Tenant not paying water bill

[Keith Jourdan]

Tenant is on government assistance and rent is deposited into my account every month like clock work. The lease says he needs to pay the monthly water bill, about $40-50 per month. His bill is up to over $300 now. The city will not turn off the water, just put the bill on my taxes as an assessment. 

Every time I contact him about it he gives me a story and how he will pay in full in a few days. It never happens. 

what do i do in this situation?

[Jeremy Brown]

Raise rent $50 and pay it yourself, but don't renew the lease at all until the bills are paid. I'd aim to have the raise in rent be slightly more than the average bill, to make it worth your hassle. If the tenant is a good one aside from this, the extra hassle of writing one more check each month doesn't seem too bad.