2006-09-12 12:42:41 · 11 answers · asked by DENISE Z 1 in Local Businesses ➔ United States ➔ Philadelphia
The reason your landlord wants to see your gas bill is because a new law allows PGW to place a lien on the property if a tenant does not pay the gas bill. The law allows the lien even if the gas bill in the tenant’s name. A lien places a cloud (or mark) on the title of the property which diminishes the value of the property. So your landlord wants to make sure that the bill is paid in full and on time each month. Otherwise PGW could force the landlord to pay the bill on your behalf.
I will give you an example of how this work.
Imagine you own a car and you let your friend borrow it to run some errands. While your friend was in the grocery store, he got a parking ticket. Imagine that your friend didn’t pay the ticket and late fines/penalties were added to the original ticket. Now imagine you are running late for work but your car has a big orange boot on it because of this unpaid parking ticket. Because you desperately need your car to get to work, you pay the ticket plus the fines and penalties just to get the boot off your car. You and I know that you did not get that parking ticket, your friend did it. But the city does not care.
In this case, the city is like PGW. PGW does not care who actually resides in the property or whose name is on the gas bill. PGW just wants its bill paid in full and on time. So like the city placed a boot on your car to force you to pay an unpaid ticket, PGW will place a lien on the property to force the property owner to pay an unpaid gas bill.
Don’t misunderstand me, though. This law does not let you (tenant) off the hook for paying your gas bill. If you don’t pay the bill, your landlord could sue you to reimburse him/her for the gas payment or your landlord could evict you.
Sharmil McKee
Attorney
http://www.mckeeoffice.com
2006-09-15 03:45:45 · answer #1 · answered by Sharmil M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because every prospective tenant should be asking the landlord "what is the average gas bill" for your place?
2006-09-12 19:48:49 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the gas is included in your rent,, it's so he can pay it. If you pay your own gas bill, he doesn't need it and it's none of his business.
2006-09-12 19:49:05 · answer #3 · answered by Freedom_Fighter_From_Mars 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably to have proof of how much you owe. If you do not pay it then, the landlord will have those bills as proof (if taken to court) that that's how much you owed.
2006-09-12 19:48:42 · answer #4 · answered by verony 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He should have told you.............Is it included in your rent?
Meaning, is he paying the gas bill?.....If he is paying the gas bill, then I would think it would be billed to him...I don't know....You'll have to ask the man..............
2006-09-12 19:50:55 · answer #5 · answered by mom of a boy and girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So, when he rents it back out when you leave....he can quote approximate utilities cost.
2006-09-12 19:48:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
maybe he is some kind of weirdo that likes doing that kind of things
2006-09-12 19:49:37 · answer #7 · answered by green day fan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have no idea mine never does that. I would ask him why he wants that
2006-09-12 19:48:29 · answer #8 · answered by Angel 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
so he knows how much it is.
2006-09-12 19:49:54 · answer #9 · answered by susieq 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
make sure you're not subletting the place....
2006-09-12 19:47:59 · answer #10 · answered by JuJitsu_Fan 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