 Water bill skyrockets (by Db [OR]) Mar 20, 2023 10:47 AM
 Water bill skyrockets (by Nicole [PA]) Mar 20, 2023 11:43 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by Vee [OH]) Mar 20, 2023 11:44 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by don [PA]) Mar 20, 2023 11:54 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by Robert,OntarioCanada [ON]) Mar 20, 2023 11:58 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by W [CA]) Mar 20, 2023 12:34 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by Ken [NY]) Mar 20, 2023 12:38 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by Jim in O C [CA]) Mar 20, 2023 1:25 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by Jo [CT]) Mar 20, 2023 2:07 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by zero [IN]) Mar 20, 2023 5:00 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by Tony [NJ]) Mar 20, 2023 6:52 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by Busy [WI]) Mar 20, 2023 9:19 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Mar 21, 2023 2:02 PM
Water bill skyrockets (by W [CA]) Mar 22, 2023 12:47 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by Tony [NJ]) Mar 22, 2023 7:49 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by Nicole [PA]) Mar 22, 2023 10:46 AM
Water bill skyrockets (by Db [OR]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 10:47 AM
Message:
My water sewer bill at duplex rental has gotten sky high. Only one person in each side. How many of you are still paying for water. I don't have separate meters so it is hard. --72.19.xx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Nicole [PA]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 11:43 AM
Message:
If permitted in your state, divide it by 3 and charge each side.
$300 water bill is paid $100 by tenant A, $100 by tenant B and $100 by you. Then, no one is accusing anyone else of using more than their share or less usage than the other side. --98.237.xxx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 11:44 AM
Message:
Get in and check for a toilet running, fix with flapper free system. --76.190.xxx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by don [PA]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 11:54 AM
Message:
Nicole---Dividing the bill equally would hardly eliminate tenants claiming that the others were using more than an equal share and were driving up the bill. "The bill is so high because Suzy takes long showers!" "No, the bill is so high because Amy has her two kids living with her and they are all using the water." "No, the bill is so high because Bob has his girlfriend over and she does her wash there." --73.141.xxx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Robert,OntarioCanada [ON]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 11:58 AM
Message:
Flapper type toilet often leak where it is better to buy a Niagara Flapperless toilet which is easy to swap out. Can find on internet where can buy. If using Uponor commercial pex piping then can buy two water meters on Amazon then can monitor water consumption for each rental unit. Another option is buy a leak sentry fill valve which is difficult to set up where if the toilet flapper leaks then fill valve will not fill until lever is pressed down where change both toilet flappers then clean all surfaces before installing. Check faucets for leaks where a better option to use ceramic disk faucets which do require constent washer seat replacement. View some videos on You Tube about the leak sentry fill valve and Niagara Flapperless toilets. With rentals tenants do not care about a leaky toilet. Even with cost of buying a new flapperless toilet which has low water consumption over time will pay off. --68.69.xxx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by W [CA]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 12:34 PM
Message:
Get all utilities out of your name and let the Ts pay for their own usage - especially important in rent control areas. Install a separate water meter and separate the plumbing and let the water utility company deal with your tenants. --68.7.xx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Ken [NY]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 12:38 PM
Message:
You need to go in and determine why so much more water is being used Chances are good the toilet flapper is bad so change them even if they dont look bad.Also you may find a leak in a pipe in basement or tub,sinks etc. does it look like one of the tenants moved in a family? how many toothbrushes? outside hoses seem to be running?someone seem to be washing cars? --74.77.xx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Jim in O C [CA]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 1:25 PM
Message:
I do not pay for any utilities for the simple reason a tenant could run the water 24- 7 and make the place a refrigerator in the summer and a sauna in the winter. By law I can not turn off the utilities. --99.23.xxx.x |
Water bill skyrockets (by Jo [CT]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 2:07 PM
Message:
In my town, the water dept will come out and read the meter to see if it's spinning due to water usage.
Get a time from your water department if possible, to come and check the water meter, then let your tenants know when that time will be.
Have them make sure no water is being used when they are there, so they can check the meter.
If no water is being used, and the meter spins, then unknowingly, there might be a running toilet, or pipe leak somewhere.
My water dept is very good about checking for this kind of issue.
--68.191.xx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by zero [IN]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 5:00 PM
Message:
Sometimes the water department is too busy so I check myself. I can do it during a time that tenants aren't there or simply tell them to not use anything for a minute.
