The rent was agreed months ago. Then the first utility bill arrives and nobody is quite sure whose line item that is.
Short answer: the contract decides. By common practice the tenant pays for what they consume — electricity, water, gas by meter — and the owner keeps capital-repair contributions and property tax, which attach to owning rather than living there.
Where the line usually falls
- Tenant. Metered consumption: electricity, water, gas. Usually also internet and any service the tenant orders themselves.
- Owner. Capital-repair contributions and property tax — these follow ownership, not occupancy.
- Negotiable. Building maintenance and heating, which is exactly where most disputes start. Put it in writing.
Three schemes you will meet
- All-inclusive rent. One number every month. Predictable for the tenant; owners price the risk in, so it is usually the most expensive option.
- Rent plus metered use. The most common and the fairest — you pay for what you actually use.
- Rent plus the entire utility bill. Cheapest headline rent, least predictable month to month, especially over a heating season.
On move-in day
- Photograph every meter and record the readings in the handover act.
- Ask for confirmation that there is no outstanding balance on the account.
- Agree who physically pays and by what date each month.
- Keep receipts — they are what settles a disagreement later.
Splitting it between roommates
Once you know what the flat owes, dividing it is a separate question — see splitting utilities with roommates and splitting rent by room size.
This is general practice, not legal advice — your contract and local rules govern. For a live dispute, consult a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays utilities?
The contract decides; by practice the tenant pays metered consumption.
Who pays a debt from previous tenants?
Not the new tenant — it attaches to the account and the owner.
Keep the flat's bills in one place
Rent, utilities and groceries in a shared group. Free, no sign-up.
Create Free Group 🚀