Heating Incentives
Has anyone tried to offer bonuses to tenants for keeping doors and windows shut in their units.
I notice that I have to tell them to keep windows shut and turn down the heat. I was thinking that I can put in a programmable thermostat with a lock, or go the more posative route and offer to give money back on rent if they stay within the budget I have allotted for the year?
What do others do in this regard?
I take it they are not paying for their individual heat but share it w/you or other tenants. Is this true?
[addsig]
They pay other utilities I pay heat. They always abuse what they don't pay don't they.
Charge them a surcharge for usage over a certain amount. I charge 10 cents for every kilowatt hour over 1000. My tenants have no idea what that means, all they know is utilities are not unlimited. I've never had to charge them. I also use the low watt curly lightbulbs where I can. If yours is gas charge over a certain amount of cubic feet used. This works for me.
With the way natural gas prices are going up I couldnt even imagine paying the heating bill. Don't know your situation but it might be cheaper to install individual gas services I know with the cost of gas here in P. A it would have to be cheaper.
You better hope for warm winter
ED
Is there a particular situation that requires you to pay for heat?? What kind of heat?
The particular situation is that there is one furnace. It is oil based and provides the baseboard heat to each of the apartments. I suppose It would be possible to install a small furnace for each apartment since their hot water and stove is natural gas, but the cost of the separate (4) furnaces would be a little high. So far the Rent covers the cost of the heat, but here in the northeast we have had a very cold winter so far and it is looking like it may be for the rest of the year...