How often do you get them and how does the AM handle them?

Almost All REOs have Past due Utility Bills. If they wasn't paying there Mtg, most likely they wasnt paying their other Bills either. Depend on which company, you may have to pay the Bill & get reimburst later

Chris - please tell me you were not thinking and that you don't normally spell or write like this.

If there is an overdue utility bill, the utility company may be sol on trying to collect the overdue amount. Because of privacy considerations, they may be unable to discuss the amount with third parties. My recent experience with our local utility company (in this case regarding tenants who left without paying), the utility company can only charge you for amounts incurred after the bill is put in your name (or that of whomever will be paying the bill). The same is not true around here for water and sewer bills. Those stay with the property, and past due amounts have to be paid.

Yeah, our electric company was not kind enough to release the past due amount. I didn't know they can only charge you for the amt under your name, and not the past due. I forgot to ask. Hopefully this is the case for all the utilities.

Electric and gas utilities are usually not lienable, so the amount owed goes with the person and not the property. Sewer is lieanble, but usually gets paid at Sheriff sale, water could also be. If they dont tell you the amount due that is the indicator that the bill "goes" with the person and not the property. when you put the utilities in your name you start from 0.

I bought an REO and it had a past due water bill. The city shut the water off and pulled the meter. I made several request to have the water turned on for inspections and was told the check was mailed. The bill wasn't paid by the bank until after closing and I went a week without water. I was in the process of moving so I wasn't affected, but what a bunch of monkeys. Have to love kazork and US Bank.

One utility company here puts a limitation device on the meter if they go overdue in the winter so they won't freeze them out.

Chris, don't worry about the spelling. I've seen worse things than misspelled words on here lately. Your answer was helpful and that's probably all Cool Guy cares about.

Good utility info, everyone. This is the kind of thread we need more of (oops, ended that one with a preposition...dang!)

How helpful can advice be from someone that cannot spell or use word properly in a sentence. I would be cautious to take advice from someone that said "If they wasn't paying" in a sentence. That kind of use of the English language deserves a ban.

Just my opinion, but I prefer to listen to people that have something intelligent to say. Besides how hard is it to get goole toolbar and run a quick spelling check? It's not hard.

Almost every REO has past due bills,especially water I have one with a $735 I personally don't think places should let you rack up that big of a bill w/o paying.But here in small towns they water lady knew the owner and said she "felt bad". But the I submitted the bill and the AM added it on my tasks,now sometime in June I am hoping to be reimbursed! That is what really p#$$## me off about past due is the moment you call and ask a question about the home like is the power/water on they immediately want to know who you are and if you are going to pay the bill.Then of course I pay it and cross by fingers that some where down the line I will get my money back! I guess this is only with water & light at our public utilities all other companies the bill goes with the prior owner then it is there problem if they ever try and get utilities back on in there name!
Sorry so lengthly but yes to sum it up almost all have past due and my AM's have been very good about adding it on tasks and letting me submit the bills!

Regarding using Google spellcheck....that's "G..o..o..g..l..e" bLANK mAN... (giggle)

If I had to run spellcheck on each of my posts...sorry, I'm laughing right now...let's just say it won't happen. Start a good thread, ask a question to keep it going, or contribute to one--that's good enough for me...I could not care less about some misspelled words. I am just here to make some more money, and I don't intend to give my posts the same consideration as I give my marketing info, or I would never get anything done. Ha, ha.

When people speak to someone in person, the listener doesn't usually respond by telling the speaker that they mispronounced something. Yikes, they would be dropped from more than a few invite lists if they did. For some on here, English is not even their first language, but at least they can communicate in two languages.

This type info on utilities is very useful to new agents...more so than "how many REO's do you have", so an agent just getting into REO's would find this thread to be interesting and helpful.

Okay, it's my birthday today, and I'm off to look for some free cake.

Darlene, I would have left it alone, as I agree with you. It's just that it struck me so funny considering the context...

It was just an observation, neudot...not aimed at your comment, which by the way made me remember the first time I saw the word "Google". I thought--that won't ever catch on. So what do I know?

Good story, UpNorth...I know you were tempted to ask the water billing lady if she would take care of it since she authorized it. Wonder what story she told her boss? Truth be known, she probably does it for her friends, then you have to pay it.