Tenants' utilities

[Vi Ho]

Hi, I am new to BP and new to being a landlord. I recently purchased an investment home and I'm planning on renting it out. I am in Philadelphia. Does anyone here know how the utilities arrangement is? The electric, gas and water are currently under my name. Do I have to shut it off/remove my name from the accounts when I find tenants, and have the tenants register their name with the companies themselves? Any advice is appreciated!

[Lynn McGeein]

I require the tenant show me proof that they have transferred utilities into their name (printout showing account number and start date, once I had to call the power company with tenant as they couldn't print anything out, but I verified it), before I hand over keys.  In the instances where utilities must be kept in owner's name (water & sewer, mainly),  it's in the lease that tenant is responsible and will reimburse me within 30 days of me emailing them the latest bill.  I love the utilities that allow a landlord account, where you can go online and simply see that home is under tenant or landlord.  In Raleigh, the gas company even tells me, Reverting to tenant 2/1/2015, for instance, once tenant has applied, so I know it's done.  Unfortunately, there are weird rules for landlord accounts, so I can have a landlord account for gas but not electric.