Less Waste, More Profits for EPAA Members
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Recover Up to 90% of Your Utilities with Livable
If you're tired of including utilities with your rent every month, and chipping away at your net operating income, Livable helps put money back in your pocket.
- It works with or without rent-controlled buildings.
- Livable saves you money with no unit minimums - ever!
- It includes water, sewer, and trash.
- Livable Pro is so easy you can manage it yourself!
“Water bills alone in El Paso have increased over 13% and that eats into an investment’s health quickly. Livable can help our members recover some of those costs from the end users – their tenants – while keeping rents at fair market value.”
Scott Lynch
El Paso Apartment Association
Executive Director
Did you know...
Water Utility Rates are Rising
Across the country, water utility rates are steadily climbing year over year. A combination of aging systems, fewer resources, and extreme weather have pushed water and wastewater bills up by 30% in less than a decade.
Electricity Costs are Soaring
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the residential electricity price nationwide increased by 1.5% in 2022, and forecasts U.S. winter natural gas bills in 2023 will be 30% higher than last winter.
But You Can Divide and Conquer
A well-planned RUB System can capture and bill a resident's actual usage as accurately as possible. Studies have shown that individually calculated utility bills can reduce water, gas, and electric usage by up to 35%.
Ratio Utility Billing in Your State
Texas has addressed water and sewer submetering, allocation, and billing through detailed state agency rules. On September 1, 2014, the Texas Public Utility Commission (TPUC) assumed jurisdiction of water submetering and ratio utility billing systems (RUBS) from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The TPUC's rules are largely unchanged from the TCEQ's. However, from September 1, 2014, landlords should attach the current TPUC rules to new leases and renewals instead of the old TCEQ rules. All Texas billing program registration documents should now be sent to the TPUC. There is a possibility that the TPUC could implement further rule changes in the future.
*Local ordinances and state laws that determine which utility costs can be recovered through Ratio Utility Billing can and do change, and while we try to keep our database updated regularly, we cannot guarantee that we have the most up-to-date legislation in your area at all times. For that reason, all information and language provided here are for educational purposes only. Livable is providing neither (i) legal advice regarding legal or regulatory requirements for tenant notice or consent nor (ii) any warranty or representation of any kind with respect to this information and the language contained therein, including that the information is suitable for any particular purposes.
- Tenant Billing: Allowed
- Regulations: Texas Water Code, Title 2 Water Administration, Subtitle B, Chapter 13 Water Rates and Services; Subchapter M: Submetering and Nonsubmetering for apartments and manufactured home rental communities and other multiple-use facilities.
The utility commission will adopt rules for billing systems used by various community owners for allocating nonsubmetered master metered utility service costs. These rules will mandate:
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- A clear written description of the allocation method in the rental agreement.
- The rental agreement must state the average utility bill for the previous calendar year.
- Owners may not impose extra charges exceeding the actual utility charges.
- Adequate records of utility consumption and charges must be maintained.
- All necessary utility allocation records should be available for tenant inspection during business hours.
- Late payment fees for allocated water bills can't exceed 5% of the late bill.
- Fees: Allowed With Restrictions
- Notes: Property owners billing tenants for water/wastewater must first register with the Public Utilities Commission of Texas.
- Last Updated: 08/13/2023
- Tenant Billing: Allowed
- Regulations: Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 184 Electric and Water Metering: The commission will adopt rules for the installation of submetering equipment in non-individually metered properties to fairly allocate electrical consumption costs. These rules will ensure:
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- No tenant is charged more than the utility's cost per kilowatt-hour.
- Adequate submetering records must be maintained and be available for tenant inspection.
- Fees: Not allowed with exceptions. A one-time penalty not exceeding 5% is permitted on overdue accounts. This penalty must be explicitly mentioned in a written lease agreement.
- Notes: Electric service to a unit may be disconnected if a tenant doesn't pay. However, electric service disconnection due to unpaid rent is prohibited.
- Last Updated: 01/12/2022
- Tenant Billing: Allowed with restrictions
- Regulations: See Electricity for regulations regarding this utility.
- Fees: Allowed with restrictions. If tenants are sub-metered, landlords cannot allocate gas charges for common areas. However, this can be done if tenants aren't sub-metered.
- Last Updated: 07/09/2020
- Tenant Billing: No specific rules or regulations were found that allow or prohibit owners from charging residents for trash.
- Last Updated: 02/28/2011
Interested in More Resources?
Livable Pro offers its users access to a library of helpful resources and documentation for Rental Owners and Property Managers. From resident notices to lease addenda, we support customers transitioning onto our platform and implementing RUBS for their Residents.*
Our Features
Why Choose Livable?
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We Handle Billing for You
Livable bills your Residents monthly and provides multiple ways to pay via an easy-to-use Resident Portal.
No Unit Minimums
Livable Pro is the first billing platform designed for the independent rental owner.
Includes Water, Sewer, Trash, & More
Whatever the shared utilities are at your properties, you can include them in Livable Pro.*
Easy to Use
There's no need to learn any new "tricks" to use Livable Pro. We kept it easy so you can get started right away.
How it Works
Setting Up Livable Pro is Quick & Easy
Add Your Properties & Residents
Add each of the properties, including their name and address, that you'd like to enroll in Livable's RUBS program. Then configure each unit by specifying the size and number of residents in each unit.
Add Your Utility Costs
Enter all of the utilities for each property (e.g., water, electricity, gas) through either manual entry or data import. Specify how you'd like to allocate costs (by square footage, occupancy, etc.).
Start Saving Money
Livable Pro calculates potential savings based on the entered utility cost information and allocation methods. With your utilities better divided, watch your net operating income steadily improve!
Join thousands of housing providers and property managers using Livable to offset rising utility costs
Livable benefited my business by offsetting utility expenses through pro rata distribution to the lessee's and during the process reduced water usage by 25%. I no longer have to worry about what the amount of the bill will be as the residents also have an interest in not wasting water.
Dennis R.
Livable was an excellent choice. Livable utility management offers a conscious responsibility to the owners and to the renters to ensure that the utility ratio billing is fair for both landlords and residents. Livable lives up to its simple program implementation. They are easy to connect with. I get immediate help if I need it. Thank you Livable.
Cara N.
Livable is an invaluable partner to our organization. For years in our rent-controlled city, the only way to increase the bottom line was through unit turnover. Utility costs increased by as much as 20%/yr, which directly impacted NOI. With Livable, we are able to not only recoup most of our utility costs but also are able to pass through future utility price increases.
Ryan S.
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Come Save With Us!
With no unit minimums ever; including water, sewer, and trash; what are you waiting for? Sign up for Livable Pro today to start improving the NOI on your properties. It's so easy, that you can manage it yourself!
