Utilities what is included

If you live in a regulated state or area, your utility company may also bill you for your water and sewage on your electric bill. Another utility bill homeowners have to pay is for waste removal. This bill typically includes the cost to dispose of your garbage, recyclables and organic waste. Depending on your city, you may have different bins for the different types of waste, which are sometimes picked up at different rates. The collection of recyclables may be handled by a different authority and billed separately.

Typically, recyclables will be picked up at a cheaper rate, which can save you money, especially if you can reduce the frequency of your regular garbage pickups or if you can switch to a smaller garbage cart. The monthly garbage cost is set by the city. Depending on your city or county you may have one or two free bulk, brush or appliance collections per year. In regulated areas, your utility company may include the cost for waste removal and related costs as a city service, for example on your water bill.

In some areas, trash pick up and recycling services may be included with other city or town fees. Rental Management. Company News. Product Updates. Apartment List Blog. Share this Article. By: Justin Chaplin and Davina Ward. June 11, What Utilities Are Included?

Pros of Including Utility Costs in Rent There are some major pros when your utility costs are baked into your rent. Here are some other pros of including the utilities in your rent. Cons of Including Utility Costs in Rent Despite all of the pros of rent included in your utilities, there are some downsides. Justin Chaplin. Justin is a Content Manager and contributing author at Apartment List, helping people navigate the world of renting. Read More. Davina Ward.

Davina Ward is a contributing author at Apartment List and freelance writer specializing in real estate and digital marketing. She received her B. If the lease stipulates that the tenant will cover water, the landlord will often keep the water in their name and bill the tenant separately.

Almost every aspect of a lease is negotiable, so you can certainly ask a landlord to cover specific utility bills. Landlords generally prefer to have fixed expenses that are predictable, so you will probably be better off trying to get a rent discount than to have your landlord pay for more utilities. If you still prefer to bundle utilities into the rent, you should take a look at the average cost of utilities in your area.

By doing this, you can get a better idea of how much of a rent adjustment is fair. Paying your utility bills is relatively easy.

The process starts right after you sign a lease, with getting utilities set up or switched over to your name. The landlord pays for some utilities, like water and trash, and you pay for others, like electricity and gas.

Internet, cable, and phone service are also considered utilities, but these are always your responsibility. The exception to this rule of thumb is subletting —in this case, the master lease holder may already have internet and cable in place, and invoice the subletter monthly to cover the bill. The following factors can affect your utilities cost:. Apartment size —how many square feet are you powering, heating, and cooling? Appliances —dishwashers and in-unit laundry are luxurious, but they will also increase your utility cost.

Light fixtures —Are the fixtures in the unit compatible with energy saving bulbs? Specialty bulbs can run up your power bill. You can use a website like numbeo. To set up utilities, find out which providers are in your area via a quick Google search or asking your landlord. Then, either sign up on the utility company website, or via phone by providing your name, address, and other personal information. You can also set up autopay, or opt to receive paper bills in the mail.