house hack bills , bills ,bills utility bills that is :0

[Josue Rivera]

hey everyone hope all is well. Based on you all's experience in a house hacking situation ( I am going to be living in the basement unit approx 550 sq ft and renting the upstairs of a sfh 3/2 approx 1,400 sq ft) what is going to be the best way to split utilities bills ? all ideas and scenarios are welcome. Thank you in advance

[Nicole Marshall]

In my house, I rent out the 3 upstairs bedrooms and live in the 1 downstairs bedroom. Essentially I live in the basement (it's a split level so the bottom floor is partially underground). I include the utilities in the rent as a flat fee, I don't split it up. My total utility bill (electricity, water/sewer, gas, and internet) comes to about $500/month (> 2000 sqft in Florida) averaged over the year, so I charge an extra $100 per person, which is included in the rent. It's easier this way, so tenants can properly plan their expenses instead of having to guess at what their total rent payment will be every month.