Utility Companies/Services in Washtenaw County: When possible, we prefer to have all utilities fall under the responsibility of the tenants, either by requiring they put utilities in their name, or by billing to their ledger. If the meters at your property are not easily divided by unit (ex: common area meters, 1 meter for both units in a duplex), we will put these accounts into our name and pay the bills on your behalf each month. You’ll see these bills listed as expenses in your Monthly Owner Statement. In these cases, we prefer to bill tenants a flat rate for utilities, based on average bill rates, but may also bill back to tenants based on actual usage. You’ll see whatever is billed to tenants as Utility Income in your Monthly Owner Statement.

Because utility rates fluctuate with the seasons, when tenants are billed at a flat rate, there will likely be some months where the utility expenses are higher than the utility income, however, it is our goal that these approximately even out over the course of the year. Utility expenses tend to be higher in the Winter and Summer, and lower in the Spring and Fall.