Building Utilities into Rent for tenants with Assistance

[Jenna Columbus]

Hi everyone! I have a potential new tenant that receives assistance from the state that asked me during the application process if we could include electricity in our rent every month. Typically all utilities are paid for by the tenant. She shared that with her type of assistance it would be easier for her to get approved if some of the utilities were being covered by the landlord. She had stated that in the past her landlords have done this and they have raised the rent around $150-$200 to make up for the expense. The typical electric bill for this type of unit would be under the cost of $150 but I'm worried if there are negatives to agreeing to this, an example would be she somehow has a crazy electric bill. I would appreciate any input or past experiences.