What to put on billing statement?

mobile home university
1

We have decided to create our own Excel/Word combo billing statements and have some questions about what to put on them. The VA we are using claims she can put any amount of info we want. My question is how much info to give residents about their water/sewer billing. Some possibilities:

  1. Previous month and current month meter readings.
  2. Dates of readings.
  3. Total usage.
  4. Nothing at all beyond the amounts they owe.

Do residents even care about this info? Does putting a lot of info on the statements open us up to potential liability or does such info protect us?

How much info do the rest of you give your residents regarding water/sewer charges?

Thanks.

2

OK, I just got an earful from the State association attorney, and it looks like I really need to do some serious CYA here. She wants me to put the following on the bills:

  1. Previous and current meter reads and the dates they were done.
  2. Usage in gallons even if the meters read in cubic feet.
  3. Bill exactly the same as the Village without any service charge even though I am allowed to charge one.

Talk about a PITA.

3

Did they say why you cannot charge a service fee even thought your state regulations allow one?

4

I am allowed to charge a small service charge, but chose not to. Both the association attorney and a 3rd party billing company warned me there is a lot going on in OH at the moment, and I like to stay under the radar. All I plan to do is to charge for the residents’ usage and nothing more.

5

For everybody else that’s also billing back water, how are you handling this? What are you putting on the invoice? I’m interested to know.

6

Our billing program puts the date read, previous reading, the current reading and the amount owed. The state requires us to have copies of the master bills onsite and available for tenants to review. I also put out a letter every time the utility rates change that shows how I calculate the utility usage. I ALWAYS allocate using the total number of lots, not the number occupied. I eat the vacant lots contributions. Otherwise, you will be changing what you charge with every move in, move out etc… too much brain damage for me…

7

Texas stipulates exactly the information that is required on the bills, and when you have someone move in you have to give them an information pamphlet about it so they know what to expect. Here’s an example, and will stick with the allocated method for consistency with Jim’s comments: https://www.puc.texas.gov/consumer/facts/factsheets/waterfacts/TenantGuideAllocatedService.pdf