Unpaid Tenant Bill Going to Collections

[Aaron W.]

One of our tenants stopped paying their gas bill in February and then it went to collections. Since I am listed as the owner of the property, my name was sent to collections instead of the tenant. I've since paid the bill since I don't want my name to remain in collections and I plan to go after the tenant for this bill. I don't appreciate my name being sent to collections.


Even if the tenant puts the bill in their name and they default, does it still come back to me as the property owner?

How do I avoid this same thing happening with future tenants? 

How does it change if I put the property in an entity, such as an LLC?

[Michael Noto]

Why wouldn’t the gas be in the tenants name if they are responsible for the bill? The utility companies here in Connecticut have the tenants set up there own account to keep this from happening. This seems like an easy loophole for a tenant with nothing to lose to take advantage of because they know the landlord (who has something to lose) will pay it rather than be sent to collections and then the debt is wiped from their account also.