Landlord Voices Concerns After Being Stuck Paying Tenant Sewage Bills
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) – Sewer bills are adding up for one landlord in Terre Haute.
That’s after he said he’s paying tenants’ bills after they’ve moved out.
John Crowley rents property near Springhill Drive.
Over the last several months, he said he’s been held responsible for past due sewer bills of his tenants.
“It’s not my bill. I have a lease. In my lease, all utilities are paid by tenant. I just don’t think it’s right that I should be paying somebody else’s bill,” said Crowley.
We did some digging and found in Indiana, there’s a bill that says this responsibility would fall on the tenant, not the landlord.
The exception is for sewage services.
Not good news for Crowley. He hopes there will be more protection for landlords in the future.
“I’m just trying to find out what my options are and to see if we can get things changed. I just want them to take care of it. It’s not right, and I think it should be changed,” said Crowley.
I reached out to the Terre Haute Sewage Department. They said they’re just going along with Indiana code.
That means at this point, the responsibility of unpaid sewage bills will continue to fall on the landlord.
“It’s much easier for them to hand me the bill, and expect me to pay it and demand it,” said Crowley.
News 10 did reach out to the sewage department.
They said if things were to change in the future, that’s something the city council would decide, not them.
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