Submetering & Tenant Billing Service
Install submeters and bill tenants for actual utility usage
Overview
Submetering services charge $5-$15 per unit monthly for billing or $300-$1,500 for meter installation.
Serving 1,000-5,000 units generates $200,000-$1,200,000 annually with 60-80% margins.
In 2025, property owners use submetering for fair billing.
Services include submeter installation ($300-$1,500 per unit), monthly meter reading and billing ($5-$15 per unit monthly), tenant usage reporting, late payment collections, meter maintenance, and utility cost recovery.
Successful providers install and maintain accurate meters, provide monthly billing to tenants, handle tenant questions and disputes, ensure regulatory compliance, and enable property owners to recover utility costs.
Apartment and commercial property owners as clients.
Marketing through property management companies, apartment associations, multifamily real estate, and commercial property owners.
Required Skills
- Submetering Systems
- Electrical/Plumbing
- Billing Systems
- Regulatory Compliance
- Property Management
- Customer Service
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Recurring monthly billing revenue per unit
- Property owners benefit from cost recovery
- Can scale to thousands of units
- Equipment sales and recurring billing
- Growing submetering adoption
Cons
- Meter installation costs upfront
- Regulatory compliance varies by state
- Tenant disputes and customer service
- Property owner sales cycle long
- Competition from utility companies
How to Get Started
- Learn submetering regulations in your area
- Partner with meter manufacturers
- Develop billing and reading systems
- Market to property owners and managers
- Install submeters in units
- Read meters and bill tenants monthly
- Provide ongoing meter maintenance
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