determining utility usage for a tenant

[Jay Garrison]

Hello,

I have a tenant who still hasn't put the electricity in her name, and waited two weeks after she moved in to put the gas in her name. It was a rookie mistake that I allowed her to move in while the utilities were on and in my name, I know.

I am in Chicago - ComEd cannot determine usage by day - or so I was told in a phone call. I am reluctant to divide the utility bill for that cycle up equally by day, and then charge her for the days she has been present, as the tenant may say that this calculation doesn't reflect her actual usage. 

In her lease it says she must put all the utilities in her name, and obviously she hasn't yet. My lease only states that I can include the utilities in the rent, no penalty or service fee. I will have to tighten up that portion of the lease as well. 

[Mark Ainley]

@Jay Garrison If she has not moved them into her name I would serve her a 10 day notice to resolve the issue.  Then I would simply prorate it like you said you were advised to do and add to her ledger.  You can get technical and take the previous month as a vacant unit and figure the vacant day value vs the occupied day value with usage but probably not worth your time and the tenant would probably not grasp it.  

Three things before keys given but I think you know this now.

1. Utility numbers (you should learn the prefixes of the local utility companies to know if they are fake).  Peoples gas and Comed do have landlord portals too that you can set your meters up to revert back to the landlord if service is ever canceled or not paid.  This is important for homes with sump pumps and move outs in the winter.  Not sure the minimum landlord size but it is a valuable service for our management division.  

2. Renters insurance that includes liability (their stuff is less important to cover to us then we want some coverage if something goes wrong but their stuff being covered gives us pushback when something happens and they ask for their stuff to be paid for)

3. All funds certified ( no checks or CCs)