name? State law changed this passed year. Can no longer lien your property. Tenant can have it in their name, passed due balance goes with them... not to the property. --76.77.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by J [FL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 7:40 AM Message:
I could be wrong but I don't think it is done that way where I live. They don't put liens on houses for utility bills here. --72.188.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by John... [MI]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 8:33 AM Message:
Here they do only for municipal utilities (which, for me, is only water/sewer). So, if that bill isn't paid, a lien can be done. But not for electric, gas, and so on -- because those are all private companies (even though most have a monopoly here). Therefore, they won't allow them to do liens -- they just shut off service.
On a side note, we do NOT put water/sewer in the tenants' names because of this. I don't want them responsible for something that can create a lien on my property. We include it in the rent.
- John...
--96.40.xx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Nicole [PA]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 9:31 AM Message:
Not sure how Pennsylvania is working it but November 9 utility shut off notices started showing up again. With the timing, they'd have between the 20th and the 31st to get everything shut off. Not sure if they have actually been terminating services or not.
I can guarantee a lot of folks lower in the cash flow life will not pay heat this year (a lot haven't paid last year's bills yet since they weren't permitted to do the normal spring shut offs). With two years accumulated, let's guess what will happen when all this is over and the gas/electric company says pay or up or no service.... they're going to move. --72.70.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by J [FL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 9:44 AM Message:
John(MI) good idea but...how do you handle it if the tenant overuses the water -- starts operating a laundry service out of the home? -- and the bill goes way up? --72.188.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 9:53 AM Message:
Nicole, even in podunk towns around me I can't put the utilities in tenants names. Water/sewer. No gas or electric to worry about. This is even on SFH's. If I get a property stuck with a non paying convid tenant, the utilities will be the first bill that goes unpaid. Let them lien it. It'll take a long process and I'll pay it eventually. In the interim, there will be bills that go unpaid on purpose if I can't legally evict. I would feel zero guilt over that. --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by FloridaNative [FL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 11:14 AM Message:
J, check to make sure they can't lien you for sewer and water. I know the water co's here in S Fl have lien rights and they use them. --12.8.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Robin [WI]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 12:34 PM Message:
Ned, a curb key is used to turn off water at the street. There's a shut-off valve that's 3-4' underground. The city uses it to turn off water at the street so you can service the main shut-off.
In theory, anyone with the right curb key could turn the water off at the street without calling the city to do it. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do that, though--twice when the city has done it for us, they ended up breaking something down there and having to dig it out and fix it. --104.230.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by NE [PA]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 12:39 PM Message:
Robin, we hit one with a skid steer once and flooded the street. --70.44.xxx.xx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by LisaFL [FL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 1:23 PM Message:
J, in my county this is how it works:
Water/sewer bills only can result in a lien but only between owners or when service is in the owner’s name.
If my tenant leaves and doesn’t pay their final bill it can never affect me as the owner. If I buy a house that previously was occupied by someone else’s tenant It will never be passed on to me.
If I buy a house and the service was in the prior OWNER’s name and that previous owner does not pay their final bill it becomes my responsibility as the new owner.
I have had to pay prior owner’s water bills twice. The only way to prevent this is to demand the title company withhold funds to the seller until they have paid their final water bill.
Actually this has happened to me three times. The first two times it only cost me $25-$35. The third time it was $67. I contacted the prior owner and they reimbursed me after closing but if they hadn’t I would have been stuck with the bill. --75.89.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 5:45 PM Message:
Don't turm the water off, just reduce it (by a lot), when they call to say the shower flow is very low you know how far for the next one.... --76.188.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by Ned [AL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 6:53 PM Message:
Vee-
What do you mean by "how far for the next one"? --70.92.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by ned [AL]) Posted on: Nov 26, 2020 6:54 PM Message:
"Hand pump and really strong fishing line to retrieve it and shove it a few feet down the pipe."
I don't understand this one --70.92.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Posted on: Nov 27, 2020 1:05 AM Message:
T,
That new law made it thru the state legislature but Holcomb did not sign it into law because of the pandemic started when the bill hit his desk.
It did not include sewer bills anyway.
BRAD --73.102.xxx.xxx |
Woah! Another hit to LLs (by mike [CA]) Posted on: Dec 1, 2020 4:40 PM Message:
the requirement to backstop utilities is a VERY local matter that is often county or even district dependent. in my county SOME utilities require me to guarantee payment, essentially co-signing for the tenant. others make no such demand. this is another topic to cover in screening and be sure to get an authorization to release info for the utility you'll be calling.
and remember...we're all in this together. except for landlords...y'all are on yer own and SOL --75.80.xx.xx |
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