1. Each unit will have a meter corresponding to the amount of water used for that unit. The owner or an agent for the owner (management company that is responsible for reading the meter and billing each tenant) then bills the tenant separately and directly.
Or 2. No meters are installed for each unit and the amount of usage is known only for the aggregate amount used for the entire building. Under this scenario, each unit is billed an equal amount no matter how much an individual unit uses.
The landlord is free to set the terms of the lease. The landlord can say it's an extra $15 a month if you want to breathe the air and 50 cents every time you flush the toilet. You are free to accept the terms, or try to negotiate better terms or go somewhere else if you don't think the terms are a good deal.
Unless the contract states water is included in the rent, then it's not. It appears your contract is going to state the fee for water. I don't know where you get that renting automatically comes with free utilities.
If they are being charged for the water that you use, they in turn can charge you for it. You can either pay the amount that you use according to the bill each time or you can accept a flat fee like what is being offered here. If water is not charged for then they can not charge you for it. Whatever you agree to pay for, just have it in the lease... if it is not in the lease then you are not expected to pay for it but the lease will say what IS included in your rent and if water is not listed then it will be your responsibility to get for yourself.
The contract should explicitly state what is and is not included in the rent (with regard to utilities). Ask for that information to be added BEFORE you sign.
If its not spelled out in the lease. Challenge it. I wouldn't sign it or move in until I had it in writing.
I just moved from California to Washington State...I have never been charged for water in California in all the years I have been renting. I went ot apply for an apartment and the rent is good but then she said "Oh and it's 40 for water and garbage" Then she goes on to say to just include it in the rent and we will separate the charges...That shi* sounds fishy as hell!! There is no where on the contract stating there is a charge for water.
Now I'm no fool but I am not going to tell her if I get the apartment that i will NOT be including the water bill in my rent check. I won't challenge this until i sign the lease and get the key lol! I will be paying the 670 rent and the 40 on separate money orders. I had been doing some research and one website states that an apartment landlord must have certain type of meters installed in order to charge tenants for water...this is an older building and I highly doubt that this building had up to standard water meters to do that...
Is charging for water legal?? If any one can suggest any websites that can give me the information I'm looking for to challenge the landlord please let me know. Now if they had just told me what the rent was and never told me about the water I would have just paid it and not know...so is it legal just because the landlord it telling people?? ANY info please!! THANKS!!!
