There is no excuse for the new owner not to have an inspection of the property done to check all systems are working properly and safely.The owner has needs that can be met by establishing a gas service account, such as: providing necessary service on her/his heating equipment; getting and maintaining proper insurance; keeping the unit with a working heating system (furnace and hot water heater) to meet habitability requirements; providing a means to keep the unit at appropriate heat levels to prevent damage to the building; and to give incentive for the tenant to stay, thereby saving the tenancy, demonstrating good will and ultimately saving money in the long run.If it were I, I would negotiate a solution with the tenant that would include me paying for the natural gas for this lease period with the understanding that at the time of the lease renewal the responsibility for paying for the natural gas would shift back to the tenant and be clearly documented in writing with the signatures of all parties.

You get the ultimate tenants.

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@Justin Colley As mentioned by others if it is a conventional mortgage the seasoning period unfortunately will be around 6 months and I think trying to go the HML or private lending route while might get you some of the equity out will cost you a ton in points, fees, and then ultimately closing when you try and refinance out the HML.However, if you do a portfolio loan or commercial loan (loan to an entity) than often the banks do not have seasoning requirements.  

Of course it's a matter of personal preference, and ultimately it is up to the landlord to put a quality screening process in place, but that is my personal taste.

So I joined like everyone else for the networking opportunities.My ultimate goal is to syndicate / invest in my own deals with the help of private lenders and/or private equity.Although I understand the multifamily business from a bankers point of view, I'm endeavoring to learn this business through the eyes of an experienced investor.

In fact, not only did we not have to reimburse them for prepaid property taxes, but they also provided us with a pro-rated amount for property taxes from 7-1-13 to 5-16-14 (a period of time several months prior to our ownership) - which ultimately lowered our closing costs by $1000. 

If anything happens, you are ultimately responsible regardless of fault.