How to split services between multiple tenants?
Guide to apportioning service costs between multiple housing units. Fair billing by area, people or meters.
TL;DR – Quick Answer
Services are divided according to the billing key: floor area (heat, electricity of common areas), number of people (garbage, water without meters), actual consumption (water and heat with meters), or equally (some services). The key must be stated in the rental agreement and respect the legal rules.
Why fair division is important
Imagine the situation: There are two apartments in a house. One is 30 m² and one person lives in it. The other has 100 m² and four people live in it. How do you split the cost of heat? For water? For garbage?
If you do it wrong, one tenant will subsidize the other. And this leads to disputes, complaints and, in extreme cases, to court.
The correct distribution of services is the basis of a fair relationship between the landlord and the tenants. And also a legal obligation.
Statutory settlement keys
Act No. 67/2013 Coll. and Decree No. 269/2015 Coll. they set the rules for some services. For others, it is up to the agreement of the contracting parties.
Heat – mandatory rule
Heat costs are divided:
- 40%, 50% or 60% basic component depending on the building's energy performance, with possible adjustments; the practical range can be 30-70% – according to floor area
- the corresponding consumption component under the applicable heat-allocation formula – according to measured values
A 40/60 illustration is not universal; the applicable basic component depends on the building's energy performance and current decree.
Why basic component? Because heat "escapes" through walls, ceilings and floors. Even if you do not heat, you partially heat the neighbors. And they to you. Therefore, you all bear part of the costs according to the area.
Hot water - mandatory rule
- A basic component under the current hot-water allocation rules
- The corresponding consumption component under the current rules and metering method
Other services - agreement or custom
| Service | The usual key | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Cold water | meters | persons |
| Common-area electricity | area | equal parts |
| Cleaning | in equal parts | area |
| Waste | persons | equal parts |
| Elevator | area | persons / floor |
| Internet | in equal parts | - |
Practical example of division
House with 4 apartments:
| Apartment | Area | Persons | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 m² | 1 | Ground floor |
| 2 | 65 m² | 2 | 1st floor |
| 3 | 80 m² | 4 | 2nd floor |
| 4 | 60 m² | 2 | 3rd floor |
| Total | 250 m² | 9 |
Total costs:
- Heat: Kč 80,000
- Cold water: Kč 25,000
- Company electricity: Kč 6,000
- Cleaning: Kč 12,000
- Waste: Kč 4,500
Illustrative heat distribution (40/60)
Basic component (40% = Kč 32,000) by area:
- Apartment 1: 32,000 × (45/250) = Kč 5,760
- Apartment 2: 32,000 × (65/250) = Kč 8,320
- Apartment 3: 32,000 × (80/250) = 10,240 Kč
- Apartment 4: 32,000 × (60/250) = 7,680 Kč
Consumption component (illustrative 60% = 48,000 Kč) according to meters: (Assume shares: Apartment1=12%, Apartment2=22%, Apartment3=38%, Apartment4=28%)
- Apartment 1: 48,000 × 0.12 = 5,760 Kč
- Apartment 2: 48,000 × 0.22 = 10,560 Kč
- Apartment 3: 48,000 × 0.38 = 18,240 Kč
- Apartment 4: 48,000 × 0.28 = 13,440 Kč
Total heat:
- Apartment 1: 5,760 + 5,760 = 11,520 Kč
- Apartment 2: 8,320 + 10,560 = 18,880 Kč
- Apartment 3: 10,240 + 18,240 = 28,480 Kč
- 4: 7,680 + 13,440 = 21,120 Kč
Distribution of water (according to persons)
Without meters, according to the number of persons:
- Apartment 1: 25,000 × (1/9) = 2,778 Kč
- Apartment 2: 25,000 × (2/9) = 5,556 Kč
- Apartment 3: 25,000 × (4/9) = 11,111 Kč
- Apartment 4: 25,000 × (2/9) = 5,556 Kč
Distribution of electricity (by area)
- Apartment 1: 6,000 × (45/250) = 1,080 Kč
- Apartment 2: 6 000 × (65/250) = 1,560 Kč
- Apartment 3: 6,000 × (80/250) = 1,920 Kč
- Apartment 4: 6,000 × (60/250) = 1,440 Kč
Division of cleaning (in equal parts)
- Each apartment: 12,000 / 4 = 3,000 Kč
Distribution of waste (by person)
- Apartment 1: 4,500 × (1/9) = 500 Kč
- Apartment 2: 4,500 × (2/9) = 1,000 Kč
- Apartment 3: 4,500 × (4/9) = 2,000 Kč
- Apartment 4: 4,500 × (2/9) = 1,000 Kč
Total cost of apartments
| Apartment | Heat | Water | Electricity | Cleaning | Waste | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11,520 | 2,778 | 1,080 | 3000 | 500 | 18,878 |
| 2 | 18,880 | 5,556 | 1,560 | 3000 | 1000 | 29,996 |
| 3 | 28,480 | 11 111 | 1,920 | 3000 | 2000 | 46 511 |
| 4 | 21 120 | 5,556 | 1,440 | 3000 | 1000 | 32 116 |
| Amount | 80,000 | 25,001 | 6000 | 12,000 | 4,500 | 127 501 |
(The slight difference in the sum of water is due to rounding)
Special situation
Non-residential space in the house
If there is an office or shop in the house, the costs are divided according to the nature of use. Non-residential spaces often pay:
- Different share of heat (different operating hours)
- More for electricity (air conditioning, lighting)
- Less for waste (removal by own ashtray)
The tenant refuses to report the number of people
You have the right to determine the number according to the size of the apartment or based on the rental agreement. But I recommend communicating - it's usually a misunderstanding.
