Identify the provider for the exact service address before sending utility instructions. For Alabama Power properties, the landlord portal can verify a tenant’s connection date. For Huntsville Utilities, requests needed within two business days should not use the online option. Keep the agreed responsibility, requested date, and provider confirmation separate. [1] [2]
Give each utility its own responsibility card
Do not send only “put utilities in your name.” Prepare a separate row for electricity, water, gas, and any other service the property uses. This is an administrative handoff, not a determination of which charges a lease may legally assign.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Service identity | Provider, exact address, unit, and any meter mismatch to resolve |
| Responsibility | Who applies, who pays under the actual agreement, and who follows up |
| Timing | Requested start date and separately confirmed connection date |
| Open issue | Missing step, person responsible, and next check-in |
Resolve unclear lease wording or shared-meter arrangements before issuing instructions. A provider’s application process does not settle the landlord’s and tenant’s legal responsibilities.
Alabama Power: verify the connection date
Alabama Power’s Property Managers Portal lets landlords check a tenant’s connect date and request service starts or stops in the landlord’s name. Its registration instructions distinguish submitting a property request from receiving the email that confirms the properties are ready to view. [1]
For an address served by Alabama Power, arrange portal access before the handoff. Then use the tenant connection information to check your timeline. Do not treat your own portal-registration confirmation as confirmation that the tenant’s service has started.
Huntsville Utilities: check the deadline before sending the link
Huntsville Utilities says not to use its online option when service is needed within two business days. Its page lists in-person applications and weekday office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For a short-notice move, contact the utility about the appropriate route rather than promising immediate activation. [2]
The same page generally requires two valid, unexpired government-issued IDs, with at least one from its primary list; a STAR ID does not need additional identification. It also describes possible deposits and a nonrefundable charge to establish or transfer service. Direct applicants to those current requirements, not a remembered fee or document list. [2]
These are Huntsville Utilities procedures, not instructions for every Alabama provider. Let the applicant supply sensitive application material through the utility’s own process; the landlord’s handoff record needs the status, not another copy of the applicant’s identification.
Example: the application is sent, but the date is unresolved
Illustrative scenario: a tenant has submitted an application for a rental served by Huntsville Utilities, but the planned move is approaching and no connection date has been confirmed. The handoff note reads: “Applicant to confirm service timing directly with provider; landlord to check back before the planned handover. Connection date unresolved.”
That note identifies the next action without declaring the transfer complete. Once the provider confirms timing, record the date and close the open item. If timing will not work, coordinate a revised plan instead of silently relying on the application submission.
Sources
- Property Managers — Alabama PowerSource checked Sep 13, 2026.
- Residential Service Requirements — Huntsville UtilitiesSource checked Sep 13, 2026.
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