Whether or not the rental is to have fully operative utilities upon move in by the tenant depends upon what the presumed written lease agreement states in that the lease sets forth the obligations owed to the tenant by the landlord and vice versa in the absence of conflicting state law.If the landlord is paying for the tenant's utilities, the landlord needs to have the unit operational for the tenant upon move in date. If the tenant (per the lease agreement) is to pay for the utilities, then it is up to the tenant to make sure with the utility companies that everything is in order at the time of move in unless the lease states otherwise.