How can I remove previous utility bills from a home I bought at an?
You can check local laws and ordinances, and perhaps request the utility companies provide you with a copy of the contract. Each utility company has their own rules and procedures. Ideally, the customer who initiates service should pay a sufficient deposit to cover usage. Laws in some areas allow unpaid utility charges to attach to the property, where in other areas they follow the individual who contracted for them. Utility companies have a responsibility to enforce collection from the customer, and they have leverage insofar as they may interrupt service when bills are overdue. In some areas there are rules prohibiting service interruptions during winter for example, due to hardships and damages which can ensue without heat and when water pipes may burst. Some utility companies enact policies penalizing landlords or purchasers of properties when the users of the utility service fail to pay. My son purchased an acre lot and when he applied for water service was told he had to first pay the outstanding balance. Thinking it was a reasonable amount initially he agreed. When informed it was over $600, he refused saying: I'm not your collection agent. Because he had other issues with the particular municipality, over which he could have sued them, they reversed their position. Without researching the local ordinances, I can't speculate on whether or not you can be compelled to pay someone else's utility bill. Good luck