By Daniel Sharabi
There is no question that Ratio Utility Billing Systems are a benefit to housing providers. Regardless, conversations around RUBS among uninformed housing providers can lead to confusion and misconceptions regarding Ratio Utility Billing Systems.
While more traditional methods, such as flat fees or equal splits, offer simplicity, they lack fairness and precision. Enter Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS), an ideal solution for a fair and streamlined billing process. Less-than-seasoned housing providers may share a laundry list of negatives they’ve heard regarding RUBS. Check out these common misconceptions of housing providers surrounding Ratio Utility Billing Systems that we are here to debunk.
MYTH #1: RESIDENTS WILL THINK I’M BEING UNFAIR
A concern among housing providers is that RUBS might not be perfectly fair. Residents who conserve utilities like water might end up subsidizing those who use more. This can lead to frustration and disputes. Explaining the logic behind the formula can be an uphill battle in the eyes of a housing provider.
Residents in well-maintained units with newer, more efficient dishwashers and low-flow showerheads might feel they’re subsidizing those who use more water, creating tension between residents and potentially leading to finger pointing and resentment toward the housing provider.
MYTH BUSTED
The right RUBS system can factor in square footage, occupancy and more so that billing is both
transparent and fair. Residents should be able to see how their bills are calculated and why the bill is what it is. Housing providers can also offer a “goodwill deduction” for any reason, including for a resident who has concerns about subsidizing other residents unfairly.
MYTH #2: COMPLIANCE WILL BE A HEADACHE
RUBS regulations can vary by location. Housing providers need to be sure they are following all the rules to avoid legal issues and many don’t want to take on that headache. Maintaining accurate records of occupancy changes, appliance upgrades, and historical usage data is crucial for a fair RUBS system. Housing providers may fear finding themselves dealing with the burden of meticulous record keeping to avoid legal trouble.
MYTH BUSTED
The right RUBS platform has compliance assistance built in. “At Livable, we provide a lease addendum for our housing providers so they are covered legally,” Sharabi explains. “Of course, housing providers need to make sure that they are in compliance with all local ordinances and regulations, but the lease addendum goes a long way toward achieving that.”
“We do always recommend that you check with your attorney before implementing RUBS for your residents, but our system is designed to aid with compliance for housing providers.”
“Livable Pro is so easy you can do it yourself,” Sharabi says. “We designed a user-friendly interface that makes it simple to set up RUBS. Just plug in the information as asked and you’re all set!”
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MYTH #3: IMPLEMENTING RUBS IS MORE TROUBLE THAN IT’S WORTH
Setting up RUBS properly requires choosing a fair formula, clearly communicating it to residents, and handling disputes fairly. This can take time and effort and many housing providers are reluctant to try.
MYTH BUSTED
“Livable Pro is so easy you can do it yourself,” Sharabi says. “We designed a user-friendly
interface that makes it simple to set up RUBS. Just plug in the information as asked and you’re all set!”
MYTH #4: RUBS IS ONLY FOR BIG COMPLEXES OR HIGH-RISES, NOT SMALL OWNERS LIKE ME
Some housing providers may believe that ratio utility billing only works or makes financial sense if you have a lot of units to bill.
MYTH BUSTED
“We created Livable Pro for the independent rental owner,” says Dan Sharabi, CEO of Livable. “Livable has never had unit minimums or a required commitment. We want housing providers to be able to hold residents accountable for their use, driving conservation, whether they have one rental unit or 1,000.”
CONCLUSION
Even with well-defined guidelines, disputes about RUBS bills may occur. Housing providers often fear being caught in the middle, mediating between residents who feel unfairly charged and the need to maintain a fair system for everyone. Housing providers considering RUBS should be prepared to navigate these potential resident concerns and ensure they have fully accessed the resources RUBS provides to effectively implement and manage the system. The reality is that the benefits of RUBS far outweigh the effort required for it to revolutionize your
billing. Ratio Utility Billing is a cost-effective way to allocate utilities, save you money and practice good conservation. Housing providers should explore the benefits of RUBS for themselves before listening to outside misconceptions.
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Provided by the Fair Housing Institute
An upsurge of tenants requesting reasonable accommodation due to allergies can create a challenges for rental housing providers.
There has been a noticeable upsurge of residents requesting reasonable accommodations due to allergies. This is likely due to an increase in people suffering from both chemical and environmental sensitivities. A resident requesting accommodation due to allergies can create a challenging situation for the housing provider. This raises two questions:
- Are properties required to offer reasonable accommodations for allergies?
