Cleveland Water Bills - How To Handle?

Question

Appreciate suggestions on how to handle the dilemma:  1.  City is not helpful, bills must be incorrect with hundreds of $$ but refusing to assist and 2.  Low income rentals where rent is only $600-$800 and water bills can be $200+ ?  Thanks.

Robert Matelski · Answer

I don't blame you for being frustrated, Pam. You should probably start with making sure you have an online Cleveland Water account (http://www.clevelandwater.com/), and take a look at the detailed usage. If there is steady usage all day every day, then there is likely a leak that needs to be addressed. If there are periods of little or no usage and then big spikes, however, then you've just got a heavy-water-using tenant on your hands... lots of laundry, outlandishly long showers, etc. Though $200+ per unit is not super common, it's also not unheard of... especially with lower income tenants. I have tenants ranging from extremely low income (section 8) to 6-figure-earning professionals... and the low income tenants' usage is nearly always the highest whereas the high earners' usage is nearly always the lowest. If you've got multi-family properties where there's a single meter, then you're pretty much just stuck with the situation for now. If you've got SFRs, however, then you might consider (at least for future leases) billing back to tenants (assuming your properties are in areas that are C grade or better). I actually have more I can share on the topic of utilities in the Cleveland market if you're interested... if so just shoot me a DM.

Brian Garlington · Answer

I'm not saying I have done this Pam........but I have "heard" that the first thing some people do is have their PM get rid of the exterior spigots on the properties. As another poster suggested you should have the Cleveland Water account in your name.....You may also have a leak somewhere and the tenant won't necessarily care about a leak because they aren't paying the water bills.

Pam Storm · Answer

Thanks @Andrew Weiner @Darius Ogloza @Brian Garlington @Robert Matelski !  Robert I am sending you a DM too.  Much appreciated, will post back on how it plays out.

Andrew Weiner · Answer

Is the property in Cleveland proper or in a suburb?  Is this a single family or multi family?   Is your renter section 8 or another subsidized voucher? Does your lease have any provisions about excessive water usage or leak reporting requirements?

As others have said, if you can add an addendum to the lease at your next renewal that adds at least part of the water and sewer bill to the tenant then they are much more apt to report leaks. I have been successful in lowering utility builds with some capital upgrades and billing back tenants.

Darius Ogloza · Answer

I have seen duplex water bills exceed $1,000 in jurisdictions where you pay quarterly.  There is little or no incentive for the renter to attend to a running toilet or an outdoor spigot (as Brian Garlington observes above).  You PM - assuming you have one - needs to keep a close eye on this.

Cleveland Water Bills - How To Handle?

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