Utility Bills Staying with Real Estate after Closing

[Lauryn Meadows]

Hey all! I have a question. I closed on a flip property last week in Flatwoods, KY. We did purchase title insurance at closing, and no liens on the property. I've called the city of Flatwoods utility to turn on water and they said there is a pass due balance of $1,612 and will not turn on the water until the bill is paid in full. The water company has not put a lien on the property. My RE agent went back to the seller for payment (they were in pre-foreclosure). They do not have the funds to pay for the bill. Has anyone every had a similar situation with utilities? It doesn't seem right to me that the water bill travels with the real estate rather than the person that the utility was under.

Thanks for any input!

[Derrick E.]

Originally posted by @Lauryn Meadows:

Hey all! I have a question. I closed on a flip property last week in Flatwoods, KY. We did purchase title insurance at closing, and no liens on the property. I've called the city of Flatwoods utility to turn on water and they said there is a pass due balance of $1,612 and will not turn on the water until the bill is paid in full. The water company has not put a lien on the property. My RE agent went back to the seller for payment (they were in pre-foreclosure). They do not have the funds to pay for the bill. Has anyone every had a similar situation with utilities? It doesn't seem right to me that the water bill travels with the real estate rather than the person that the utility was under.

Thanks for any input!

All I had to do in both Huntington and Catlettsburg was bring in proof that I purchased the property and was the new owner. By doing this the city turned the water on for me for free. I have a landlord account with them so I don't even have to make a deposit. Same goes for the electric company. I'm actually in process of doing this with the gas company on a house in Huntington. Had to fax them a copy of my deed.