 Do you pay for water? (by JamesD [CO]) May 19, 2011 11:12 AM
 Do you pay for water? (by CarolJ [CA]) May 19, 2011 11:31 AM
Do you pay for water? (by Gwen [MO]) May 19, 2011 11:36 AM
Do you pay for water? (by LL [AZ]) May 19, 2011 11:41 AM
Do you pay for water? (by Rangor [TN]) May 19, 2011 12:01 PM
Do you pay for water? (by tim [CO]) May 19, 2011 12:41 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Ellie [IL]) May 19, 2011 12:42 PM
Do you pay for water? (by JamesD [CO]) May 19, 2011 1:15 PM
Do you pay for water? (by MJ [PA]) May 19, 2011 1:18 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Susan [SC]) May 19, 2011 1:58 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Reid [KS]) May 19, 2011 2:54 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Sharon [TX]) May 19, 2011 4:24 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Colin [CO]) May 19, 2011 5:58 PM
Do you pay for water? (by George [NJ]) May 20, 2011 3:30 AM
Do you pay for water? (by Melissa W [NY]) May 20, 2011 5:59 AM
Do you pay for water? (by Arnold [OH]) May 22, 2011 1:50 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Virden [OH]) May 22, 2011 2:16 PM
Do you pay for water? (by Kelly [CO]) May 22, 2011 4:39 PM
Do you pay for water? (by JamesD [CO]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 11:12 AM
Message:
My wife and I own a Townhouse and a Loft that we rent out currently - decent experience so far. We're scoping out a SFH in a decent neighborhood. Trying to work out the numbers for it and wondering if the Water and Trash services are going to be our responsibilities. I think trash - Yes, but not sure about the water. What is typical in a free standing SFH regarding the water bill?! BTW - there are no HOAs in that neighborhood.... :)
Thx,
James
--98.245.xx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by CarolJ [CA]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 11:31 AM
Message:
Where I live tenants pay utilities, including water. This is a SFH and trash is included with the water bill in my city. So a tenant would typically pay gas, electric and water in this city.
In the TH, the water and electric are tenant's responsibility but the trash is included in the HOA (which I pay). That TH is all electric so there is no gas bill.
--64.34.xxx.xx |
Do you pay for water? (by Gwen [MO]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 11:36 AM
Message:
It it's metered separately, I would have the tenant pay for it, whatever it is. So, for a SFH, the tenant would pay all costs for trash, water and other utilities. I have a 4-plex where all electric and water is metered separately, and my tenants each pay their own water bill. --170.29.xxx.x |
Do you pay for water? (by LL [AZ]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 11:41 AM
Message:
I would check to see if the water bill, if unpaid, attaches to the property, if so you pay it, if not let the tenant deal with it. You really never come out ahead paying utilities, there is no incentive to conserve. --76.170.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Rangor [TN]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 12:01 PM
Message:
Just getting ready to rent out a SFH where all utilities will be paid for by the tenant including water and trash. --12.21.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by tim [CO]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 12:41 PM
Message:
In Co. the Water bill if unpaid will be a lien on the property. I suggest you figure the average cost into the rental amount and you pay it to keep your title clear.
If you allow it in the tenants name you'll never know until shut off for non-payment and then a lien will be on you, as owner of record.
The water is off until paid in full and they may require a deposit to get it back on since your a non-payer. Also avoids the transfer hastles of the change in tenants.
Trash is not a lienable utility in Co.In fact in Denver county it is included in taxes and not seperate bill. --12.17.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Ellie [IL]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 12:42 PM
Message:
Even where the water is attached to the property, I make SFH's pay their own. I do not return deposit until final water bill is paid. If I have to pay a bill, I still come out ahead of where I would be if I paid all the water bills --208.94.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by JamesD [CO]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 1:15 PM
Message:
Thanks everybody - --98.245.xx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by MJ [PA]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 1:18 PM
Message:
You should call the utility companies to find out average bills for a family of 4. --12.161.xxx.xx |
Do you pay for water? (by Susan [SC]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 1:58 PM
Message:
In my humble opinion, NEVER NEVER pay for the water unless you absolutely have to. I have duplexes that are not metered separately, so I pay in those cases; however, I included a clause in my lease agreement that states something to the effect that I accept responsibility to pay for reasonable water usage; any amount in excess of what is considered reasonable would be divided and rebilled to tenants.
The reason I say NEVER agree to pay it unless you have no choice is because of an experience I had recently. I paid the water in a SFH where I received a $1,200 water bill (average was around $150). Our water company bills quarterly (or I would have known about the problem sooner). Both toilets had begun leaking and tenant had attempted to repair the toilets themselves in a manner that was allowing a constant freeflow of water. Fortunately it was a Section 8 rental - tenant was to have already put the water in their name and the Housing Authority backed me up threatening to withhold their next housing voucher if they didn't set up a payment plan with me as an addendum to the lease. BUT, from that, I can see that I would never want to be in that position again. It has the potential to turn into a nightmare.
Truly, there is no incentive to conserve and people can quickly become negligent, as in the case of my tenants.
With regards to a lien on the property if tenant doesn't pay the water bill, I personally wouldn't worry because our water co. shuts the water off so quickly for non-payment that it wouldn't accrue much. Certainly there is more risk in my opinion to incurring an astronomical water bill if one chooses to accept the responsibility of paying for the water.
Susan
--64.16.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Reid [KS]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 2:54 PM
Message:
Don't pay any utilities --99.103.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Sharon [TX]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 4:24 PM
Message:
Our tenants pay their own utilities, city trash is included w/water. At their option, they have chosen to put off getting gas service until they need heat. --66.196.xx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Colin [CO]) Posted on: May 19, 2011 5:58 PM
Message:
As it's a SFH get the tenant to pay all utilities inc. trash. When you do your lease make sure you give yourself a 60 day window for the return of any deposit so you can withold if bill is unpaid. --124.144.xxx.xx |
Do you pay for water? (by George [NJ]) Posted on: May 20, 2011 3:30 AM
Message:
If it's a small town water operation, they might be willing to notify you if there is a no pay, so things won't get out of hand before you know it. I had this in a small PA town, two old ladies ran it, they knew everybody and even took care of a carpetbagger like me. --76.6.xx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Melissa W [NY]) Posted on: May 20, 2011 5:59 AM
Message:
You can keep the water bill in your own name and bill the tenants for their use. Put language in the lease that says unpaid water bill will be taken out of deposit as long as this is allowed in your area. --24.59.xx.xx |
Do you pay for water? (by Arnold [OH]) Posted on: May 22, 2011 1:50 PM
Message:
The water bill is attached to the property in Ohio. I keep the water in my name I collecr a security fee for the water and charge the billing to the tenant. In that way I know that the water bill is paid and the tenant pays for what they use. --99.167.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Virden [OH]) Posted on: May 22, 2011 2:16 PM
Message:
Here in my city the lease must show the utility bill/s paid by the tenant when in their name or the owner, without this verbiage you will lose this segment of the security accounting. --24.241.xxx.xxx |
Do you pay for water? (by Kelly [CO]) Posted on: May 22, 2011 4:39 PM
Message:
I have one SFH with a very nice yard. I offered to pay the water bill overage during the summer months to ensure the yard stayed nice. Does anyone else do this? --64.92.xxx.xx |
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