RUBS Billing for Apartment Communities
Last reviewed by NES Editorial · September 2026
NES is a full-service RUBS billing company. We pay your utility bills, bill your residents, and collect, with no equipment to install.
- Typical utility savings
- 15-30%Typical utility savings
- Equipment to install
- $0Equipment to install
- When recovery starts
- 1st cycleWhen recovery starts
- States served
- 43+States served
Can RUBS billing recover utility expenses at an apartment community?
Yes. RUBS divides the property's master utility bill among residents by a fair formula, so the owner recovers utility cost instead of absorbing it. There is no equipment to install, and most apartment communities see water consumption drop 15 to 30 percent. Recovery usually starts on the first billing cycle. NES pays the utility, bills residents, and collects, all in-house.
What is the upfront investment?
Virtually nothing. There is no equipment to install because the property's main water bill is divided among residents based on several variables. That keeps setup fast and low cost compared with a full submeter install.
Benefits for apartment communities
- Consumption typically starts dropping in the first billing cycle, along with recovered utility cost
- Common-area utilities can be shared among residents where local rules allow
- Stronger NOI, which supports a higher property valuation
- Vacant cost recovery, which bills utility use in empty units back to the property correctly instead of losing it, is available and adds to the savings
What types of real estate can use RUBS
Property types include apartment communities, mobile home parks, townhomes, and condominiums. NES specializes in properties with 80 or more multifamily units, and a dedicated compliance team verifies the rules for each location.
RUBS or submetering?
RUBS estimates each unit’s share with a formula. Submetering measures each unit’s actual use with a meter. RUBS is faster and lower cost to start and works where meters cannot be added, while submetering is more precise and is required in some places. NES does both and recommends the one that fits your property and the local rules.
Compare submetering and RUBSGeneral information only, not legal advice. RUBS rules vary by state, county, and city and change often, and some places do not allow RUBS at all. Confirm the current rules for your address with your local authority or a qualified attorney, or let the NES compliance team verify them for you.
RUBS Billing for Apartment Communities
See what your property can recover.
Send us your master-meter bills and unit count. We’ll model RUBS or submetering on your actual property and reply within one business day with a clear, no-obligation estimate.