- If yes, what are some best practices to follow?
What Criteria Do Allergies Need to Meet?
In order to determine if an allergy meets the criteria for a reasonable accommodation, we must first determine if the allergy qualifies as a disability. The Fair Housing Act defines a disability as a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
For most of us with allergies, while the reactions may be uncomfortable, it is probably reasonable to state that those reactions do not “substantially limit one or more major life activity,” thereby rising to the level of a disability.
To help you determine whether the allergies meet the criteria, you need to have reasonable-accommodation request and verification forms that can be filled out by a third-party verifier. It is okay for your reasonable-accommodation forms to highlight the difference between a disability and an impairment. Your forms can also include a section for the verifier to provide pertinent information regarding allergy testing to determine what the tenant is allergic to. It is important to note that only a third-party verifier can make the determination if the allergy is in fact a disability and what accommodations need to be met.
If the allergy is not a disability, then management is not legally required to accommodate the resident. On the other hand, if the allergy results in the resident’s throat closing and hives, these symptoms would probably be considered a fairly substantial limitation to major life activities and would meet the criteria for a reasonable accommodation. Now you are faced with how, and to what extent, modifications can be offered. This can be especially difficult in a multifamily setting.
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Creating a Reasonable Accommodation Plan
Once a reasonable-accommodation request has been verified, it is time to create a plan that addresses the needs of the resident. The housing provider wants to provide reasonable accommodations, while also not limiting the use of chemicals and products by other residents and staff, particularly those that are critical to building maintenance. This is where open communication to discuss alternatives is critical between the resident, the property owner or manager, and the verifier. HUD and the courts now view the “interactive process” as an essential step by housing providers during the reasonable-accommodation process, whether the property plans to deny or offer the resident an alternative accommodation. Documenting the plan is also a critical best practice and ensures that everyone clearly understands the plan.
Fair Housing Training Is a Must
Dealing with reasonable-accommodation requests can be quite dynamic. Regular Fair Housing training is a must for property-management professionals. Property-management professionals are best served when regularly trained to identify the issues and then discuss them as a team. If you are not clear on the legal requirements, reach out to a qualified fair housing attorney. The more you know, the better you will be when dealing with complex reasonable accommodation requests.
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By Ryan Squires
While most of us are used to paying rent on a standard schedule due on the 1st of the month, more landlords have recently offered flexible options to suit tenants’ needs. A flexible, or partial rent payment, allows tenants to pay their rent in a way that more closely matches their life or work situation.
In this article, we’ll cover just about everything there is to know about flexible rent payments, from what they are to how to set them up.
Key Insights
- Landlords can set up flexible rent payments on any cadence a landlord, and tenant agrees to. Depending on the specific arrangement, tenants can make payments bi-weekly, weekly, or semimonthly (1st and 15th of the month)
- Offering partial rent payments to tenants can create goodwill between landlords and tenants by providing a customizable arrangement. It can attract new tenants, especially in places with a high number of gig workers or freelancers.
- Many flexible payment apps are on the market, but TurboTenant makes collecting rent payments, partial or not, easy, and the service is free for landlords.
Understanding Flexible Rent Payments
An increasing number of landlords have offered flexible rent payments in recent years, and many tenants find the arrangement more manageable due to increasing housing costs and non-traditional work schedules.
Landlords could arrange a few different types of flexible rent payment options depending on the tenant’s situation. It’s important for both landlords and tenants that the specific payment schedule is laid out clearly in the lease agreement to ensure no misunderstandings or miscommunications.
Typically, a partial rent payment arrangement would look like this:
- Weekly or bi-weekly payments: Smaller, more frequent installments for rent payments can be more manageable for tenants who find budgeting one lump sum every month challenging.
- Split payments or semimonthly: Rent could be split into two or more monthly payments. For instance, tenants could pay half their rent on the 1st and the other half on the 15th.
- Custom schedule: If a tenant’s paycheck follows a non-traditional payment schedule, a custom schedule might be arranged where payments are sent in lump sums at suitable intervals for both parties.
- Pay-as-you-go: The least common flexible rent payment scenario is when tenants only pay for the time they spend using the property.
Benefits of Flexible Rent Payments
There are several ways flexible rent payments can benefit tenants and landlords.
