No utilities in new rental. Do I panic now? (Cincinnati: apartment, hotel)

[avondalia]

So....I think I made a mistake. Possibly a huge mistake.

I rented duplex in a two-family house on Sunday. No utilities were on in my unit at the time, though the landlord is occupying the other unit. LL said utilities would be on as of 2/9 and he agreed to be onsite to meet Duke and Cincinnati Water Works. The lease was set to start 2/10 and I start my brand spanking new job on 2/16. In the meanwhile, I'm in a hotel with my 14 month old because we just relocated on short notice from Brooklyn.

Duke was scheduled to turn on power and gas 2/9. Instead at the end of the day Landlord tells me that IBI has to inspect and that Duke has to come back. On 2/10, LL tells me that IBI passed the gas meter and now Duke can reschedule an appointment to turn on the electricity and a separate appointment to turn on gas. Cinti WaterWorks was supposed to turn on water today, 2/11. LL tells me at the end of the day that there's no water and he doesn't know why but he will call them tomorrow, 2/12. He further tells me that Duke is going to re-inspect in 1-3 days but he has no specific window.

Meanwhile, when I called Duke they told me that there is NO issue logged in their books and that services are on and in my name.

I am freaking out. I've paid rent for the first month. I've paid a deposit. He's cashed both. Does anyone with experience in dealing with Duke or CWW or IBI know how or why these issues would crop up or what the prognosis is for them getting resolved? I have a deep, sick feeling that there is no issue with Duke and that he's using my deposit to resolve some other issue, like a problem with a furnace or something. Am I crazy?

I'm so sad. So stressed. And I already feel stupid that I didn't investigate this guy more thoroughly so I'd appreciate if everyone could skip the insults.

Thanks.

[ProkNo5]

I mean, maybe you have a landlord that's full of it...but more likely Duke and Waterworks are taking their merry old time. In my latest move I went three days without power. You have to call them and yell at them to do anything.

Just out of curiosity, did the landlord already give you the keys? Who's responsible for paying the utilities? Do you mind sharing the name of the management company?

Also, I seriously doubt anybody around here would insult you for this. LOL...you'll be alright.

Sorry your move is becoming more stressful than it needed to be. I hope it gets resolved ASAP.

[SalamanderSmile]

Sounds to me like utilities were just split between the two units. That will require ibi to inspect gas and electric before Duke will turn anything on, and even then Duke will need to inspect itself. If inspections were just ordered IBI turns them around in 24 hours but Duke is a bottleneck. IBI passed the gas meter but do they need to inspect the electric too? An electric service inspection can trip you up if they find issues, like a month of fixing and reinspecting. Look up permitting and inspection info here:

Cagis ezTrak-Home

You can also call Duke residential install

Duke
8005446900,
service installation dept 3, 3, 3, 2

Just for fun Iwould also call Duke's billing department again and see if you have any usage showing on your account just in case they put the landlord's meter in your name by mistake since this split is new.

I have never heard of water being "off" at a location other than the house, so you should call cww too, when we moved they just changed the name, but a new utility split might would mean anew water meter too.

[goyguy]

Once when I took occupancy of an apartment along with two housemates the gas/electric company tried to hold us accountable for the prior tenant(s) having skipped out on their final bills. For three days it was no lights, no refrigeration, no cooking, and worst of all NO HOT SHOWERS:ee k: until someone at the utility accounts office was willing to believe our insistent (and true) assertions that we had never met the person(s) who'd lived there last. What difference would that have made anyway?

A few years ago my sister and BIL in the Cincinnati burbs crossed a geographic boundary when they moved, in an area where many things like school districts - and land line exchanges - cover both swaths of territory. Reps at Verizon or Cincinnati Bell or whatever couldn't agree on whether or not they could keep their same number, assigning them another one in the meantime. They duly alerted all of their family/friends/etc of the new digits, and the BIL had replacement business cards printed, once the consensus seemed to be that they would have to give up the old number. Soon enough they learned otherwise.

Keep an eye on the silverware in the presence of anybody who says they had no utility-related issues whatsoever no matter how many times they've relocated.

In all my years on C-D I have to say the OP has been THE BEST with updates! Now inquiring minds want to know what part of town the new digs are in.