national multiple family submetering and allocation billing program ...

Table 4.8 Issues considered before converting to a separate billing system
What did you consider when thinking about converting?* † In-rent (or HOA) Properties
Too expensive 54.7%
It conserves water usage by residents 52.5%
Increased profitability of property 28.5%
Resident resistance 37.4%
It is the least expensive way to bill for water 10.1%
It is the easiest way to bill for water usage 9.5%
We must comply with local laws and regulations 3.4%
Prohibited by law 1.7%
Other 16.8%
Don't know 3.9%
Number N=179
* Percents may add to more than 100% as respondents could give more than one answer.
†
Only asked of those in-rent or HOA properties who considered converting
Which of the following are
residents billed individually
for?*
Table 4.9 Other services for which residents are billed
In-rent
(or
HOA)
Hot
water
hybrid Other Total
Submetered
RUBS
Electric 84.1% 93.8% 93.4% 100.0% 75.0% 87.4%
Natural gas/heating oil 26.9% 51.5% 21.9% 33.3% 50.0% 28.7%
Garbage 3.7% 31.5% 19.1% 37.5% 25.0% 10.7%
Don't know 1.0% .0% .0% .0% .0% .7%
Other 7.3% 10.8% 12.5% 8.3% .0% 8.8%
None 17.2% 16.9% 13.7% 20.8% 25.0% 16.6%
Number N=806 N=130 N=256 N=24 N=4 N=1220
* Percents may add to more than 100% as respondents could give more than one answer.
Not all properties that charge separately for water use a third party billing service
company to handle the billing. Among the impact properties, RUBS (60%) and hot water hybrid
properties (78%) were more likely to use a third-party billing company than were submetered
properties (45%). This result indicates that a number of submetered properties are either billed
by the local water provider or by the property owner or management company. Result are shown
in Table 4.10. It should be noted that in Table 4.10 there are some inconsistencies, for instance
7.0% of respondents that said that they were billed by RUBS also said that no one billed them for
water usage, rather it was included in-rent or HOA dues. This is likely due to the respondent
misinterpreting the survey question.
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