Who to contact about metering utilities seperately?

[Andrew Terrell]

Hey BP!

Here is the quick and dirty. A partner and I are closing on 5 single family properties in Shawnee, OK at the end of the week. Two of the homes are on one lot, and the water is NOT metered seperately. Also, the current owner has been paying the water bill for these homes, for years. My partner and are trying to find a solution that allows us to push this expese back to the tenants. Does the BP community know if there are contractors that will install a metering system that will allow the tenants to be billed by, and pay the city for water? Can we just start charging the tenants based on historical average usage (by adding a clause to the lease)? Or, is there another option that I am not aware of?

Thanks!

[Andrew Terrell]

Mike,

Thanks for the information. I checked with the city, and I dont think adding a meter, water supply, and sewer line are an economically feasible option. The city was able to give me the average cost of the bill over the last few years, so I think we are just going to build that cost into our lease. One unit is vacant, so we will have the new tenant sign our lease with that clause and cost built in, when we find them. As for the other tenant, we plan on having them sign our lease (they have been there for years, and are operating on a month-month status from the old owners lease) and also add that cost into their new lease with us. Although the bill will still be in our company's name, and we will pay it, just with the "extra" money generated from that new statement.