Once we relinquish keys and have a final walk-thru of a rental home, are we obligated for utilities and yard maintenance through the end of the lease? We are leaving on 2/26 and turning over the property. The landlord is insisting we way utilities through the endo for our lease (30 April). We are paying the rent itself through the end term of the lease, but once we leave town we want to terminate utilities and waste in our name since we have no access to the property to ensure his maintenance folks don't crank the heat, leave water running, etc. Are we obligated to maintain utilities?

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Originally Posted by KellieMingus

... Are we obligated to maintain utilities?

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Assuming the lease is silent on this question, probably not. One would have to look to the landlord-tenant statute in your state to be sure.

If your main concern is that the LL crank up the heat, etc. figure out what the minimum charge would be for each utility, pay that amount to the LL, and let the LL know that they will be responsible for anything more. Advise the utilites (if they are in your name), that you will not be responsible after the date you turn over the keys.