Submitted for use on Feb. 8, 2023
Word count: 261
By State Sen. Stacey A. Donato (R-Logansport)
No tenant should ever have to wonder if their money is being handled appropriately by their property owner. Recently, a landlord in Indiana collected payments for utilities from residents, only to not pass it on to the complex's utility company. Subsequently, the landlord accrued over $1 million in unpaid bills and water was shut off to hundreds of tenants on the property.
In response to this, and to ensure such incidents never happen again, I authored Senate Bill 114 alongside my colleagues Sens. Koch and Yoder. The bill would allow utility companies to ask courts to appoint receivers over certain landlords who have failed to pay the utility bills for their properties.
This applies only to properties of four units or more, and does not apply to cases where the tenants pay their service bills directly to the utility company.
Utility shutoffs, such as the loss of water or electricity, can lead to residents being forced out of their homes if the complex they reside in is deemed unsafe or uninhabitable. Property owners renting out their units have a responsibility to use the money their tenants trust them with to maintain the integrity and livability of their units.
SB 114 garnered support from multiple organizations such as Citizens Energy Group, the Indiana Apartment Association, AARP Indiana and many others.
The bill passed the full Senate unanimously on Tuesday and now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
As always, if you have questions or comments on this or other issues, contact my office by email at Senator.Donato@iga.in.gov or 317-234-9054.
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