Utility footprints as evidence of occupancy
Homes that are lived in use power, water and other services. Records of when services were connected, transferred or stopped, and in whose name, can therefore be a useful indicator of occupancy.
What utility signals indicate
An account opened in the declared person's name around their move-in date supports the declaration. A long gap in service, or an account in an unrelated name, raises questions worth following up.
Reading them carefully
Landlords sometimes keep services in their own name, and couples may have accounts in only one partner's name. Context matters, and a mismatch is a prompt for more evidence, not a conclusion.
Access and privacy
Utility information should only be obtained through lawful, licensed channels for a case with a documented purpose and consent, and only the minimum detail needed should appear in a report.
Consent-first, reproducible verification for your team.
