Bill > HB1488

This bill allows landlords or property owners to charge tenants separately for water and sewer utility services through two primary methods: installing individual meters for each dwelling unit or using a mathematical formula to allocate aggregate water and sewer usage charges. When using a separate meter, landlords must disclose detailed billing information including individual usage, meter readings, and reading dates. When using a mathematical formula, landlords must provide a clear written description of the calculation method to potential tenants before lease commencement. The total charges billed to tenants cannot exceed the amount charged to the property owner by the utility, and landlords can charge reasonable administrative fees and late payment fees, which will be considered part of the rent. The bill also permits landlords to hire third-party billing providers to manage these services, who must follow the same disclosure and billing guidelines. Importantly, this billing arrangement does not classify the landlord as a public utility and does not constitute the resale of water and sewer services subject to public service commission oversight, providing more flexibility for property owners in managing utility costs.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1488&year=2025&code=R