Services the tenant commonly opens
A tenant may be expected to open electricity, internet, or another individually metered account. Even common arrangements are not universal.
- Find the lease clause for electricity.
- Confirm whether internet is optional, included, or property-billed.
- Ask which provider serves the exact unit.
- Confirm the date each tenant account must begin.
Services the property may include or allocate
Water, sewer, trash, pest service, or internet may be included in rent, charged as a separate property fee, or allocated from a shared account. Ask for the written calculation and billing schedule instead of assuming “included” means free or unlimited.
Use a renter utility checklist
Turn every service into a written answer before move-in.
- Who bills electricity?
- Who bills water and sewer?
- Where does trash and recycling go?
- Can the tenant choose an internet provider?
- Are any accounts shared or allocated?
- Are deposits, connection charges, or equipment charges due?
- Who handles outages and building-system repairs?
Keep billing and maintenance separate
Paying a utility bill does not automatically make the tenant responsible for repairing a building system. Follow the lease’s maintenance process and report urgent problems through the designated channel.