Re: Any utility billing sofware or data base template?

Re: Any utility billing sofware or data base template? by Steve on October 7, 2011 @14:08

The complex if billed by one master water meter and one master electric meter that I am responsible for. There are individual meters on each unit but they are private and it would cost several times over what I paid for the building to upgrade.

The previous owners main reason for letting the bank repo the buildings were because of the utilities.

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Re: Any utility billing sofware or data base template? by Anonymous on October 7, 2011 @14:31	[ Reply ]

My thought is that you need to include the utilities in rent. Are you able to see what each unit uses? If so then you come up with the average and increase all rents to cover that. In fact make the increase enough that your getting a bit more. Then I wonder if you can write a clause in the new lease that using X gallons or more will cost. Dosn't the electrical company breaks it down in watts? If so same idea. So for electricity you would do the same. In doing this I would make factor X high so rarely would someone have to be billed. Don't forget to mention gas as well if that is also used.

Re: Any utility billing sofware or data base template? by Steve on October 7, 2011 @14:50	[ Reply ]

Yes I have electric meters on every unit and am in the process of installing water meters. We tried charging a flat rate but everyone started using much more than we were charging.

Re: Any utility billing sofware or data base template? by Anonymous on October 7, 2011 @14:55	[ Reply ]

Are you currently splitting it on a pro-rata basis per occupant or per unit? If it's per unit, it would be a simple thing to calculate with only 36 units. If it is per occupant, which is fairer to the occupants, it will necessarily change monthly depending on the number of occupants in any given month and will be slightly more complicated to calcuate. Can't you just use an Excel spreadsheet to enter the original amount and have it make the division? Simple X/number of total occupants x number of occupants in this unit = this month's charge to this unit. Easy peasy, unless I'm missing something. Once built, you only enter the amount of the utility bill and, of course, whenever you re-rent or additional occupants move in, you change the divider & multiplier numbers.