Utilities in an apartment

[tigerlily]

The apt. complex I live in bundles their utilities and averages the total then tags that onto the base rent each month. My question is this is $155.00 per month for trash, water, elec, gas a bit much for an 850 sq. foot apt? Is this the norm? Do other apts do this or I have no way of knowing how much of these utilities I have used as the rental statement each month is not itemized nor I don't suppose it can be since one big bill is issued to the complex then divided by each unit. Just seems rather excessive to me. Each month this seems to go up even though the base rent stays the same.

[Red Arrow]

Not much incentive there to save energy.

[tigerlily]

I try to save energy but what I do makes no impact. Besides that  I just have to wonder how much the owner of the complex takes off the top. How much is actually paid to the utilities. I wonder if other complexes do this.

[sgrizzle]

Trash, water and sewer from the city for a house is about $60.
Even with zero gas usage you pay at least $12 to ONG.
That leaves $83 for electric which is not bad. My apartment electric bills were about $100.

[Hoss]

Trash, water and sewer from the city for a house is about $60.
Even with zero gas usage you pay at least $12 to ONG.
That leaves $83 for electric which is not bad. My apartment electric bills were about $100.

If it's just one or two people and you only use about 3000 gallons of water a month like I do, my City utility bill is just over $40 (this includes the fee for recycling and we are also noted as 'low refuse generators').

My apt electric bills were about the same, in the last apartment I had that was ALL electric (no gas anything), so I didn't have an ONG bill.

[tigerlily]

These replys just lead me to believe me that there is something just too fishy about this situation. This is an older locally owned complex and I would imagine that the mortgage was paid off years ago. I checked around and alot of complexes at least pay for water and trash pick up. It would do no good to go to management as I would get a run around. Most of the people here are seniors and on a fixed income I would imagine they are scratching their heads as well.

[dbacks fan]

These replys just lead me to believe me that there is something just too fishy about this situation. This is an older locally owned complex and I would imagine that the mortgage was paid off years ago. I checked around and alot of complexes at least pay for water and trash pick up. It would do no good to go to management as I would get a run around. Most of the people here are seniors and on a fixed income I would imagine they are scratching their heads as well.

If you don't mind my asking which complex is it? Almost sounds like the Villa Fontana or in that general vacinity.

[tigerlily]

I am not sure I should mention it I don't want to get sued but the complex is right off 51st near Harvard next to the Kmart.

[dbacks fan]

I am not sure I should mention it I don't want to get sued but the complex is right off 51st near Harvard next to the Kmart.

I think I know the ones you are refering to. I think this is a new trend for apartments. I am back in one again (long story) I have pay a portion of the water, waste water, trash and recycling and it comes to roughly $38.00 a month, electric is approx $138.00 average.

[tigerlily]

Well I guess I will have to live with this for the time being. My understanding at the start was that the bills would average out at about 126.00 per month and that seemed fine but this tremendous jump was quite a shock. If all of the utilities went up it would behoove all apt. managers/owners to at least notify the tennants so at least they can prepare. All of this just does not seem fair.

[dbacks fan]

Well I guess I will have to live with this for the time being. My understanding at the start was that the bills would average out at about 126.00 per month and that seemed fine but this tremendous jump was quite a shock. If all of the utilities went up it would behoove all apt. managers/owners to at least notify the tennants so at least they can prepare. All of this just does not seem fair.

They should have given you notification that a change was going to happen. Most utilities do this to let you know that your bill is going to change.

[swake]

Is there an new vacancy issue? Having fewer residents to divide the bill by could drive up the average cost, even as overall usage goes down.

[tigerlily]

Is there an new vacancy issue? Having fewer residents to divide the bill by could drive up the average cost, even as overall usage goes down.

Well now that thought had never occured to me. Could be I saw some tennants moving out here a while back. It is just so disappointing as I do like it here.

[Conan71]

Co-op utilities like you describe on apartments is a new concept to me, and yes your total bills (unless cable was in that) sounds high. Keep in mind though that you are splitting the cost with people who are home most of the day and who like to keep their apartment warmer (seniors).  It sounds like you are subsidizing the utility costs for the seniors if your usage is pretty low.  I would imagine the units are not the best insulated and the heating and cooling equipment is generally the least efficient as there's no incentive to the owner to re-insulate or put in more efficient heating and cooling units.

My house is about 1400 sq. ft. and my utilities this time of year run about $125 to $140.  I use a programmable thermostat and turn the water heater to "vacation" if I'm going to be gone more than a couple of days.

I lived at Sugarberry in the mid '80's.  At that time, the apartments I lived in were all electric and they paid the water/sewer/trash.  I paid the electric and cable.  Later I moved to Center Plaza (now Central Park condos) which was all bills paid.  They were on the Tri-Gen loop, so it was reliable heating/cooling and hot water.  A friend of mine lived in an apartment a couple of years ago and IIRC, her water assessment from the landlord was variable each month which was a new one on me.

The ones you want to avoid are all bills paid complexes as the owners generally don't maintain their boiler and chiller very well and if the boiler takes a dump, the entire complex is without heat and hot water.  If the chiller dies, you don't have air conditioning in the summer.  The mechanical rooms on those properties are amongst the worst I see.

[tigerlily]

Co-op utilities like you describe on apartments is a new concept to me, and yes your total bills (unless cable was in that) sounds high. Keep in mind though that you are splitting the cost with people who are home most of the day and who like to keep their apartment warmer (seniors).  It sounds like you are subsidizing the utility costs for the seniors if your usage is pretty low.  I would imagine the units are not the best insulated and the heating and cooling equipment is generally the least efficient as there's no incentive to the owner to re-insulate or put in more efficient heating and cooling units.

My house is about 1400 sq. ft. and my utilities this time of year run about $125 to $140.  I use a programmable thermostat and turn the water heater to "vacation" if I'm going to be gone more than a couple of days.

I lived at Sugarberry in the mid '80's.  At that time, the apartments I lived in were all electric and they paid the water/sewer/trash.  I paid the electric and cable.  Later I moved to Center Plaza (now Central Park condos) which was all bills paid.  They were on the Tri-Gen loop, so it was reliable heating/cooling and hot water.  A friend of mine lived in an apartment a couple of years ago and IIRC, her water assessment from the landlord was variable each month which was a new one on me.

The ones you want to avoid are all bills paid complexes as the owners generally don't maintain their boiler and chiller very well and if the boiler takes a dump, the entire complex is without heat and hot water.  If the chiller dies, you don't have air conditioning in the summer.  The mechanical rooms on those properties are amongst the worst I see.