Tenant Always Delinquent With Water Bill

[Arnie Guida]

In my SF, the tenant is responsible for the (quarterly) water bill, and since they've moved in on November of 2011, I always have to tell them to pay the water bill. They're always delinquent and getting the late penalty. They're late again.

They are month to month. I'm trying to figure out a good way to stop holding their hand. Go to an annual lease with penalties spelled out for failure to keep current with the water bill?...I dunno, they don't care about the penalties now...

I don't know, they always pay the rent at the last minute and are always late with the water...tenants like that are a dime a dozen, I feel like bumping the rent to either get their attention or inspire them to move...but then again, years ago a landlord friend told me, you're better off working with the tenant you have, than to get a new one and not know what you're getting...

Frustrated...

[Pat L.]

We NOW increase the 'rent' to cover the water/sewer bills after
we got stiffed with one for $548 ...when they left without notice.
(It was in their name but we owned the property)
We simply pursued it through collections along with the 60 days rent added for no notice $2000.
Two years later we got a call that they settled, apparently the lease on their truck came due !!!