Tenant communication MeterEase blog
Sample utility bill email to tenants (copy and adapt)
Once your bill-back is set up, most of the monthly work is one email per tenant. A good one is short, shows the math, attaches the bill, and says when and how to pay. Below are templates for the emails you will send most often. Replace everything in brackets.
For a printable statement instead of an email, use the tenant utility bill template. To see what a MeterEase tenant email looks like, open the sample tenant email.
What every utility bill email should include
- The utility and the billing period (dates, not just the month).
- The building total from the provider’s bill.
- The method in one sentence, and the tenant’s own input.
- The arithmetic.
- The amount due, the due date, and how to pay.
- The provider’s bill, attached.
- How to ask a question.
1. The monthly email
Subject: [Water and sewer] share for [Sep 1 to Sep 30]: [$120.00]
Hi [Name],
Here is your share of the [water and sewer] bill for [123 Main St.], for service from [Sep 1] to [Sep 30].
- Building total: [$480.00]
- Method: split by [square footage], per your lease
- Your unit: [850] of [3,400] sq ft = [25%]
- Your share: [25% × $480.00 = $120.00]
Please pay [$120.00] by [Oct 15] through [your rent portal / payment method]. A copy of the utility bill is attached.
If you have questions, reply to this email.
[Your name]
Put the amount and the period in the subject line. Tenants search their email for “water” or a month, and a clear subject makes the statement easy to find later.
2. The first bill
The first bill after you start a bill-back deserves a little more context. Add a short paragraph to the monthly email:
This is the first utility statement under [your new lease / the change we discussed on (date)]. You’ll get one like it each time the [water] bill arrives. Each statement shows the building total, how your share is figured, and the bill itself. If a unit is vacant, I pay that unit’s share.
If you have not yet told tenants about the change, do that first. See how to tell tenants you’re starting utility bill-backs.
3. A high-bill month
When a bill is noticeably higher than usual, say why before the tenant asks:
A note on this month: the building total is higher than usual because [the bill covers 34 days instead of 30 / the utility raised its rates on (date) / summer irrigation]. [We also found and fixed a running toilet in another unit on (date), and I’ve covered the extra water from that leak.] Your share is figured the same way as always.
Our post on answering “why is my utility share so high?” covers how to check the cause first.
4. A correction
Hi [Name],
I made a mistake on your [month] utility statement. [I used the wrong move-in date for your unit.] Your correct share is [$96.00], not [$112.00]. I’ve [credited $16.00 to your next statement / attached a corrected statement]. Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for your patience.
Send it as soon as you find the error. Our post on handling a tenant who disputes a utility bill covers the case where the tenant finds it first.
5. A friendly reminder
Hi [Name],
Just a reminder that your [water and sewer] share of [$120.00] for [Sep 1 to Sep 30] was due on [Oct 15]. The original statement and bill are attached again. If you’ve already paid, thank you, and please ignore this note. If something about the charge doesn’t look right, let me know.
Keep reminders neutral. Late fees and collection steps depend on your lease and local law; talk to a local attorney before using them.
6. A move-out final share
Hi [Name],
Here is your final [water] share for [123 Main St., Unit B]. The bill covers [Aug 1 to Aug 31] (31 days), and you lived in the unit through [Aug 20], so your share is prorated: [20 ÷ 31 × $150.00 = $96.77].
The move-out proration calculator does that math, and our post on mid-month move-outs covers what to do when the final bill has not arrived yet.
Tips
- Send from the same address every month, so tenants recognize it.
- Attach the bill as a PDF, or a copy with account numbers redacted.
- Do not bury the amount. Put it in the subject and near the top.
- Keep a copy of every email you send. See how to keep records for utility bill-backs.
The bill-back letter generator produces a printable explanation if you prefer paper.
MeterEase sends each tenant their own email with their share, the math and the bill attached (or a redacted copy you mark), after you review the numbers, unless you turn on auto-send for a property. See how it works or pricing.
Split the bill and email every tenant in minutes
MeterEase reads the master bill PDF, applies your method and vacancy rule, and emails each tenant their share with the math shown and the source bill attached, after you check the numbers, unless you turn on auto-send for a property. Plans start at $14/month.