Tenant washers in units

[Wesley W.]

Hi All,

I'm soon to own a small multi-family property that has W/D hookups in the units, and the current tenants all have their own washers.  The disclosed annual water bill is $2000, which via local custom is paid by the landlord.

In an attempt to curb expenses, my real estate agent suggested that many landlords charge a monthly fee for tenants' washers hooked up to the units.

My question is for those in markets with water billed to the landlord, how do you handle the extra water usage?  Do you charge additional rent in anticipation that the W/D hookups will be used?  Do you have a lease addendum that charges a specific amount for the use of water to wash clothes?  If so, what is the amount?  Is that cost per unit?  Per bedroom?

Trying not to reinvent the wheel. 

Thanks in advance!!

[James R.]

Where I own rentals, it is common for landlords to pay for water in a building that is not separately metered.  I learned that I have to write specific language in the lease addressing water, because tenants will use it without any regard to quantity because I am paying for it. 

I write in the lease that I pay for 5 cubic feet of water per person, per quarter.  Any water usage above this amount and the tenant will pay.  This also incentivizes the tenant to report leaky toilets, sinks and water heaters.  

In the units where they have an in-unit WD, this persuades them to not allow visitors to do a load of laundry in my machines (yes, I pay for machines too and this has been a good investment, as opposed to tenants providing their own).  In fact, this duplex cash flows $825/mo.  

The units with in-unit WDs are never vacant and I charge about $45 more per unit.  

Also, this is another way to keep tenants from moving in extra people without my permission.