Sierra Utility Billing Services Calculates bills using a variety of methods. The method used to calculate your utility bill depends on the type of utility and how it is set up for billing. To find out exactly how your utility bills are calculated, please read your lease addendums or call our customer service department.

It is important to note that if our bill contains charges for more than one utility, different methods of calculation may be used for each utility.

Allocation or RUBS:

The bill you receive is from Sierra Utility Billing Services, not the local utility provider. The allocated bill is not based on your actual usage. The community where you live has a master meter, which is used to measure all of the consumption of the community. Your bill represents a portion of the master meter bill, reflecting your share of the charges.

Most communities have a Common Area Deduction. This CAD is the owner portion of the bill to cover swimming pools, landscaping, laundry rooms, etc…

The total amount of the Utility Bill from the local utility provider as well as the Portion Allocated to the Tenants can be found at the bottom of each Potential Billing Report in this binder.

Calculation Methods

Occupancy Methods:
On the header of each page of the Potential Billing Report, the number of occupants living at the community on the first day of the public utilities billing period is listed. We call this number the "Occupancy Basis."

To calculate your share of the utility bill, divide the number of people in your apartment by the Occupancy Basis. If we are using occupancy only, this calculation will give you you’re your percentage of the utility bill after the Common Area Deduction.

Combination Method:
The Combination Method uses both occupancy and square footage to calculate the tenant’s share.

The Occupancy portion of the bill is calculated the same way except that it is multiplied by .5 since it represents 50% of the bill.

The Square footage portion of the bill is calculated by dividing the amount of square feet in your unit by the total square footage available for rent of the whole community (this number is in the top right corner of the potential billing report). It is then multiplied by .5 since it represents 50% of the bill.

Flat Rate Billing by Unit or Occupant:
A bill amount is predetermined, usually at the time of the signing of the lease, and not derived using any formula. This method is used often for trash, pest control, and special usage fees.

Alternative Methods of Calculation:
Some States allow of alternative methods of billing. These include estimated occupancy, ratio occupancy, and a combination of methods. If we are using one of these alternative methods for your bill calculations, the utility tracking folder in the office will explain how the calculations are performed.

Submetering

A Submetered bill is rendered by using the actual reads from a measuring device (Submeter) in or around the individual apartment unit. The Submeter is read to determine the start read and end read for each billing period.

The difference in the numbers from the start read and end read equals the consumption amount.

To determine the rate per consumption unit, the bill rendered to the community from the actual utility provider (Example: City of Austin) is used; the entire community’s charges are divided by the total consumption for the community.

Your bill may be calculated like the following:

Vista View Apartments has individual Submeters for Water

The Bill from their Provider is as follows:

For more information
Contact Sierra Utility Billing Services
512-837-3446 or toll free 888-376-3354