Once in a while I've called to see that the sewer is being paid.Through the years it's become a little harder to inquire if other utilities are being paid but the only one that ever concerns me is natural gas for units that have natural gas heat. 

Trying to fix & flip in the summer months could be challenging with the heat as there is less economic activity.

You the landlord is only responsible for providing a safe and comfortable living environment, clean water and heat to your tenant.  

Furnace inspection revealed cracked heat exchange. 

Added central air/heat, granite, carpet, vinyl floors, and stove.What was the outcome?

It has been too heated in Seattle and I have to look out of state.

never heard that term ghost , but YES, and the lowlife took the heating system with him ,,, Just the cost of doing business,.

I give all my new tenants the same speech which includes the fact that loss of heat in the winter on a weekend is an emergency but loss of A/C in the summer is not.With that said, 5 days seems like a long time. 

In the mostly low rental areas in NYC but are easy to get to Manhattan or good areas in Brooklyn, Landlords would rather rent short term than to rent to an unqualified tenant and potentially get into a court case, this is ASIDE from making better income on the STRs.That also reduces the supply of available apts.Other issues that has not been addressed but was touched upon when over-consumption was mentioned is that in these rent regulated buildings, there is usually a high demand for services, which will add to a landlord's expense, such as older residents demanding more heating despite conforming to heating laws (BTW, this isn't every landlord...

After the first year of paying for fuel oil to heat the building I switched to Natural gas and cut the heating bill in half.