Tenants
A flexible rent payment plan can help tenants who receive bi-weekly or irregular paychecks. Instead of paying one lump sum every month, portioning out rent paid over the month can alleviate a financial burden and make it less likely that they’ll miss a payment or incur late fees.
Many tenants appreciate this flexibility, which can lead to high satisfaction and retention levels.
Landlords
Partial rent payments adhering to a precise schedule can help reduce the risk of late or missed rent payments, allowing landlords to anticipate cash flow more fully and accurately. A consistent cash flow over the month can help cover costs that crop up suddenly.
Offering a flexible rent payment schedule can also attract a broader range of tenants, especially in areas with a high concentration of gig workers or freelancers paid on non-traditional schedules.
Potential Drawbacks of Flexible Rent Payments
While there’s a lot to be said for a flexible rent payment scenario, it may not be ideal for everyone.
For landlords with a significant number of units, allowing many tenants to pay rent on a flexible schedule can become unwieldy and complicated to track, especially when tenants are on different flexible payment schedules.
Regardless of the number of units, tracking different payment timings can become an administrative challenge, forcing landlords to devote valuable time to bookkeeping and cash flow management compared to a standard rent arrangement.
Additionally, while no federal laws prohibit flexible rent payments, there could be restrictions depending on where the rental property is located or if a governmental housing program subsidizes the property.
For instance, if a rental unit is governed under a Homeowners’ Association (HOA), the HOA guidelines might prohibit non-traditional rent payment schedules.
Landlords should ensure that local guidelines allow for flexible rent payments if there’s tenant interest.
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Setting Up Partial Rent Payments: A Guide for Landlords
Landlords interested in setting up flexible tenant rent payments should evaluate the financial impact before jumping in. Understanding the cash flow rate against weekly or monthly expenses is crucial to satisfying obligations like mortgages, property taxes, and maintenance costs.
Once the financial implications are fully understood, landlords must determine how comfortable they are collecting partial rent payments and by which frequency. Will payment schedules be customized per tenant? Is it better to establish a weekly or bi-monthly cadence? Is it best to use a payment processor to handle rent?
If a landlord feels comfortable with partial payments and can adequately track and account for them, they should make any necessary adjustments to their lease agreements. The language explaining the flexible rent schedule should be clear and concise, and the timing, method of payment, and penalties for missed or late payments should be thoroughly outlined.
Or should a landlord filter everything into a flexible rent payment app, like TurboTenant’s mobile app, to streamline the process and keep all rent and property-related expenses contained in one rental accounting software?
For landlords wishing to switch existing tenants to a flexible plan, addendums can be signed by both parties and added to the lease for all future payments.
Using Flexible Rent Payments: A Guide for Tenants
For tenants who find themselves in or are looking to explore a partial rent payment agreement, it’s crucial to fully understand the terms of the arrangement as outlined in the lease.
If this is a new option tenants are exploring with their landlord, taking stock of your financial situation and paycheck schedule will help to dictate how often it makes sense to make a partial rent payment. Communicate with your landlord about the plan and discuss options that make the most sense for all parties. Landlords are often willing to work with their tenants to make sure that rent is paid on time.
Additionally, tenants can encourage their landlords to use a property management app like TurboTenant to help them track and schedule all upcoming rent payments automatically.
While we’re all familiar with paying rent on the 1st of every month, a bi-monthly or other partial payment schedule could quickly become more complicated. However, using a dedicated rental app makes it easy to set up recurring payments without regularly checking in and updating payment options.
How TurboTenant Supports Flex Rent Payments
TurboTenant is a fully featured landlord software platform designed to make the rental experience easy and painless for landlords and tenants across the United States. While the thought of implementing a potentially complicated partial rent payment scenario might seem overwhelming, TurboTenant streamlines the rent collection process to make it simple to set up and even easier to implement.
Within the platform, landlords can set up a payment schedule for their tenants and send automated reminders each month before the rent is due.
Further, TurboTenant offers granular control over partial rent payments for flexible rent schedules that occur in lump sums throughout the month. All financial information is tracked per unit and tenant to make it easy for landlords to quickly determine who has paid, what rent might be outstanding, and when to expect the next payment.
By offering mobile apps for landlords and tenants, TurboTenant makes communicating directly within the app simple, eliminating missed text messages and phone calls, and creating a paper trail of communication should problems arise.
Regardless of your property management needs, TurboTenant is here to assist you every step of the way. So, sign up for a free account today to see how TurboTenant can make your investment easy and profitable.
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