Skip to content
×
PRO
Pro Members Get Full Access!
Get off the sidelines and take action in real estate investing with BiggerPockets Pro. Our comprehensive suite of tools and resources minimize mistakes, support informed decisions, and propel you to success.
Advanced networking features
Market and Deal Finder tools
Property analysis calculators
Landlord Command Center
$0
TODAY
$69.00/month when billed monthly.
$32.50/month when billed annually.
7 day free trial. Cancel anytime
Already a Pro Member? Sign in here

Join Over 3 Million Real Estate Investors

Create a free BiggerPockets account to comment, participate, and connect with over 3 million real estate investors.
Use your real name
By signing up, you indicate that you agree to the BiggerPockets Terms & Conditions.
The community here is like my own little personal real estate army that I can depend upon to help me through ANY problems I come across.
General Landlording & Rental Properties
All Forum Categories
Followed Discussions
Followed Categories
Followed People
Followed Locations
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback

Updated almost 6 years ago, 01/04/2019

User Stats

3
Posts
0
Votes
Jessica Murray
0
Votes |
3
Posts

Tenant hasn't transferred utilities and is late paying me - help!

Jessica Murray
Posted

I let A__ move into the upstairs unit of a duplex in exchange for doing a years' worth of renovation work (which she did in the first two months). Even though her lease states that she was to get gas hooked up by October 17, she has not. She told me she needed some time to pay down her gas bill but promised to put it in her name "soon". I sent her the invoice for her unit in November and she paid within 2 days. 

Now it's coming up on the December bill getting due on January 5, I sent her the invoice and page from the bill with her unit on it on December 28, and she has not paid yet. 

The lease states that "nonpayment or disconnection for any other reason during the term of this lease is considered a violation of this lease agreement and shall be cause for eviction". 

What should I do? I sent her a reminder via Venmo and have drafted this email to send tomorrow morning:

This comes out of my account tomorrow. This is cutting it too close to comfort with the time needed for bank transfers from venmo or even a check deposit to go through.

Please get your gas transferred to your name for February, per your lease.

thanks,

What else should I do? I realize it's the holidays and she's probably financially tight (but with no rent to pay, not as tight as I am). Do I have legal recourse if she doesn't pay or doesn't get the gas transferred? I just want her to get this transferred to her name since I am anal about paying my bills on time and she obviously is not. I made a big mistake letting her move in with just a verbal agreement that she'd pay me back for the gas and connect it in her name "soon". I don't have her social # because she is a former coworker. 

Loading replies...