Beware of Landlord Utility Accounts!!

[Holly Barrett]

So I have to share this situation with others, I don't want it to happen to you!

In March of 2020 I sold a rental.

Prior to that I had tenants there. I had also set up landlord accounts w/water and electric. These were so that should someone move out and there was a lapse b/w tenants, the utilties would not be shut off. 

Unfortunately I didn't think about this existing when I sold the property. 

Fast forward to Summer of 2023. The property owners never opened a landlord account. So mine was still lingering. When they had tenants leave, no one moved back in for 6mo. My landlord account was triggered and I started getting auto drafted for bills! 

I finally caught on to this in Fall 2023. Month or so of going back and forth with the utility companies pleading my case. 

One of them finally refunded a portion. The rest they were threatening to send me to collections, so I ponied up.

Tracked down current owners. Ugly divorce, pointing fingers at each other. No one will repay me. 

Personally I find this totally immoral to allow a stranger to pay YOUR bills, even if it was my error for not officially shutting off that landlord account, but my opinon on morality didn't sway them. I'm out $470. Could have been worse. Thank goodness I caught on to it at all!

So moral of the story. Don't do those landlord accounts. Not worth it.