Learn About Submetering Systems

Ratio-Utility-Billing (RUBS) Program

The Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS) is one of the utility management services offered by Commercial Water & Energy (CWE). As part of this program, residents are billed according to a ratio utility calculation based on pre-established criteria. This RUBS process consists of:

1. CWE “Client Service Department” will contact your management staff to establish resident billing information.
2. That information is entered into our utility billing software and prepared for billing.
3. CWE will meet with your management and leasing staff to provide training, answer questions, and confirm billing information and bill format.
4. CWE works with your staff to establish trash charge, service charge, delinquent penalty assessment date, election to send delinquency notices, etc. in states or municipalities that allow these charges.
5. The ratio utility calculation is then made monthly after the receipt of the municipal water supplier billing or a time most convenient for you.
6. Within three days of the bill approval, the residents are billed for their ratio utility consumption and allowed seventeen days in which to send payment. At this time, your bill register will be made available on CWE’s secure website for review.

Utility Expense Management with CWE

The records kept through our software make it easy to manage and track all billing and payment information. If residents are behind on payments, and you have requested CWE administer notices, delinquency notices will be sent on the seventeenth day after the billing date. All such notices and aging summaries are made available on CWE’s secure administrative dashboard for your review. Stronger notices to subsequent delinquent accounts will be processed if needed.

After completion of each billing cycle, all accounts are swept for payments received. All funds received minus any billing charges are then transferred to the asset via direct deposit or certified funds. Based on your input our staff alerts property management as well as a corporate designee of your choosing to the potential collections situation. We then work with your staff to determine the best course of action through a variety of options.

This cycle begins again with new bills printed, mailed, and any delinquent accounts assessed for penalty and interest payments owed. The utility bill payment services CWE provides is put in place to ensure utilities collections are done efficiently to help you lower costs and conserve energy.

Implementing a submetering solution for gas, water, or electricity in your rental property requires two important steps: choosing the right meter reading equipment and proper installation by a licensed professional. Commercial Water & Energy (CWE) works with licensed and insured installation contractors that meet CWE’s high quality standards. In fact, CWE has access to a 600-truck fleet of installation and maintenance professionals with specialized experience servicing the multi-tenant industry. Once installation is complete, your property will be ready to begin the utility billing process and you will be able to start recapturing this substantial monthly operating expense.