All Forum Posts by: Piper D.

Hi Eran,

It looks like you're learning this lesson the hard way, like I also did when I first started out.  I got burned once by keeping utilities in my name and trusting that the tenant would reimburse me per the lease.  

Now, I require tenant to show proof of utility transfer before I hand over the keys.  The only thing still in my name is the water bill, since that is tied to the house and if not paid, will end up tacked on to my property taxes, so the lease says the tenants must reimburse me for that.  But, the utility company can deal with the tenant directly if for some reason they stop paying their gas/electric etc.  Also, around here, if a tenant doesn't pay a utility bill and they try to "jump ship" and set up utilities in their name somewhere else with an unpaid bill, the utility company won't do that until it gets paid.

Even though it's not fair to you, I"m pretty sure in most states its illegal to shut off utilities on your tenants, regardless of if they're current in paying you for them or not.  Since the utilities are in your name, you're the one that's gonna get the fines/late fees if you stop paying.  And also, since you're in the process of eviction, the tenant could accuse you of shutting off utilities to try to force them out, which would then come back on you.  

You're probably stuck paying the bills for now since they're in your name.  I would attempt to go after the tenant for what they owed me, in court, or, take it out of their security deposit after they're evicted if that's an option.  (This is not saying that they're going to be collectible but probably your only option at this point, and with the next tenant make sure they transfer everything over before they move in!)

If the moratorium keeps getting extended I plan on letting my tenant's lease default to a month to month (per our contract) and not renew for another 1 yr contract.  They are paying ok so far but they are newer tenants so why chance it?

First post but I’ve been reading here for a while!  I searched for a similar post but couldn't find anything recent that would take the current covid/moratorium situation into account.  

My tenants are not quite halfway through their 1 year lease, and they’re asking for me to sign a lease renewal already, but want me to agree to another 1 year contract, instead of the month-to-month our lease will convert to at that time.

Is it standard to commit to this so early? Other than a few minor issues, they are a very nice family and have been decent tenants so far, keeping the house up, and paying on time. If they stay like this, I have no problem at all continuing to rent to them beyond the 1 year mark. However, I know a 1 yr lease will essentially lock me in more than them in reality. Watching how this eviction moratorium keeps getting extended with more and more stipulations regarding eviction, I would honestly be relieved having the flexibility of a month-to-month, just in case. 

I ended up renting out this property only by circumstance, and have not yet decided if I will eventually sell it, or move back in, or continue renting it out. When they moved in, they mentioned their plan was to rent for a bit and then purchase a home. So, I figured at the 1 year mark when the lease went month to month I would get the option of not renewing the lease (obviously with more than adequate notice).  And, if things were going well, I would just let them continue on a month-to-month basis.  

The house is in a very tenant-friendly state, it's my only rental property and a SFH. The area it's in is desirable and very hard to find rentals. I can see how the tenants might be getting antsy looking at the current market and wanting to have a definitive plan for the future. I don't want to be a jerk because I wouldn't want to be a renter in this market, yet I am hesitant to agree to something right at this time. Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid.

Also, if I verbally agree to it now, is it really necessary to get another lease signed this early, before the current lease has even ended?