Utility surcharge for 'long term guests'

[Ryan Hastings]

I was given a sample rental agreement by a family friend who has been a small-time landlord for many years now. He uses a real estate agent for all tenant screening and rent collection. There was a certain clause in the agreement that caught my eye, regarding utility payment: "The Landlord pays for all utilities associated with the apartment. A surcharge of $25 per person per occurrence is added for any long term guest staying for more than 3 days."  

This is a rental agreement from Upstate NY. Does anyone have any experience using a clause like this? I'm assuming this is a legal, as this was drafted by a local agent who knows the laws well. I see how this could be beneficial but I also think this could be overkill. I have never seen or read anything about a clause such as this before. Any experiences or thoughts would be appreciated.