Empty apartment
I empty apartment pays the basic component of heat and services according to area. They do not pay for services per person (0 persons = 0 share).
Sublease
If the tenant sublets part of the apartment, the tenant is still your partner. The latter will split the costs with the subtenant himself.
How to set the advance payments
Based on the division of costs, set the advance payments to cover the expected costs:
- Take last year's apartment costs
- Add a margin of 5-10% (price growth)
- Divide 12 months by
- Round up
Example for Apartment 2:
- Last year's costs: Kč 29,996
- With a 10% reserve: Kč 32,996
- Monthly deposit: Kč 32,996 / 12 = Kč 2,750
Communication with tenants
Before moving in
Indicate clearly in the lease agreement:
- Which services are included
- How are they distributed (which key)
- Amount of advance payments
- When is the billing
In case of changes
If the number of people, energy prices or the billing key changes, inform the tenants in advance.
When billing
Enclose an explanation of the calculation. A tenant who understands advertises less.
Mistakes in distribution
Mistake 1: Everything equally
"No matter how complicated, everyone pays the same." But an apartment with 1 person pays the same as an apartment with 4 people. This is not fair.
Mistake 2: Water without meters by area
Water is consumed by people, not by area. A large apartment with one person would pay more than a small apartment with four.
Mistake 3: Ignoring the heat ordinance
Heat must be billed using the applicable basic and consumption components required by the current decree; the precise method and any adjustments depend on the building.
Error 4: Not updating the number of people
In the apartment there were 2 people, now 4. If you don't take this into account, the other apartments will subsidize the overcrowded one.
How Grento solves it
Manual distribution is laborious and error-prone. Grento offers:
- Automatic invoicing – The system knows the rules
- Record of apartments and persons – Always up-to-date data
- Check totals – Warning in case of discrepancies
- History of changes – Who lived when, how much they paid
- Transparency – The tenant can see how it was calculated
Instead of tables and calculators, you have a clear a system that distributes costs fairly among all.
Summary
Proper distribution of services:
- ✅ Heat: the basic/consumption ratio required by the current heat-allocation decree for the building
- ✅ Water: According to meters or persons
- ✅ Elektrína spol.: According to area
- ✅ Cleaning: In equal parts or according to area
- ✅ Waste: According to people
The key to fair billing is transparency and the right choice of billing key. When you do it right, tenants will understand why they pay what they pay. And that is the basis of a good relationship.
> Czech-law scope and editorial note: Legal, tax, accounting, tenancy, service-charge, condominium, metrology, insurance and data-protection statements in this article refer to the Czech Republic and the rules effective for the relevant date. Figures and examples are illustrative, not legal or tax advice. Verify current rules with the relevant Czech authority or a qualified adviser.
> Service-accounting clarification: Under Czech Act No. 67/2013 Coll., distinguish delivery of the settlement within four months after the accounting period, financial settlement generally within four months after delivery, and the separate 30-day periods for supporting documents or objections under § 8. A statutory per-day penalty under § 13 is conditional; verify the current amount and cap rather than applying a universal figure.
> Metrology and heat clarification: Verification periods depend on the instrument type and current UNMZ rule. Heat allocation uses the current Czech decree and may use a 40%, 50% or 60% basic component according to building energy performance, with possible adjustments; hot-water allocation is separate. Do not treat a 30/70 or ±20% statement as universal.