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Stupid question but I'm pretty sure that unless I find a qualified last minute renter, I'm going to be stuck with a week or so of having the electricity on when no one is occupying the unit. What do most LLs do in this situation? Do you keep it on or turn it off? I will say I'm in SC and its averaging 100 degrees on most days. I just don't want to waste money on an unnecessary bill if I don't have to.
I would keep it on. I'd imagine the place would stink without ac in that weather if it were all closed up.
We're the tenants but the previous tenants turned off the gas before us instead of transferring to the PM. Our hot water, gas furnace and fireplace all had to be serviced and I know it cost them quite a bit because nothing worked when we moved in and they had to call in a lot of people. The water heater ended up being replaced and the repair guy said it was without gas for too long. Now I don't know if that's true but I know it was an expensive time for our PM.
Taken out of person's name the day they leave, back on the owners name. Then on new people the day they move in. You don't need to physically connect and disconnect.
Stupid question but I'm pretty sure that unless I find a qualified last minute renter, I'm going to be stuck with a week or so of having the electricity on when no one is occupying the unit. What do most LLs do in this situation? Do you keep it on or turn it off? I will say I'm in SC and its averaging 100 degrees on most days. I just don't want to waste money on an unnecessary bill if I don't have to.
Depending on the utility company, some charges for turning on/off service. I never turn off electricity between tenants. Just change it back to my name.
Most landlords have a "stay on" agreement with some or all of the utility companies, so if a tenant calls in to stop service, it just rotates back to the owner's name.
If the power is shut off in the summer, the sprinklers won't run.
If the gas or power are shut off in the winter, you could have frozen pipes.
Keep it on same with gas and water. Our utility has a landlord plan so I don't have to do anything and it just stays on then they bill me for the usage. The cost is budgeted into my estimated cost to turn a unit over which I have at $1500 per unit where utilities will be about $300 of that over a month on average, would be lower in winter and high in summer months. You also don't want to go show the unit to a prospective tenant and it be dreadfully hot, or freezing, inside as that leaves a really bad impression.
You don't have to keep it frosty-cold. Set thermostat on 82 or so if no one will be going in and out. Other than the a/c you should have only a bit more being used. No TVs, lights, etc.
Echoing what others say, it switches over to my name for electricity companies that support that for landlords. Having the a/c running regularly is especially important in humid states because it draws out humidity. It's not a big deal for leaving it off for a week in that regard, but it also removes ... well, the smell/feeling of being in a house that hasn't had air circulating for a week haha. I just put the thermostat up to 80. In the winter, similarly, I put the temperature to 65.
I have my accounts set as rental accounts. Once the tenant closes his account it automatically reverts in my name.
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