It’s typically understood that tenants will pay their own electric, gas, and cable/internet bills, but one of the questions that we are most frequently asked is: who pays for water, sewer, and garbage?
At HomeRiver Group, we have a plan in place that benefits our owners.
Tenant Responsibilities: Water, Sewer, Garbage
Historically, the water, sewer, and trash have been an owner expense. Lately, however, it’s something that has transitioned to a tenant expense since it’s tied to usage, and the water bills are based on meter readings.
Facilitating Tenant Bill Payment
We have a good process in place to help tenants pay their bills. We recommend to our owners that the water, sewage, and trash bill be sent to our office, in care of HomeRiver Group. Then, we can make sure the bill is paid out of your account. Once we’ve paid the bill, we charge the tenant for that amount.
Protecting Your Payment and your Property
After your tenant pays us the utility bill, we put it into your owner account. This ensures the bill gets paid on time and you don’t have any overdue charges or collection activities. With utilities, the city doesn’t care if your property is a rental. If the bill isn’t paid, they will put a lien on your property. So, our accounting department can make sure the bill is paid right away, and you’ll be reimbursed by your tenant.
As a best practice, this is the process we recommend to our property management clients.
If you have any questions about utility payments or anything pertaining to Sacramento property management, please don’t hesitate to contact us at HomeRiver Group. We’d be happy to assist you.
