Guides
How to split shared utility bills between tenants without getting it wrong.
What Is RUBS Utility Billing?
RUBS splits one master utility bill across units by formula instead of by meter. How the allocation methods work, how it compares to submetering, and the rules that apply almost everywhere.
6 min readMassachusettsNew YorkTexas
How to Split a Water Bill Between Tenants
Four defensible ways to divide one water bill across units, a worked example that adds up exactly, how to handle submetered and vacant units, and the state rules to check first.
7 min readTexasMinnesotaNew Jersey
Submetering vs. RUBS: Which Should You Use?
What each approach costs, what it recovers, how to handle a building where only some units are metered, and the states that decide the question for you.
6 min readMassachusettsNew YorkCalifornia
Utility Billing Admin Fees: Capped, Banned, or Allowed
Which states prohibit admin fees on allocated utility bills, which cap them, and the three mistakes that turn a reasonable fee into a violation.
6 min readColoradoMassachusettsOregonTexasMinnesotaWashington
Lease Language for Utility Allocation
What a utility disclosure clause has to establish, sample language to take to your attorney, and the four clauses that cause disputes.
6 min readArizonaTexasNew Jersey
When a Tenant Disputes Their Utility Share
The four disputes landlords actually get, what each one really means, the mistake that turns a disagreement into a legal claim, and how to answer in one message.
6 min readMarylandMinnesotaWashingtonNew Jersey