Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

I had to evict two sets of tenants for lack of payment of rent. The left without paying their water bills under their social security numbers. The judge and lawyer that dealt with this case said I was not legal liable for their debts on the water bill and not to pay it. It has been over two years since the people have been out of my house. How do I get the water district to let my current renters pay their own water bill, instead of me paying and then they pay me back, and quit harrassing me everytime I go in to pay the water bill that they are getting ready to put a lien on my house. I've never received any money from my lien on the people and do not want to pay more money out for them. What can I do?


Asked on 1/07/10, 9:29 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Without knowing what has happened when your tenants have tried to start service with the EMWD I'm not sure what to tell you. I have never heard of a water company refusing to allow someone to establish service in their name going forward just because a previouse account on the same address is unpaid. They let you get an account in your name after you evicted the bum tenants, so it makes no sense that they wouldn't let your new tenants get their own service. Without knowing more, I don't know what to say.

As for the lein, water companies have no lein rights for unpaid bills, unless they sue on the debt, get a judgment and then record an abstract of judgment, just like any other unsecured creditor. The only service that gets lein rights is the garbage company, and that is because they must provide service whether paid or not, so they can't cut off service.

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Answered on 1/12/10, 12:31 pm


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