FAQ's What does it cost to begin a recovery program? There are no upfront costs to begin a RUBS program with Metropolitan Utilities. In many instances, a submetering program can also be started with no capital outlay. How soon can I get started? Successful implementation can occur within 45 days of your registration. Can I add all of my residents to the program immediately? This depends on the type of leases you have with your residents. If your leases are month to month, a simple 30 notice will allow you to being recovery of your entire property. If your residents are in long-term leases, we advise that you wait until the lease is renewed. At that time you can add an addendum that specified they are now responsible for utility costs. Do I have to change my lease? It is advisable to change the lease wording for all new residents, and to either add an addendum to existing leases or change the wording upon renewal. We can provide you with a sample lease addendum upon request. How do I educate my residents? By utilizing our Resident Care package, you will have all the necessary information to inform your residents about the benefits they receive from a utility allocation program. How does my net operating income increase? In the simplest of terms, you receive money back from your residents for their utility expenses that you have been paying. Say that you have a $100 monthly water bill, and 20% of your property has common areas. You would pay the $100 to the utility company, and send a copy of the bill to Metropolitan Utilities. Metropolitan Utilities then invoices your residents for $80 plus a small service fee, and upon collection writes you a check for $80. Your actual net utility cost just went from $100 to $20. Is Metropolitan Utilities a utility? No. Metropolitan Utilities is a provider of reallocation solutions to property owners. We do not sell water, electricity or gas, we simply provide the tools to allow property owners to bill residents for these utility expenses. Why shouldn't I just increase my rent? Raising your rents does not help control the rising costs of the utility expense. The only way to insure that you have protection from these rapidly increasing costs is to remove them from your base rent and place the associated risk back with the resident. How does my property value increase? Because you are reducing your utility expenses, your net operating income increases. This recovered capital raises your properties value. Are there any legal issues I should be concerned about? The State of California has approved RUBS and submetering as methods for apartment owners to recover utility costs. As each state has unique regulations, Metropolitan Utilities stays current on legislation through it's own legal counsel and the National Submetering and Utility Allocation Association. Please contact us for more details.