how do you handle garbage and water utilities in Houston/Texas

[Steve Tran]

Would love to ask the BP community for some advice and experience, we just purchased our first out-of-state rental in Houston and are in the process of setting up utilities.  As the property owner in Houston do you typically set up the water and garbage under your name and pass the cost on to the tenants?  or do you have the tenants set it up under their names after they move in? 

thank you for any insight and thoughts you have to share

[Julie Chai]

Hi Steve, if you're including those utilities in tenant's monthly rent, then your name should be on the utility accounts.  If you're not, tenants need to put it under their names and pay it themselves, and it should start with the same date they're moving in.