Utility bills in a rental: who pays for what
Electricity, gas, water, internet, building fees — tenants and owners argue about these more often than about the rent itself. Here is what the law says and how to agree in advance.
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The basic rule
Under Armenia’s Civil Code, a tenant must pay utilities directly unless the contract says otherwise (Article 667). The landlord, in turn, must ensure that utilities are provided for payment and that the building’s common property and utility installations are repaired (Article 665).
Put simply: the tenant pays for what the tenant consumes. What relates to the apartment as property is the owner’s responsibility. Everything else is decided by the contract.
Who usually pays for what
| Payment | Who pays | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, gas, water | Tenant | By meter readings — also the Civil Code default |
| Internet, TV | Tenant | If the provider contract is in the owner’s name, agree who pays |
| Rubbish collection | By agreement | Check how the fee is charged in your building |
| Building upkeep fees: stairwell cleaning, lift | By agreement | Charged to the owner; the contract can pass them on to the tenant |
| Property tax | Owner | The owner’s obligation under the Tax Code |
| Major repairs to the apartment | Owner | Unless the contract says otherwise (Article 670) |
If several people live in the apartment or it is let room by room, decide in advance how to split shared bills: equally or in proportion to the number of occupants.
Two ways to agree
- Rent “plus utilities”: the tenant pays actual bills. Fair, but the amount varies month to month — especially in winter if heating is by gas.
- Rent “all inclusive”: the owner pays the bills and builds utilities into the price. Convenient for the tenant, but the owner takes a risk if consumption is higher than estimated.
For long-term leases the first option is usually more practical; for short stays and nightly rentals, the second. What matters is that the chosen arrangement is written into the contract rather than left as a verbal understanding.
How to price “all inclusive”
If you choose “all inclusive”, don’t pick a number at random. Take last year’s bills and work out the average monthly cost of each service — separately for the warm and cold seasons. Add a small margin in case there are more occupants or they are home more often, and build that amount into the rent.
The contract can set a reasonable cap: for example, that if consumption is noticeably above normal, the tenant pays the difference. Such a clause protects the owner and is easy for the tenant to understand.
If the apartment has a gas boiler, discuss winter in advance: who services the boiler and pays for repairs, and who pays for the gas. It makes sense for the owner to handle the boiler and the tenant to pay for gas, but it is worth writing into the contract.
At move-in
- Read all the meters — electricity, gas, water — and photograph them.
- Record the readings in the handover record.
- Check for arrears: ask the owner for the latest bill for each service.
- Agree how the tenant will pay: online using the account number or by passing receipts to the owner.
- Decide who keeps the receipts and how often they are shown.
If the tenant doesn’t pay the bills
Utility accounts are usually in the owner’s name, so unpaid bills build up against the owner. A simple rule: ask for photos of paid receipts once a month. If arrears do appear, raise them straight away — and state in the contract upfront that unpaid utilities may be deducted from the deposit.
At move-out
- final meter readings with photos
- all bills paid up to the move-out date
- contracts the tenant signed, such as internet, closed or transferred
- bills reconciled before the deposit is returned
Utility arrears are one of the most common reasons part of a deposit is withheld. If the bills are reconciled in time, there is nothing to argue about.
Key takeaways
- By default the tenant pays utilities (Civil Code, Article 667) unless the contract says otherwise.
- Property tax and major repairs are the owner’s concern.
- Choose “plus utilities” or “all inclusive” — and write it into the contract.
- Meter readings with photos at move-in and at move-out.
- Reconciling bills before the deposit is returned prevents disputes.
