Shared electric and gas meter

[Lindsey Maroun]

I'm in the process of buying a home with a detached garage and studio in the back. I plan to live in the main home and rent out the studio. The electric and gas meters are shared. The studio has a swamp cooler and will likely not use much power or gas, so I plan to include about $50 extra per month in rent. However, I'm concerned this may be an issue when I move out and start renting out the main house. Any ideas on the best way to go out this? I'd like to have the new tenants of the main house connect the utilities in their name, but it won't be fair for them to pay the studio tenants utilities. Can I give a discount to the main home tenants and charge a bit more to the studio tenant to even this out? Is it really necessary to get the studio on it's own meter?

[Joel Owens]

Just remember in some areas even with sub-meter you have the bill for the whole thing from the utility company.

So if bill was 100 for their part and yours was 200 and they paid rent but not utility your whole service can be shut off if you do not pay.

That is why a separate meter from utility company is better because a direct connection the bill goes under the tenants name and if they do not pay it then your unit is still on under a different address and billing.