Should a Tenant Pay their Water Bills in Massachusetts?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

  Are you curious if your tenants should pay the water utilities for your property in Massachusetts? In this article, we will be covering that most commonly asked question by most landlords.   Is it possible for tenants to pay water bills?     In a condo association, water bills are included. However, if you do…

Two Water Meters

 

Are you curious if your tenants should pay the water utilities for your property in Massachusetts? In this article, we will be covering that most commonly asked question by most landlords.

 

Is it possible for tenants to pay water bills?

 

Man looking at documents in the workplace

Photo from Michael Burrows of Pexels

 

In a condo association, water bills are included. However, if you do have a single or a multi-family, this is something that you’re going to want to consider because water can be a major expense. When the tenants aren’t paying for that expense, they aren’t going to be worried about it.

 

What’s the process for a single-family house?

 

Woman counting utility bills using a calculator and laptop

Photo from Mikhail Nilov of Pexels

 

Any type of utility that you want to charge back to the tenant needs to be separately metered. A single-family house has only one meter. Sometimes, there’s a different line for sprinklers, but that’s not the case since the city of Boston, or the jurisdiction or city you have a property in, might have a special form. That form needs to be filled out by the plumber. The plumber will go to the property and make sure everything is low flow and efficient. They will sign it, stating what it is then you will need to submit the form to the city.

 

Once you have the receipt, make sure you provide a copy of that report to the tenants. In case you charge the water bill and weren’t able to submit the form, you will be legally responsible for up to triple damage. We’ve seen that happen with other landlords that didn’t do this, causing almost tens of thousands of dollars.

 

The water bills in Boston stay in the owner’s name. We’ll pay that water bill and add it back to the tenant ledger. We will provide a copy of the bill, but we can’t put it in the tenants’ names. It is a little bit more work but again, for a single-family house, you must fill out the form together with a plumber, get the bills, have it paid then add it to the tenant’s ledger.

 

How about for multi-families?

 

Couple calculating utility bills

Photo from Mikhail Nilov of Pexels

 

 

If you have four units in a building, the majority of landlords unless it’s a new construction building don’t have separate water meters. Your water bills could range anywhere between $50-100 per month per unit. At Green Ocean, we work with a vendor that can put a single meter reader. They’re going to add separate water meters for every unit, assuming that your water is separated per unit.

 

You also need to have the lines checked by a plumber. Each meter will read separately and it’s going to send information back to the individual reader. This individual reader will send us information via online, so we’re able to figure out the cost based upon the calculation. If it’s a $500 water bill for the entire building, we’ll separate that and figure out the total amount for each unit. We will bill it back to the tenants and give them a proof of billing.

 

In addition, you need to explain how it works because you don’t want any type of confusion. This can save you at least $6,000-7,000 per year. The key is to make sure that everybody understands their responsibility of paying the water, and they understand how it works without any confusion.

 

If you’re looking for a property manager that is proactive and can think of different ways to save you money, please think of Green Ocean Property Management, where you get more than a property manager, you get peace of mind.

 

Laundry machines and parked cars

What makes a property desirable?

Posted in ,

  When our clients are looking at a property, they always ask, “What are the things that make this property desirable?”. In this article, we are going to share some of the things that we think make a property desirable.   #1 Convenience       When tenants are picking a property, they consider how far…

Budgeting for Maintenance: Building a Reserve Fund for Unexpected Issues

Budgeting for Maintenance: Building a Reserve Fund for Unexpected Issues

Posted in

Owning or managing a property requires constant vigilance. Despite preventive maintenance, unexpected issues can still arise. This can disrupt your budget and cause stress. A well-funded reserve fund acts as a financial safety net, allowing you to address these emergencies without scrambling. This article explores the importance of budgeting for maintenance and building a reserve…

Woman talking on the phone while using a laptop

Must-Ask Questions during a Landlord Reference Check

Posted in ,

  During a landlord reference check, we usually ask a lot of questions to make sure that our tenants are screened properly. In this article, we will cover what is a landlord reference and what are the questions that we ask to successfully screen a tenant.   What is a landlord reference?     Landlord…

Experience exceptional management and elevate your property with us

NARPMGreater Boston Real Estate BoardCommunty Association InstitteEqual HousingBest Property Managers Boston

Stay updated with market trends and changes

Expert knowledge and advice to help make your life as a property owner easier.