RENT Magazine Q2 '23

WHILE WATCHING THESE TRENDS CAN BE OVERWHELMING, ALL IS NOT LOST! Recovering master-billed utilities is an essential element to retaining your highest possible profits, and Ratio Utility Billing (RUBS) is an easy, cost-effective way to do that. RUBS can significantly aid housing providers in maintaining a solid bottom line by placing financial responsibility on residents for their usage, leading to reduced consumption. If you’re not ready for RUBS or are prevented from implementing it for some reason, a Sample Statement showing residents what they WOULD pay can also drive conservation behaviors, even if they aren’t spending any money directly. Studies show that the simple act of informing people of the costs of their habits will cause them to reduce consumption significantly, saving property managers and owners money. That can also increase the timeliness of leak reporting, especially when housing providers maintain an atmosphere in which tenants can report small problems without fear of negative feedback or reprisal. Blaming residents for normal wear and tear, such as a running toilet with a worn- out tank flap, doesn’t encourage them to promptly report problems that can be fixed cheaply and easily, saving money down the road! Livable’s Ratio Utility Billing System allows housing providers to fairly bill residents for their shares of master-billed utility use, including Wi-Fi, water, trash and sewer, and recover up to 90% of utility costs. Livable has no minimum number of units required to enroll and no minimum monthly billing requirements. Unlike submetering, Livable’s RUBS system doesn’t require investment in acquiring and installing pricey equipment.

PAGE 18

Powered by