May 8, 2025

5 Ways Submetering Saves Money for Mobile Home Park Owners

Of the many costs tied to owning and operating a mobile home park, few erode profitability as quietly as utilities. In this blog, we explore how submetering can help mobile home park owners cut costs and boost their bottom line.

With operating costs always on the rise, mobile home park owners need to do everything they can to protect profitability. Utilities are a common source of hidden losses, whether through waste, undetected leaks, or a lack of accountability.

That’s where submetering and utility billing come in.

Submetering involves installing individual utility meters for each home in the park. This allows owners to track utility usage by unit and bill back residents based on their exact usage. Shifting from billing based on a master meter or collecting a fixed monthly fee for utilities each month can lead to significant savings.

READ MORE: How Submetering Works

5 Ways Submetering Saves Money for Mobile Home Parks

#1. Submeters Reduce Overhead Utility Costs

Many mobile home park owners choose to bundle utilities in the rent or charge a flat fee each month. The problem with this approach is there is no incentive for residents to conserve their utility usage. As a result, high water and electric usage can go unchecked, leaving park owners to foot the bill.

Submetering shifts that responsibility to residents, ensuring they pay only for the utilities they actually use. This not only reduces utility-related operating expenses but also shields owners from spikes in utility usage, whether expected (higher electricity bills in summer) or unexpected (a slow plumbing leak).

#2. Residents Conserve Their Utility Usage

When residents are billed for their utility consumption, they tend to be more mindful and use less. Submetering naturally encourages residents to conserve electricity, water, and gas, lowering usage across your entire mobile home park. This results in lower total utility bills for the park and fewer maintenance issues caused by overuse.

#3. Consistent Cost Recovery Improves Cash Flow

Submetering and billing back mobile home park residents for their usage reduces volatility by creating a new source of predictable cash flow. This allows you to forecast utility expenses more accurately and maintain better control over your property’s finances, which is especially valuable for owners managing multiple mobile home park properties on tight margins.

#4. Transparent Billing Reduces Conflict

Shared utility costs across all residents can lead to disputes – especially when some feel they’re subsidizing their neighbor’s excessive usage. Submetering, along with fair, transparent, and consistent utility billing, eliminates that friction and reduces the need for you and your staff to mediate disputes. Over time, submetering can create a greater sense of fairness and satisfaction among residents.

#5. Improved Infrastructure Improves Property Value

Installing a new submetering system is a great way to add valuable infrastructure to your mobile home park. On top of that, planning and installing a new submetering system is a great opportunity to improve and modernize your existing utility infrastructure.

These kinds of updates both improve the efficiency and reliability of your utility systems and enhance the overall appeal and value of your mobile home park. Investors and buyers heavily value properties with revenue-generating infrastructure. As a result, submetering can increase the marketability and resale value of your property.

How to Get Started Submetering Your Mobile Home Park

Switching your mobile home park over to submetering requires careful planning. This is why many mobile home park owners partner with a utility billing expert. From planning to submetering installation to billing, the right partner can help you at every step. Here’s a quick overview to give you an idea of everything involved.

Step 1: Assess Your Current Setup

Start by assessing how utilities are currently managed. Whether you’re charging residents a flat fee, splitting the master meter bill, or including utilities in the rent, understanding your baseline will help you identify where submetering can have the most impact.

Step 2: Check Local & State Regulations

Before moving forward, make sure you’re compliant with local and state laws. Some jurisdictions have specific rules about utility billing and charges to residents. Checking in with your local municipality and working with a utility billing expert can help you determine if your proposed submetering system is compliant.

READ MORE: State Submetering Rules

Step 3: Select the Right Metering Technology.

Selecting the right metering hardware depends on many factors, including budget, park layout, and level of automation desired. Whether you use manual-read meters or automated meter read (AMR) technology, working with a utility billing partner can help you find the right choice.

Step 4: Communicate the Changes with Residents

Before you install your new submetering system, it’s important to be transparent with your residents about the change and what it will mean for them. Make sure you clearly communicate how they stand to benefit from the new system, including fair and predictable billing and the ability to control their usage and save money.

Step 5: Monitor & Maintain the System

Submetering is reliable, but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it system. Regularly check the system to make sure it’s performing efficiently. Regularly check for leaks, usage anomalies, and meter performance.

Conclusion: Submetering Your Mobile Home Park Is Worth the Investment

Submetering is a great way for mobile home park owners to save money, recover costs, and improve the bottom line. With the right setup, the right partner, and clear communication, submetering not only reduces expenses, but also adds long-term value to your property. If you’re looking to take better control of utility costs and create a fairer system for residents, now is the time to explore submetering.

Ready to submeter your mobile home park? Get in touch with Synergy. We work with mobile home parks across the nation recover utility costs with submetering and utility billing.

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