Utilities can be deciding factor in housing choice

Paying utilities is a hectic experience for IU sophomore Matt Kurth.\nKurth, who lives in an apartment in Varsity Villas, splits four different utility bills of different amounts among four roommates.\n“We have four guys splitting our rent, electricity, cable and water. I feel like I might be getting charged more than I would if it were included, especially during the summer months when nobody is here and the utilities aren’t being used,” Kurth said. “On the other hand, I would say that it makes paying bills easier if they were included.”\nIt’s difficult for some student tenants to decide whether leasing an apartment with utilities included or separate will get them the best value for their money.\nThe most common way to charge utilities for larger homes with different units is to use the same meter as the people next door and down the street, said Ashley Gardner, tenant relations manager for Parker Real Estate Management. This way, they can adjust the utility cost based on their rent.\nGardner rents several homes, some of which are one- or two-bedroom units, all on one meter. They base their rent on the average of the utility costs because several homes run on the same meter. \n“It’s much easier to include the utilities on the same bill,” Gardner said. “It helps people with a fixed income or on loans, because the water, gas and garbage costs are always included regardless.” \nJason Banach, assistant director of real estate for the IU Real Estate Department, said including the utilities with rent is much easier, although it has its pros and cons. \n“We found with the utility bill that (students) have more incentive to conserve energy, because they are responsible for it,” he said. \nStudents interviewed said they would rather have their utilities included. \n“If it’s included, you already get a dishwasher and a washer/dryer, so you don’t have to worry about going to the laundromat,” said sophomore Grant Felgenhauer. “Usually when it’s included, it’s not that much more expensive. If utilities are separate, the bill will be higher and you pay it yourself.”\nSophomore Kate Sullivan disagreed.\n“It seems like rent is more when you include it,” Sullivan said. “It’s almost better to keep them separate.” \nKurth said although he thinks he might be getting a better deal by paying utilities separately, having them included in the lease would add convenience.\n“There’s the obvious advantage of knowing definitely how much you will have to spend each month,” Kurth said.