Metering vs Submetering
Last reviewed September 2026NES Editorial, checked by the Billing & Compliance team
Master metering bills the whole property as one account. Submetering measures each unit separately so residents pay for their own use.
What is the difference between metering and submetering?
Master metering means the utility measures the whole property through one meter and sends the owner a single bill, which the owner either absorbs or splits across units. Submetering adds an individual meter on each unit beneath that master meter, so each resident is billed for their own measured use. The difference matters because submetering ties cost to consumption: residents conserve, usage usually drops 15 to 30 percent, and the owner recovers cost instead of carrying it in rent. Master metering is simpler but hides individual use and leaves the owner holding the bill.
Master metering
- One utility meter for the whole property
- The owner gets a single bill and absorbs or splits it
- Individual use is invisible, so there is no reason to conserve
- Leaks can hide until the bill spikes
Submetering
- An individual meter on each unit
- Residents pay for their own measured use
- Consumption usually drops 15 to 30 percent
- Leaks surface early through daily reads
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