Systems and methods for the prevention of extended utility theft
Systems, methods, and computer program products for identifying utility theft include a property management system operable to receive tenant data associated with a property. A service provider in communication with the property management system receives the tenant data from the property management system via a network such as the Internet, where the tenant data identifies a tenant responsible for payment of a utility service associated with a utility service account. The service provider, which may be a utility, compares the tenant data to utility data to determine if the tenant corresponds to a utility service account. A notification module provides one or more alerts identifying when the tenant fails to correspond to the utility service account.
1. A system for identifying utility theft for an entity under a Continuous Service Agreement with a utility company where the utility service is never turned off such that the entity may legally use utility services while a premise associated with a property management system, is vacant comprising:
a utility service provider, wherein the utility service provider is operable to receive utility data associated with the premise;
a notification system associated with the utility service provider and in communication with the property management system, wherein the notification system is operable to:
receive tenant data, wherein the tenant data includes at least one of the lease start date or actual move-in date and at least one of an expected move-out date or the actual move-out date, from the property management system via at least one network, wherein the tenant data identifies at least one tenant responsible for a utility service;
automatically compare at least one of the lease start date or the actual move-in date and at least one of the expected move-out date or the actual move-out date to the utility data to identify the unauthorized use of utility services under the Continuous Service Agreement of the entity with the utility service provider; and
provide one or more alerts identifying when the unauthorized use of utility services is detected.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification system is accessible, via a network, to an entity associated with the at least one property management system.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the entity associated with the at least one property management system is operable to configure the one or more alerts identifying when the at least one tenant fails to correspond to the utility service account.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification system is operable to automatically provide the one or more alerts to an entity associated with the at least one property management system or the utility service provider.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification system is operable to automatically provide the one or more alerts to the at least one tenant that fails to correspond to the utility service account.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification system comprises at least one internet accessible graphical user interface facilitating the configuration of the one or more alerts.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the utility data comprises utility transaction information identifying the establishment of the utility service account or the termination of the utility service account.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the utility data identifies use of the utility service associated with the utility service account within approximately six days of utility service initiation.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alerts are provided prior to a bill being printed by the utility service provider for use of the utility service, where the bill is associated with a period of time when the at least one tenant is responsible for payment of the utility service.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification system is operable to provide one or more alerts identifying when the at least one tenant fails to correspond to the utility service account only after payment for the alert.
11. A method for identifying utility theft, comprising:
receiving utility data;
receiving tenant data from a property management system;
automatically comparing utility data to the tenant data, wherein the tenant data includes the tenant's name, address, at least one of a lease start date or actual move-in date and at least one of an expected move-out date or an actual move-out date for tenants occupying the premises and that identifies a tenant responsible for a utility service associated with a property to determine, based at least in part on at least one of the start date or actual move-in date and at least one of the expected move-out date or actual move-out date, if the tenant fails to correspond to a utility service account associated with the utility service; and
providing one or more automated alerts identifying when the tenant fails to correspond to the utility service account.
12. A computer-program product for implementing the method of claim 11 .
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring the one or more automated alerts responsive to an instruction from an entity associated with the property management system.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising configuring the one or more automated alerts via at least one graphical user interface.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing one or more automated alerts comprises providing the one or more alerts to an entity associated with the property management system or to the tenant that fails to correspond to the utility service account.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the utility data comprises utility transaction information identifying the establishment of the utility service account or the termination of the utility service account.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the utility data identifies use of the utility service associated with the utility service account within approximately six days of the use of the utility service.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising requesting payment prior to providing the one or more automated alerts identifying when the tenant fails to correspond to the utility service account.
19. A system for identifying utility theft for an entity under a continuous service agreement with a utility service provider, where the utility service is not turned off during the term of the continuous service agreement such that the entity may legally use utility services while a premise, associated with a property management system, is vacant, comprising:
a utility service provider, wherein the utility service provider is operable to receive utility data associated with the premise;
a notification system associated with the utility service provider and in communication, via at least one network, with the property management system, wherein the notification system is configured to:
receive, from the property management system, tenant data associated with a property, wherein the tenant data includes at least one of a lease start date or actual move-in date and at least one of an expected move-out date or an actual move-out date and wherein the tenant data identifies at least one tenant responsible for a utility service account;
automatically compare at least one of the lease start date or the actual move-in date and at least one of the expected move-out date or the actual move-out date to the utility data to identify the unauthorized use of utility services under the Continuous Service Agreement of the entity with the utility service provider; and
provide one or more alerts identifying when the unauthorized use of utility services is detected.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the entity under a continuous service agreement may be the property owner or property manger.