Limiting Stove And Oven Use - Tenants using it to heat house

[Andrew Clark]

I have a handful of rooming houses with a very interesting clientele. Now that it is getting colder, tenants have started using the stove top and ovens to heat the house.

I've had more than one $400+ bill (with only 3 people staying in the house) and I am racking my brain to find ways to limit their ability to use the stove/oven. I've warned that the stove will be removed, I posted flyers in the houses and talked to tenants directly. They each blame it on someone else.

I've thought about limited their ability to use the stoves by using timers... say from 8am-11pm it is on and off during other times. Also, thought about finding a key system that requires them to put their key in it to use it. If I walk in and their key is being used to heat the house (no cooking happening), they lose their key. Or maybe some sort of cost operated mechanism, coin operated and they get so many tokens.

As you have noticed from these ideas, I don't know what to do and I am really reaching here.

You may also just suggest I put a heater in the kitchen - I've tried, it stays on 24 hours a day on full blast, even more expensive.

Anyone face a similar issue? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Andrew