Topic: Is anyone successfully using Velocity for water and utility billing?

I have been trying to use their system for 5 months now on 2 of my properties. The process keeps getting more complex with more mistakes rather than easier. I use RealPage for my property management and thought it would best to integrate on multiple levels. I would love any tips anyone may have to make this smoother or the skinny on any other submetering companies to successfully interface with Onesite.



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April...

Do you charge all tenants for "water" on top of their rents?
I was charged for water in my last apt. property (Arizona)...
and what the Management did was take the entire property water
bill and divid it evenly among the tenants. As they began to lose
tenants, our water bills went HIGHER and HIGHER every month.

I would much rather have been payin a "little higher rent" and
NOT have to pay for water/trash.

I just felt a bit "nickled and dimed"...gone are those days when
ALL utilities were paid.

In the city where I am now...some people are paying as much as
$500.00 per month electricity for a 1 bedroom unit...WOW! I would
definitely want to know that BEFORE I signed a lease.

Dan

Our apartments are individually submetered for water so residents are required to pay for what they use.

I'm trying to find a system or service to take the place of a "peanut butter" spread of water billing to all condo owners. Out last utility billing service was inaccurate and prone to mistakes. Any suggestions out there? I've hear Velocity's name but not sure after reading reviews. Iain

We started using them a couple of months ago. However, my property management software is Yardi (which I LOVE). We thought we were having so mnay issues because we aren't completely compatible with Real Page. It is a very tedious process. Before, we used ISTA and that worked seamlessly. I wish we were using them now.

WaterWatch Corporation is another national company you might consider for water and utility billing. Can be found online at www.waterwatchcorp.com .

Mindy the integration from Velocity to Yardi should work perfectly, we have many clients who use it without a hitch. If you would like for me to look into it please give me a call at 972-820-4715

Velocity is also prone to mistakes and the customer service is horrid!

I have an 1 bedroom and my bill is high every month. Infact it gets higher and higher each month and I don't use water like that for just one person in the apartment. Something is fishey about this. Sure wish id known about this before I signed the lease. Thing about breaking it

I live on a property that has a section where water is included in rent and the other section is billed through a third party biller (Minol USA). The average use of water for one peson each month is estimated to be 3000 gallons. I have spent countless hours investigating this subject, getting actual water and sewage rates from the city that provides and bills for water. I've discovered that the bill sent to the tenants who pay has water and sewer rates 3.75-4% higher than what the city rates are. I also got the actual amount billed to the section of property which is 64 one to three bedroom units plus water consumption of the office, community center, swimming pool and grounds: The actual average of gallons billed without calculating the pool and grounds came to 1213 gallons for each of the 64 1-3 bedroom apartments plus 2 ( office & comm ctr). That is clearly incorrect considering the units most likely have more than one tenant and that would suggest that every unit used less than half of the average water for one person. These billing cycles were in the summer months 6/28-7/27 & 7/28-8/26, when the water in swimming pool evaporates and is regularly being replaced. I questioned the management, Minol USA management over billing. I was communicating and until I presented the facts was getting response: Once they all knew that I have actual hard evidence of their price gouging they stopped returning my calls. The property owners and Minol USA (3rd party biller) are clearly proffiting off the tenants who have water included in rent as rents are higher per number of bedrooms. I used the exact same rates to calculate their average compared to the tenants who are billed individually. This is a subsidized residential multifamily housing property. By using these methoxs for gainful profit in a federal and state subsidized property is unethical and most likely illegal.

I was wondering if anyone has received a bill from velocity and is able to explain to me how exactly it works. I am confused on all the different charges from Usage of Water and Sewer to a Base Fee Amt. of Water and Sewer that continues to change? I just feel like it is a lot for a one person living in an apartment to pay. Not to mention I only now have just hooked up my washer! So I was only using water to shower and clean dishes with.

I understand that the usage is how much water I use but I do not understand why I am getting charged a base fee amt. I feel as though if I were to go through the water company myself it would be a lot cheaper!

Someone Please help!!!

Velocity is absolutely the worst. I have used several billing companies in my 30 years in PM and this is the absolute worst. You can't talk to anyone, they can't answer your questions, they can't resolve your answers. If you are thinking of using them....DONT!

Dan- $500??? Sounds like Fraud. Don't believe everything the office tells you about billing! Ask for the actual bill from the utilities and compare. If your place had a water leak, etc or if your complex is trying to make money by charging you more...you will only know the truth if you ask for the bill. A lot of utilities charge the complex every 2 months, yet, management charges monthly...with the same bill. FRAUD - Report this!

Yes they are!! REPORT them. Management knows exactly what is going on and even will laugh about it when a resident asks. I received the same bills. My bill should only be $18/mo...At the end of my lease it went as high as $104. Velocity and All complexes need to be audited and prosecuted. They all know this is going on!