Charging HOA fees back to tenant

[Kara Jordan]

I know some landlords pay utilities like water, electricity... and charge it back to their tenants. Is it possible to do the same with the HOA and charge it back to the tenant? I have a single family that the HOA covers trash, pool, tennis court. It's $79/month, so no not the end of the world to have to pay, but would be nice to have the tenant responsible like they are for the other utilities! Increasing the rent this amount would still be a reasonable rent for the area, so that's probably the best option. I could see advertising a lower rent might psychologically make people feel like they are getting a better "deal" on the house thou.

[Theresa Harris]

The reason people charge back utilities on a monthly basis is because the amounts vary from month to month. Expenses like HOA and taxes should have been factored into the rent price when you were deciding if the place would make a good rental. I've never heard of tenants paying HOA on top of their rent. What would happen if you lowered the rent by $80 and added the HOA and a tenant said they only wanted to pay for the garbage part of that as they won't use the gym?