If a homeowner refuses to give the tenant copies of bills...?

Found this:

call the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) at 1-800-292-9555. The MPSC will determine if the utility followed the law in shutting off service. The MPSC can also answer other utility service questions

If this doesnt help, trying contacting housing authority and ask them.

Sounds as if the homeowner is trying to make money on the deal.

http://www.michigan.gov/mshda

If the tenant is expected to pay the bills monthl as they come in (rather than a flat amount specified in the lease) then copies are required. The utilities won't provide them except by court order. The copies must be demanded from the landlord.

I'd simply tell the landlord I need photocopies of any bills before I pay them.

Probably not as the bills will be in the owners name and not your fathers. Why doesn't your father have the utilities in his name? Most landlords don't pay the bills, they require the renter to have the bills in their name.

Your father should not be paying any bill without getting a copy of the bill. The landlord might be trying to double dip the tax system...saying they are paying the bills as a tax write-off while getting paid from your father...

He should simply tell the landlord to send him a bill and then he will send them a check made out to the utility company. That way he gets the bill and they get the payment payable only to the utility company.

You really should never pay a bill without first seeing the bill. It's not good business to expect someone to pay without seeing the bill.

Typically you can call the utility companies to find out the cost of the utilities, so if you think your father is being overcharged this could solve the problem. You could also consider switching the utilities over to your fathers name and have them bill him directly. Thats usually how its done anyway. If the landlord is not agreeable to this or if you find a discrepancy in the bills, then simply refuse to pay for any further utilities until the bills are presented to your father.

You have zero rights to another person's personal information.

Sounds like the landlord may be jacking up the bills.

Ask others in your area what they pay.

No, the tenant has no legal rights to the property owners personal information.

What does his lease or rental agreement say?