Separating Utilities - Chicago

[Elizabeth Rios]

Legal 2-flat with full finished basement. Looking to separate utilities for this multi-unit. There is currently one furnace, one boiler, one gas meter, and one electric meter for the full building. Does anyone know if separating utilities will be expensive? I want second floor to have its own gas meter and electrical meter.  

[Jennifer Ruelens]

RUBS is Ratio Utility Billback System, and it can be done if disclosed in the lease. So if you have a 1 BR- #A and 2 BR- #B, you could use the bedroom ratio and #A pays 1/3 and #b pays 2/3, you can do it on square footage, or evenly, etc.  I hate RUBS because tenants do not like them.  They complain that the other tenant uses too much and it leads to dissatisfaction and higher turnover.  In 2020 with technology where it is RUBS does feel archaic.  Water- it depends on how the units are plumbed if this is expensive or not.  If you have 1-2 lines only going to a unit you can modify the plumbing and install a submeter that either you read or you can get them to work on WIFI and report to you the reading.  That way the water company meter gives you a reading and you have an accurate submeter reading to break out the invoice and use that.  Gas is usually easy since it is likely only 1-2 appliances using it and you can re-run that to a new meter.  Electric is really building dependent.