How to split utilities between tenants

[MarieChele Porter]

Hey BP,

Happy New Year

I am in process of renting out my first house hack but I'm not sure of how to split the utilities. It is a single family home with attached in law suite but no separate gas or electric meters. I realize that even though this is a single family home I can't have them pay all the utilities on their own. The SFH is a 3b2b and the in law is 1b1b. Logically, the people in the SFH will use most of the utilities being that it will most likely be a family.

My thoughts were to keep all the utilities in my name and do some sort of bill back on the next months rent with the in law paying either a flat rate or a lower amount of the costs. So my questions are, should I keep the utilities in my name? How should I separate utility costs? What have you done in a situation like this? Or should I have both tenants pay a flat rate and I eat the overages? Just trying to be fair while keeping in mind my own costs.

Thank you,

MarieChele