Last place my kid was at had an issue. Main line right at the house sprung a leak. Small town water department sent a guy out to check for a leak. Meter was spinning like crazy. He went to the door but nobody was home. The Ring doorbell caught him. My kid sent me a pic and asked if I knew him. I happened to know he worked for the town.
I went over and found him. He told me what was going on. I turned the water off at the meter and found the problem was mine but outside. Got a crew in to dig it up and repair it next day.
Still a big water bill but they worked with tenant on it. They also have my contact info (again) for that one and the others in town. Just in case. --107.147.xx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Tony [NJ]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 6:52 PM
Message:
What Vee and Robert said is the likely cause. Ask your tenants to lift off the top of the tank and take a photo. If the water reaches the top, the incoming supply line is not completely shutting off when the tank fills - after a flush. Or - if they occasionally hear the toilet run - like a small partial flush - then it's likely the flapper or (flapper) ring letting water slowly seep from the tank into the bowl.
From my experiance with multi-units on 1 meter, usage should be 2,000 - 2,500 gallons per month for 2 people. --73.215.xxx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Busy [WI]) Posted on: Mar 20, 2023 9:19 PM
Message:
I went back and forth this fall catching a few things, leaky flap ( that I had replaced two years ago, but THIS TIME I spotted that that particular model of toilet takes a special flap, not a universal flap from that same brand, then spotted a drippy bathroom faucet, and while checking things, I moved the tenants washing machine drain line. Tenant moved it back again; I would agree neither spot was perfect. Water bill went up, then up again. Then I spotted, when the washer hose discharged, it bumped the laundry tub faucet handle. I got some zip ties and moved things carefully this time. Finally, after weekly meter readings, we're back on track to tenant's very consistent water use. Btw, this tenant is very good at catching things like ghost flushing, or faucet drips. It was the random force of the laundry discharge hose causing much of the trouble.
And, there is still a slow drip where the dielectric union connects the old galvanized to the newer copper outside hose bib. Oi, yai, yai... never ends.
Nicole, I don't have multi families, but that three way split on a duplex is so clever. Tenant's each only pay a third, not a half. Less complaints about other occupants using too much.
DB, good luck in your search. Sometimes its a goofy puzzle. --70.92.xxx.xxx |
Water bill skyrockets (by mapleaf18 [NY]) Posted on: Mar 21, 2023 2:02 PM
Message:
Tony, I WISH! One of my duplexes, no leaks, no hosebibs uses 18000 units (gallons) every 3 months for a total of 3 people total in the unit. Two down and one up. I have a feeling it is most likely the people downstairs who are taking very long baths/showers every day. --64.246.xxx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by W [CA]) Posted on: Mar 22, 2023 12:47 AM
Message:
Mapleaf, I had a strangely high water bill years ago - walking by one day I noticed a sign on the door of an apartment: Hot Shower $5. Apparently everyone in the neighborhood who was living in an RV, car or tent was taking hot showers on my dime. I then installed separate water meters etc. A month or so later, the T was complaining about her $400 utility bill saying it went from $40 to $400 and the utility bills were insane! I told her, I know exactly how you feel! My new bill for her utilities - $0 Also noticed the sign came down and the shower was going around the clock anymore.
How many subtenants or bums are taking showers and baths in your rental??? --201.140.xxx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Tony [NJ]) Posted on: Mar 22, 2023 7:49 AM
Message:
Mapleleaf - last year I sold a 16 unit building purchased in 2004.
All studios, all single occupants, no dishwashers, laundry, outside hose bibs. 16,000 gallons / month.
If the usage went up, I sent a text to everyone asking if they had drips or leaks. If I didn't get any reports, I arranged in advance for a door-to-door inspection.
That's where I got my stat from. Your local water company may have average per-person stats with or without extra appliances. Good luck. --73.215.xxx.xx |
Water bill skyrockets (by Nicole [PA]) Posted on: Mar 22, 2023 10:46 AM
Message:
don, that's why the property owner pays 1/3 also ... to absorb that over/under from each tenant. Is it perfect? Nope but I've been doing it that way for close to 20 years (when I got mad about something being over the top - can't remember exactly what it was) and no complaints yet. --98.237.xxx.xx |
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