[martian82]

Hello,

My husband and I own a condo in Las Vegas that we rent out. We evicted the previous tenants when they stopped paying the rent and have found a new couple to move in.

Unfortunately, the last tenant also decided to stop paying the power bill and now owes $150. The power company told the new tenant to provide a copy of the rental agreement to prove she is not simply trying to change the name on the power bill to avoid the debt. She did this, but then they said the last tenant has to pay off the $150 before they will turn the power on. So basically, no one can ever live in the condo again unless the original tenant pays the bill. Does anyone know if there is some way out of this? I find it completely unfair to the new tenant that she cannot move in because of this. My husband and I will pay the $150 if we must, but is this our responsibility? Help!

[lvlover]

Originally Posted by martian82

Hello,

My husband and I own a condo in Las Vegas that we rent out. We evicted the previous tenants when they stopped paying the rent and have found a new couple to move in.

Unfortunately, the last tenant also decided to stop paying the power bill and now owes $150. The power company told the new tenant to provide a copy of the rental agreement to prove she is not simply trying to change the name on the power bill to avoid the debt. She did this, but then they said the last tenant has to pay off the $150 before they will turn the power on. So basically, no one can ever live in the condo again unless the original tenant pays the bill. Does anyone know if there is some way out of this? I find it completely unfair to the new tenant that she cannot move in because of this. My husband and I will pay the $150 if we must, but is this our responsibility? Help!

If you are local you can fight it. Take you a half a day. NV Power has been very difficult the last few months. Imagine what happens when it is $1200.

Your property manager can also fix it. Should be part of the service.

However if you are not local and don't have a property manager...pay it.

You can sue them in small claims court. They will lose every time. And you can end up with a tax deductible trip to Las Vegas once or twice.

But don't mess. If you ain't ready to get out there Monday AM pay it.

[roger6087]

Originally Posted by martian82

Hello,

My husband and I own a condo in Las Vegas that we rent out. We evicted the previous tenants when they stopped paying the rent and have found a new couple to move in.

Unfortunately, the last tenant also decided to stop paying the power bill and now owes $150. The power company told the new tenant to provide a copy of the rental agreement to prove she is not simply trying to change the name on the power bill to avoid the debt. She did this, but then they said the last tenant has to pay off the $150 before they will turn the power on. So basically, no one can ever live in the condo again unless the original tenant pays the bill. Does anyone know if there is some way out of this? I find it completely unfair to the new tenant that she cannot move in because of this. My husband and I will pay the $150 if we must, but is this our responsibility? Help!

Why don't you contact Nevada Power personally instead of listening to hear say or opinion. Here are phone numbers for Nevada Power.

Phone Numbers


Customer Service (702) 402-5555
Para Servicio en Español (702) 402-5554
Laughlin & Searchlight (702) 402-5936
Toll Free 1-800-331-3103
TTY: Sensory Impaired(702) 402-5080
Outage/Emergencies (702) 402-2900
Outage/Emergencies (Laughlin) 1-800-255-0990
Corporate Offices (702) 402-5000

E-mail:
customerservice@nevadapower.com

[jfkIII]

Shocking! If I were you, I'd track down the previous tenants and punch their lights out!

[lvlover]

You work for these guys Roger?

They have been virtually impossible for the last few months. I have personally had two instances and have heard of three or four more.

In places they are basically holding deals hostage. If somebody does not step up and pay them the block the transaction. Basically you can't do a REPO without an inspection and an inspection without power is pretty much worthless.

Nothing accidental about it. Some hardnose at Nevada Power has decided they are in a position to shake the various agents down and is doing so.

I suspect they will eventually screw up some big deal and get sued and that will be the end of it.

The behavior is unconscionable. But that never stopped a utility guy.

Originally Posted by roger6087

Why don't you contact Nevada Power personally instead of listening to hear say or opinion. Here are phone numbers for Nevada Power.

Phone Numbers


Customer Service (702) 402-5555
Para Servicio en Español (702) 402-5554
Laughlin & Searchlight (702) 402-5936
Toll Free 1-800-331-3103
TTY: Sensory Impaired(702) 402-5080
Outage/Emergencies (702) 402-2900
Outage/Emergencies (Laughlin) 1-800-255-0990
Corporate Offices (702) 402-5000

E-mail:
customerservice@nevadapower.com

[martian82]

Well, I haven't called Nevada Power myself because A.) They've been closed since this became MY issue, and B.) They can't seem to give a straight answer anyway.

They initially told the new tenant as long as she has a rental agreement, she can get power. We gave her the agreement, and that's when they told her the bill had to be paid, even though they informed her of the unpaid bill on her original visit.

Unfortunately, the previous tenant is my husband's sister, so punching her lights out isn't really an option. Her father plans to go to Nevada Power with the new tenant to try to get things straightened out, but I have a feeling he will just try to argue his way out of it, and he's already told us no one in the family has the money to pay. So I told the new tenant if his tactics don't work, she can pay the $150, and we'll just deduct it from the first month's rent while we cut the in-laws off from anymore "borrowing" from us.

I just wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem, and if there is any other option than a non-responsible party paying it.

P.S. We have a home in Vegas, but we are currently living in Southern California.

[Chest Rockwell]

If you don't like Nevada Power, you can always take your business elsewhere!

[jfkIII]

When the wife and I were in Cape Cod last month, I found a sign that we bought that says: "Friends Are Welcome...Relatives By Appt". Sometimes it just ain't worth renting to family!

[sheriff]

Originally Posted by martian82

Hello,

My husband and I own a condo in Las Vegas that we rent out. We evicted the previous tenants when they stopped paying the rent and have found a new couple to move in.

Unfortunately, the last tenant also decided to stop paying the power bill and now owes $150. The power company told the new tenant to provide a copy of the rental agreement to prove she is not simply trying to change the name on the power bill to avoid the debt. She did this, but then they said the last tenant has to pay off the $150 before they will turn the power on. So basically, no one can ever live in the condo again unless the original tenant pays the bill. Does anyone know if there is some way out of this? I find it completely unfair to the new tenant that she cannot move in because of this. My husband and I will pay the $150 if we must, but is this our responsibility? Help!

Whose name was on the power bill? In other words, did you rent the condo with utilities included? I don't see how they can refuse new service to a customer that doesn't have a past balance due.

[martian82]

The tenant's name was on the bill. That's what I don't understand! I can somewhat see if they said the owner is responsible, but they're trying to pass it on to someone who has nothing to do with that balance at all.