A commonly used billing system can allow landlords to quietly shift building utility costs onto tenants. Tenants say it’s time to break open the black box.
Los Angeles tenants are challenging the growing use of a system that divides a building's total utility costs among tenants using undisclosed formulas. Tenants say the system allows landlords to pass all water, sewer, and trash expenses onto renters, even when leaks or inefficiencies are to blame, giving landlords no incentive to make repairs or invest in energy upgrades.
In one LA apartment complex, tenants organized a utility strike and won $25,000 in refunds and lower monthly bills. Still, residents face unpredictable utility costs and little transparency.
Advocates warn that the system is spreading across California as a workaround to rent caps, and they are calling for laws that require clear billing to prevent landlords from charging tenants for building inefficiencies.
Read the full story: LA Tenants’ Strikes Forced a Major Landlord to Refund Opaque Utility Fees. Their Fight Isn’t Over.
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