The short answer
In US single-family rentals and individually-metered apartments: tenants pay electricity, gas, and internet; landlords pay water, sewer, and trash. The lease overrides this default. Master-metered buildings allocate via sub-metering or RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System). California, NY, MA, TX have specific tenant protections.
Who pays which utility is determined by the lease, but most US leases follow a default pattern: tenants pay electricity, gas, and internet; landlords pay water, sewer, and trash. The exceptions are extensive — master-metered buildings, sub-metered apartments, RUBS allocation, and varying state-specific rules. This guide walks the default rules and the exception cases.
The default split
In most US single-family rentals and individually-metered apartments, the default lease pattern is: tenant pays electricity, natural gas (if applicable), and internet/cable. Landlord pays water, sewer, garbage, and any HOA fees.
The logic: utilities that scale with usage (electricity, gas, internet) are tenant-controllable, so tenants pay. Utilities that are fixed-cost or hard to meter individually are landlord-paid and bundled into rent.
The lease overrides the default. Some leases bundle gas into rent (common in older buildings); some bundle electricity (Midwest and Northeast markets); some require tenants to pay water (newer construction).
Master-metered + RUBS + sub-metered
Master-metered apartments: the entire building has one utility meter. The landlord pays the bill and allocates costs to tenants. Two methods: sub-metering (each unit has its own sub-meter) and RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System — costs allocated by formula).
Sub-metering: similar economics to individual-metered. Each tenant pays for their own usage.
RUBS: more controversial. Costs allocated by formula, not actual usage. Tenants who use less subsidize tenants who use more. Some states (Texas, California) regulate RUBS; others allow it freely.
State-specific rules
California: landlords cannot disconnect utilities to evict — civil penalty for utility shutoff as eviction tactic. Tenants who pay master-metered utilities have specific rights.
New York: rent-stabilized apartments often include heat (gas) in rent. Sub-metering must be approved by NY PSC.
Texas: ERCOT REPs serve apartment complexes; some leases lock tenants into a specific REP. Massachusetts: landlords cannot pass through gas heat in master-metered buildings; if heat is master-metered, landlord pays. The how-to-set-up-electricity-new-apartment guide covers tenant setup.
Recap
Bottom line
Utility responsibility in US rental housing follows a fairly consistent default — tenants pay electricity, gas, and internet; landlords pay water, sewer, and trash — but the lease ultimately controls. Master-metered buildings allocate via sub-metering or RUBS; some states have specific tenant protections that override standard lease terms. Always read the utility responsibility section of your lease carefully before signing.
For renters in deregulated states with the meter in your name, you can shop competitive suppliers exactly like a homeowner. The how-to-set-up-electricity-new-apartment guide covers move-in setup; the roommate-utility-split-strategies guide covers shared-housing arrangements. Landlord shutoff as eviction tactic is illegal in every US state; if it happens, contact a tenant-rights attorney immediately.
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