Gas Shutoff Situation

[Phil C.]

So heres the problem. I would like to see if anyone else has encountered this before and what you would do.

I have a tenant, section 8 pays rent but does not pay utilities. The gas is in the tenants name but i recently recevied a shutof notice. I called the tenant early last week about this at which time she said that she is trying to get emergency assitance and she would follow up with me. It seems like she is taking her time. If she doesnt get it turned on I have thought about paying it myself and setting her up on a payment plan. Not sure what else to do because if the pipes freeze she will not be able to pay for any of the damages. So, has anyone had to deal with this? Any strategy on how to correct fix the situation. SHe has otherwise been a very good tenant so i dont want to start threatening her with eviction. Thanks everyone.

[Timothy W.]

Ok, if the house is as tight as you say it is, the furnace upstairs will take care of the pipes up there and the top most part of the first floor. Make sure anything you have stored in the basement can handle getting wet. Get oil filled radiant electric heaters (most fire safe) and put them in the basement plugged into her electrical service so she is paying for this. The heat from these will rise up and keep the pipes warm in a less than ideal way, but better than nothing. If the water pipes are running through inside walls, you may be ok with this. If they are running on an outside will you will want more heat touching those pipes. Consider perhaps heat tape on those pipes.

She will probably want to start using electric heat in the first floor so that will contribute to warming the pipes in there. Just make sure she keeps her hands off the heaters you have set up in the basement.

This is what we do in the snow belt of Indiana when we have a vacant property in winter with water in it. It is less than ideal for sure but it generally suffices.