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Keeping the heat on

Published (3/14/2008)
By Brian Hogenson
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A bill that would make it easier for tenants to take over utility payments from their landlords was approved by the House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee March 10 and sent to the House floor.

Sponsored by Rep. Bob Gunther (R-Fairmont) and Sen. Rick Olseen (DFL-Harris), HF3428/SF2909* would allow a tenant to restore utility service by paying outstanding utility charges that would otherwise be the responsibility of the landlord.

Gunther said the problem of landlords leaving their tenants freezing and in the dark has been predominantly limited to the Twin Cities metropolitan area. After hearing stories about it from Rep. Joe Mullery (DFL-Mpls), action was taken to draft the bill.

“What this bill does is simply allow the tenant to call the landlord and tell him they’re taking over so they can have power and heat; then call the utilities and say, ‘We will pay the heat from now on, please turn it back on,’” Gunther said. “They will then take the amount that they pay off their rent.”

If a residential building has less than five units, the bill allows tenants to become the customer of record and the responsible bill payer for the utility account. If the residential building is single metered, other tenants in the building may contribute payments to the utility company or municipality on the landlord’s account or the account of a tenant who is the customer of record.

The bill was passed 63-0 by the Senate March 6.

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