A simple solution to a complex problem that minimises conflict for an easy life
There’s an old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”, that certainly seems to have come true today. Times are very interesting indeed. Which is why, right now, most people just want an easy life. They don’t want conflict or complexity or arguments. They do want simplicity, accessibility and control. This is particularly true in the property rental space where conflict can arise out of nowhere and damage relationships with neighbours.
“When living in a multi-tenanted property like a housing estate or apartment building, disputes over utility bills and splitting the costs for common use areas can cause bitter arguments,” says Citiq Prepaid managing director Michael Franze. “The lack of transparency leads to a lack of trust. These disputes over electricity bills are a problem in the property industry and can cost people more than just a heated debate. They can cost time, money and relationships.”
The problem is that most municipalities will only provide one electricity council meter per property so landlords and tenants have limited options. They can split the bill pro rata, which can result in overuse and conflict. They can install their own kwH meters and read them every month, but that takes a lot of admin and a lack of tenant trust can result in disputed readings. And at the end of the process, the landlord is still responsible for the bill, whether or not the arguing tenants paid their share.
“A sub-metering solution resolves all these problems in one simple swoop,” says Franze. “They are transparent, the tenant has control over their individual usage, the landlord receives the money paid by the tenants on a set date so they can pay the final bill without worry, and everyone can easily understand how the system works. Tenants track their consumption and only pay for what they use, completely bypassing the need for hallway arguments and neighbour frustration.”
Sub-metering is transparent and reliable, removing the cause of the conflict completely and giving everybody exactly what they want right now – an easy life.
Article originally appeared in Premier Magazine