Submetering

Submetering is the practice of measuring each lot's individual utility use — water, electricity, or gas — with its own meter, so a manufactured home community can bill each resident for what they actually consume rather than splitting a single master-metered bill.

In a submetered community, the utility company often bills the community through a master meter, and the community then resells the service to residents based on their individual submeter readings. Because the community sits between the utility and the resident, many states regulate what it may charge. A common rule caps the resale price at the utility's own rate, so the community cannot mark the service up above what the utility charges.

Submetering is related to, but different from, a pass-through charge: submetering is about measuring and billing ongoing usage, while a pass-through charge is a defined share of certain capital costs. Underlying utility rates are usually set by a state utility regulator, separate from the community.

For how a specific state handles this, see that state's utilities guide. This is general information, not legal advice.