Student Housing Utility Management
American Utility Management understands the unique needs of student housing and we partner with our clients to create flexible solutions that integrate seamlessly with their operation. We’ll create a multi-level client service team so that everyone from your corporate operating and accounting staff to your community managers and students get the attention they deserve.
Our Student Billing solutions will help you recover utility costs and encourage your students to use utilities more responsibly. You’ll also save hundreds of hours of billing and collections work. We’ll customize a program that integrates seamlessly with your operation to provide you:
- By-the-bed student billing options
- Flexible student utility allowances
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- Multiple options for student payment collection
- Vacant unit / vacant bed cost recovery
- Automated move-out process
- Convergent billing to include rent and other charges
- Monthly statements via eStatements or mail to students and parents
- Interactive online portal for students, parents and property managers
- Sub-meter installation and maintenance
- Full-service Customer Service Center
By-the-Bed Billing Options
AUM’s comprehensive billing platform provides equitable, accurate and timely billing to help you recover your properties’ utility costs while encouraging conservation by students. We offer by-the-bed billing options with each occupied bed receiving a portion of the unit charges. Studies show that by sharing property water costs with your students, they’ll use anywhere from 10 – 20% less water. The following billing methods include pro-rates to cover vacant beds and vacant periods such as the summer months.
- Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBs) - proportionately allocates utility charges to each unit and each bed using a variety of calculation options.
- Sub-meters – encourages responsible water and sewer usage by having students pay for what they use.
- Flat or Fixed Fees – while commonly used for trash and pest control, AUM can also bill utilities as fixed charges per month per bed.
Student Utility Allowances
Monthly allowances are often given to students to use towards one or more utility bills. We offer flexible billing allowances that can vary by floorplan and by utility. Allowances can be configured by bedroom count, square footage, occupant count, etc.
Student Payment Collection Options
With Student Billing, you can select the collection option that integrates best with your operation. Each occupied bed is treated as its own account with each student receiving a statement.
- AUM Collects – we’ll mail or email the statement to the student and instruct them to mail their payment to our lockbox. Students can also pay their bills through our Auto-Pay service or online with a credit card.
- Collect on Site – we'll mail or email the statement to the student and instruct them to make the payment to your management office.
Vacant Unit Cost Recovery
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Some students are responsible for paying utility providers directly for electric and gas. Unfortunately, many students fail to set up these utilities in their name by their move-in date. You are the one left covering these expenses until they sign up for service. AUM can help you recover these costs. Our billing platform will track and compare service periods on property invoices against student move-in dates and bill the applicable charges directly back to the students.
Automated Move-Out Process
Student move-out season is hectic to say the least. Not to mention the frequent room changes that go along with it. Property Managers are consumed with conducting inspections, organizing closing packages, returning deposits and calculating final utility charges. Our automated move-out process will save your team time and help you recover more revenue by:
- Providing pro-rated utility charges
- Incorporating allowances into move-outs
- Creating final, on-demand move-out statements for your students
- Offering you peace of mind knowing you’ll be collecting full utility fees
Convergent Billing
Convergent Billing allows you to send one American Utility Management statement to students or parents with all of their monthly charges due including rent, utilities, carry-over balances, trash, recycling, cable, parking fees, pest control, etc. The simplicity of offering one bill means students and parents will have fewer questions and make timely, full-balance payments.
Interactive Online Resident and Client Portals
With our Resident Portal, students and parents have access anytime, anywhere, and on almost any internet device to manage their accounts, make online payments, view payment history, subscribe to eStatement paperless bills and sign up for Auto-Pay service. Our Client Portal provides Advanced Analytics dashboards, interactive online tools and management reports to help you manage your utilities more effectively. Properties can manage move-ins/move-outs, transfers, renewals, late notices, onsite payments and occupant counts – all using our online applications.
Sub-meter Installation and Maintenance Services
AUM offers sub-meter services for water, gas and electric utilities. We perform on-site visits for all sub-metered properties, and we monitor equipment and meter output to identify opportunities.
- Diagnostic Reporting – every client receives quarterly diagnostic reports on meter health with recommendations for improvement.
- New Construction & Retrofits - we conduct on-site visits, develop proposals and partner with your developer or general contractor for meter installation or pipe cutting.
- Meter Maintenance Programs – we run quarterly diagnostic reports to determine if repairs are needed. Trained AUM Technicians can do the repairs for you.