national multiple family submetering and allocation billing program ...

When asked why they were dissatisfied, the most common complaint was about the
accuracy of reported water consumption; mentioned by 38% of all dissatisfied residents, but 60%
of hot water hybrid residents, 42% of RUBS residents, and 22% of submetered residents.
Twenty-eight percent of dissatisfied residents indicated they disliked the rates paid for water or
paying for other residents’ or the complex’s water use. Among those living in RUBS properties,
35% mentioned paying for other water use as a source of discontent, and an additional 18% said
they did not like that the water bill was not based on their actual usage. Nineteen percent of
dissatisfied residents were also unhappy about the service charge added to their water bill. These
results are presented in Table 4.17.
Table 4.17 Residents reasons for dissatisfaction with water billing method
Hot water
Why are you dissatisfied?* Submetered RUBS hybrid Total
Accuracy of reported water consumption 22.2% 41.5% 60.0% 38.3%
Rates 27.8% 28.0% 30.0% 27.8%
Paying for other's/complex 11.1% 35.4% 0.0% 27.8%
Service charge 33.3% 15.9% 20.0% 19.1%
Not based on my actual usage 11.1% 18.3% 0.0% 14.8%
Billing method/calculation unclear 16.7% 9.8% 10.0% 12.2%
Late fees 11.1% 9.8% 10.0% 9.6%
Based on square footage, not occupants 0.0% 6.1% 0.0% 4.3%
No incentive to conserve 0.0% 4.9% 0.0% 3.5%
Other 50.0% 47.6% 80.0% 51.3%
Number N=18 N=82 N=10 N=115
* Percents may add to more than 100% as respondents could give more than one answer.
Surveyed Resident Characteristics
Reported demographic characteristics of residents are shown in the Table 4.18. Among
properties with an in-rent or HOA water billing method, 28% of surveyed residents owned their
unit. This was somewhat lower among residents in submetered properties (21%), and much
lower among residents of RUBS (3%) and hot water hybrid properties (1%). All the utilitysubmetered
units were renter-occupied.
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