I think it's much easier to charge a flat amount that is approximately the amount utilities would be, less bookkeeping and less risk of doing it wrong.https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/504B.2152019 Minnesota Statutes PROPERTY AND PROPERTY INTERESTS Chapter 504B Section 504B.215504B.211504B.2212019 Minnesota StatutesAuthenticate PDFResourcesSearch Minnesota StatutesAbout Minnesota Statutes2019 Statutes New, Amended or Repealed2019 Table of Chapters2019 Statutes Topics (Index)Chapter 504BTable of SectionsFull Chapter TextVersion ListSection 504B.215Version ListTopicsCooperative power associationsFurnace oilGas companiesGasesLandlords and tenantsMunicipally owned utilitiesPower companiesPublic utilitiesResidential rental propertyUtilitiesWater companiesRecent History2010 Subd. 2a Amended 2010 c 315 s 72010 Subd. 3 Amended 2010 c 210 s 12008 Subd. 2 Amended 2008 c 313 s 12008 Subd. 3 Amended 2008 c 313 s 22006 Subd. 2b New 2006 c 183 s 12000 Subd. 2 Amended 2000 c 268 s 12000 Subd. 2a New 2000 c 268 s 21999 504B.215 New 1999 c 199 art 1 s 24504B.215 BILLING; LOSS OF SERVICES.Subdivision 1.Definitions.For the purposes of this section, "single-metered residential building" means a multiunit rental building with one or more separate residential living units where the utility service measured through a single meter provides service to an individual unit and to all or parts of common areas or other units.Subd. 2.Single-meter utility service payments.Except as provided in subdivision 3, the landlord of a single-metered residential building shall be the bill payer responsible, and shall be the customer of record contracting with the utility for utility services.

Anyone have a referral for an amazing CPA/Bookkeeper who is Real Estate focused? 

I am realizing that my bookkeeping through quickbooks is not as robust as I would like.

@Quinton Thomas Great bookkeeping is the foundation for great tax planning.

Payroll, bookkeeping, etc can mostly be done remotely.Here is a great list of questions to ask a potential accountant:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/51/topics/70447-questions-to-ask-a-cpaAlso check out the www.NAEA.org page in your search.

Ideally you’d get clean financials but as others have mentioned certain sellers are terrible at bookkeeping.

Hello BP Folks I have been looking into book keeping software for rental property to keep track of expenses, income, record keeping.

I don't use Excel anymore for bookkeeping anymore, but if I have to, I rather have a one database table with date and all the details and pull information from that sheet to another summary sheet.

For book keeping and tax purposes, should we have a separate bank account (2) for each house?

Bookkeeping can be done for two purposes.