Implementing a Ratio Utility Billing System or RUBS billing system is an excellent way to boost net operating income. It's a method of calculating a resident's utility bill based on occupancy, apartment square footage, number of beds, or some combination of factors.
Using RUBS to bill residents for water, gas and/or electricity expenses has several advantages including:
Many existing apartments have a utility configuration that does not support the installation of submetering equipment. For example, hi-rise apartment complexes and older condominium units can have multiple pipes supplying water to a single unit. This situation makes it cost prohibitive to install water meters to measure consumption because each unit could potentially require more than one water meter.
In these cases, RUBS is an excellent alternative for the owner or condo association to recover appropriate utility costs and increase cash flow at the property.
If you'd like to learn how a RUBS water bill is calculated, read this article on our blog. It includes two videos that show you how the calculations are made and what you need to do to implement RUBS.
It also includes a free spreadsheet you can use to calculate a RUBS water/sewer bill for up to ten (10) units.
Contact us to see if a RUBS billing method can be used at your multihousing complex.