inspection before selling with utilities off

[Marci Stein]

I have an accepted offer , contingent upon inspection. 
it’s a  low offer - but ok , and buyer asks to have water and utilities turned on , as well as buying oil to check furnace , and then 
I then have to have water turned off . Total cost $450 . 
is it fair to ask buyer to split expense with me,, or typically this process is paid by seller?

[Dennis Folk]

Hi Marci, the buyer can often times contact utility companies, tell them they only need utilities turned on temporarily for inspection purposes and then put a card on file. Utility companies will often times then be able to take a $250.00 deposit or so off buyers card, turn utilities on for 48-72 hours, buyer then conducts inspection, utility company then turns utilities back off and credits buyers card back the unused amount from their $250.00 deposit. 

If utilities have been off for more than a year, this would likely not fly. 

Assuming you are the seller and depending on your purchase agreement, escrow will likely order pay offs on the utilities and pay those off out of your proceeds at closing.