There is a lot of information on the web about the benefits of automated meter reading in submetered buildings for landlords. These systems do eliminate the need for using complicated RUBS (ratio utility billing system) and also allow the metering service to invoice and collect from tenants, taking this task off the hands of the landlord or property manager.
There are also benefits to the tenants as well. Often tenants are hesitant to switch from current RUBS billing to automated meter reading as they have misinformation about the advantages this system can offer.
To help tenants to understand the advantage of smart meters on each unit, consider the following issues are often overlooked.
Only Pay For Your Usage
One very obvious benefit to tenants in any type of building is the advantage of only paying for the water used in the unit. This is often a very big selling point when tenants know one or more units are heavier water users, resulting in a higher bill for everyone using the RUBS calculations.
Implement Water Conservation Methods To Manage the Bill
As more and more people are interested in limiting their waste and their use of natural resources, having automated meter reading and individual meters on each unit allows those interested in lowering their bill and saving water to implement water conservation strategies. The move to “greener” technology can be a selling point for new tenants as well.
Track and Monitor Water Usage Patterns Across Time
By having individual billing, each tenant can look back over water usage of the unit per billing cycle and across billing cycles. This helps to address questions or to detect leaks or other potential problems in the plumbing system in the unit, ultimately saving the tenant money on repairs and water bills.
