For these reasons, currently, the utilities are included in the rent for all units.Here are a few pictures to give you an example:My partner and I currently have a vacancy and decided to put some capitol into the unit to attract working class tenants and reduce turnovers.

That reduces the costs risk for 60% of the project costs (YAY!). 

The tenant is about to re-up for a two year lease at her current rent, which is now below market (trade off, I'd rather reduce the turnover than risk scaring her off by bumping up the rent).

(Union City has, recently, reduced the amount of rent increases for rent controlled buildings from 3.5% per year to CPI or 3.5% (whatever is lower, but, almost certainly, CPI), and there are also additional restrictions for protected tenants/senior citizens.) 

The main reason for this decision was to reduce my time investment.

I don't expect the values to rise much longer and lately I've been seeing several properties in that area being reduced.  

Tonight, we looked at a recently reduced house in MD with asbestos siding.

Not many are comfortable with that, so they usually just get their own agent, especially as most brokerages won't reduce commissions, anyway.  

I bought a fire damaged house and appealed the taxes which will greatly (by about a 1/3) reduce them for a couple of yrs.

@Manuel Sarabia  It is a matter of reducing risks, to try to make sure it doesn't happen, and also being on record as doing everything reasonable to prevent it.