Did you know

About 5 years ago,it had become too confusing to use both the NC and GA leasing and management agreement forms. It was difficult to remember what each state had and did not have in their forms. So I asked my friends with NARPM (National Association of Residential Property Managers) to help. I put together a management agreement and lease agreement and had a local attorney make sure everything was legal. I have not looked at the GAR lease form until yesterday when I took a NARPM class on "Elements of the Lease Agreement".

I found out something that you need to know about if you are doing any leasing and using this form.

Please read Paragraph 8 below.

8. Utilities. Tenant acknowledges that all utilities and/or services are to be paid for by Tenant, with the exception of:__________________________________Tenant must connect or transfer utilities not provided by Landlord into the name of Tenant within ____days of the commencement of the lease.At any time thereafter, Landlord may, without notice to Tenant, disconnect any utilities serving Premies which are in the name of Landlord and are not being provided by Landlord under this lease. Landlord may, at Landlord's option and upon notice to Tenant, pay utilities and be reimbursed by Tenant as additional rent. For the purpose of this paragraph utilities are defined as the following: Water, Sewer,Electric Sanitation Gas and Phone.

Here is the problem with this paragraph. If tenant moves in and has not put any or all of the utilities in his name the Landlord CAN NOT TURN them off after the tenant has moved into the premises. The best way to avoid this situation is to have proof of utilities BEFORE tenant moves into the premises.