Outstanding Accounts, Less Than Outstanding Account Service

I have moved a LOT throughout my life, I have done this process many times, and I have worked at a city utility company. No, I haven’t dealt with this specific city utility company before, but it’s all a similar process and is typically arranged PRIOR to actual lease/purchase signings.

My husband and I are about to buy our first home. (Yikes.) It is the Thursday before closing day, and I am calling the utility companies to arrange services to be switched into our names on that coming Tuesday and, hopefully, to avoid any interruption of services.

The first two state-wide utilities are set up with no issues. Then, we call the city’s utility company. 

Representative: “How can I help you?”

Me: “I am buying a home and need to have services turned on or switched to my name on the ninth when we close.”

Representative: “No problem. What’s the address?”

Me: “[Address].”

Representative: “You’re going to need to provide a signed lease in your name with your driver’s license before we can start services.”

???????

Me: “We’re not closing until Tuesday, the ninth. I won’t have anything until that day, late afternoon.”

Representative: “That’s the only way to have the water turned on in your name.”

Me: “Okay… but we won’t have that until late Tuesday, and we don’t want an interruption of services, or we would at least like them turned back on that day.”

Representative: “You’re going to need to provide a signed lease in your name with your driver’s license before we can start services.”

Me: “Okay, so, I know people move into new places. They buy them or rent them, and they get services set up to be turned on in the future so they have services the day of. And none of them can get a lease or document of ownership until after the actual transaction is made. And they still get services set up.”

Representative: “Yes, we can do that.”

Me: *Deep breath* “Okay… I want to do what that is.”

Representative: “You can’t. You have to have a signed lease and provide your ID to prove you’re not the prior resident.”

Me: “But you just said—”

Representative: “There is a significant outstanding balance on the current account, so we can’t authorize a new service without proof of new occupants.”

Me: “Oh! Okay. See, that makes sense. I get that. Next time, maybe start with, ‘That location has an outstanding balance, so in order to get services in your name, we will have to have a lease/proof of purchase.’ That I completely understand. Thank you.”

Representative: “We can’t start new services after the current balance reaches a certain amount.”

Me: “Again, I get that. But I am buying the place through a realtor. The other utilities were set up without a hitch. How or why would I know that there was an outstanding balance on the seller’s account?”

There’s a long pause.

Representative: “Once you provide the paperwork, we should be able to get services turned on, same day. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Me: “Nope. I’m good. Thanks.”