this is what I think should happen as well.

Curious. Since when is a landlord responsible for a utility bill in someone else's (the renter's) name?

You know, landlords are getting away with murder these days. I just read somewhere that someone moving out of an apartment was charged a "wall painting fee" subtracted from the renter's deposit only because the walls needed a paint job before someone else moved in.

First, they were charging for a parking spot, then they started making you pay your own water bill, and now I even hear some apartments are charging for trash pick-up. Might as well buy a condo, no?

Since the utility company's only recourse for a non-paid bill is to shut off service, it makes sense that the property owner is ultimately responsible. I don't know if it's always been that way, but I know for a fact that it is now.

The wall painting fee is illegal, unless it was in the original lease (and, even then, I'm not sure it would be legal).

The water bill and trash pick-up are all services that the landlord has to pay. Usually they are just bundled in with the rent, which means you are paying it and just don't know it. I suppose separating it allows the landlord to advertise a lower rent, when the total cost is, in fact, higher.

It probably also allows the landlord to get around the 60-day notice for rent increases over 10 percent. If the rent goes up 9 percent and the utility/water fee goes up 20 percent, do they still need to give 60 days' notice? I would guess not.

The wall painting fee is in my lease, which I signed in January. It's pretty amazing that the economy hasn't put a hold on this kind of nonsense, but whatever.

Mahtli69: Not the case that all landlords have to pay water and trash. I own a house in eastern washington and as homeowner i definitely don't have to pay that nor would i ever offer given the huge variability of water use among potential tenants. For as many landlord horror stories there are, I dare say, double the amount of tenant horror stories. I rented an apt in north Seattle for 9 years and I wondered why they were nicer to me the longer I stayed...now i know! I was the rare dream tenant! When I bought the house I talked to a lot of owners in that area to educate myself, mostly about cost; got an earful. It never occured to me, for example, that tenants might invite friends or family over who have to pay at coin machines, to come over to the house and use the new super- duper front loading machine and dryer! Landlords i talked to kind of made fun of me for even buying the brand new front loading machines. I did it becasue it's environmentally responsible, but yea, I could have bought inexpensive used ones. Another example: because it's not on their dime, it's easy to forget to turn off the hose when watering outside. (by the way, I pay for monthly yard work unless they want a nice rent discount which is more than the amount I pay.)

The lease, the lease is EVERYthing--be sure you are not agreeing to anything you don't like and to include any 'must have' protections. If not, don't sign--this is true for both parties...if it's not in writing you're gambling.

Elle Elle - I didn't mean that landlords are required to pay water and trash, though, given how I wrote the comment, I can see how you interpreted it that way.

I was specifically addressing Bauhaus' complaint about water and trash being added to rent in apartment buildings. My point was that water and trash are usually already bundled in with rent, and that the landlord then pays the bill for the entire building. Since this is something the landlord pays (not "has to pay"), it wasn't necessarily unfair for it to be billed separately.

In rental houses, it is much more common for the tenant to pay all utilities, as you described.

Owlish, I assume you were renting an apartment in Seattle, and had less than one year's lease making you responsible for paying certain utilities. Third-party apartment billing for water/sewer/solid waste can be complex, so I'll assume you were billed separately only for power & telecomm utilities.

If within the 14 days you did not receive a full refund of the deposit, or a partial refund accompanied by a letter itemizing the withholding, you are entitled to recover money from the landlord. It is a slam-dunk in court and I believe damages are double or treble your deposit; however, getting paid may be more bother than it's worth.

Ideally the landlord would mail a partial refund (if the deposit exceeds outstanding liabilities) stating the money is withheld to pay the utilities, in the event you fail to close and pay your account. The ideal letter would offer a refund of the withheld amount upon your furnishing a receipt from the utility showing the account closed and paid in full. If you owe more than the deposit the letter will state it's all withheld, and that you are responsible for paying the landlord the remainder.

Responsibility for paying combined utilities (water/sewer/solid waste) supplied by Seattle Public Utilities stays with the property, so the property owner is on the hook if the tenant defaults on payment.

Seattle City Light follows the tenant to collect, and by common practice does not lien the property (this is unusual for utility companies). In this respect, the owner would not incur a liability and thus has the right, but little incentive, to withhold for an unpaid electric bill.

You run into a problem, however, if the landlord withholds your money, then does not pay your outstanding utility bill. That's why it's important for you to close your account immediately after your tenancy terminates - get a meter reading, and call to close your account. It is in your best interest to close and pay your account, then mail the utility's receipt with a letter to the landlord requesting your money back. Get the USPS tracking in case you have to prove you sent the letter requesting a refund of your withheld deposit.

Any subsequent billing after the date you close the account is not your responsibility. Bills then go to the property owner or manager, not to you. Good luck!