Smart Utility Monitoring and Billing
Managing electricity consumption and utility bills across multiple rental units can be challenging for landlords, property managers, and commercial property owners. Manual meter readings, billing calculations, and payment tracking can consume valuable time and create misunderstandings between property owners and tenants.
Shiftenant simplifies utility management by bringing submetering technology and digital property management together. By combining compatible submeters with the Shiftenant platform, property managers can organize electricity consumption information, manage utility charges, and keep track of tenant billing from one centralized system.
How Shiftenant Submeter Management Works1. Install the Appropriate Submeters
The process begins with selecting and installing suitable submeters for the property's electricity supply system. As demonstrated in the video, the setup includes submetering hardware and connected devices that support the metering arrangement.
Each submeter measures electricity consumption for its designated unit, helping property managers distinguish the usage of individual tenants rather than relying only on the building's main meter.
2. Connect the Submetering System
The next step is connecting compatible metering equipment to the appropriate monitoring system. Depending on the equipment and configuration, this may involve a communication gateway that enables meter data to be transferred for monitoring and management.
The compatibility of the meter, communication equipment, and Shiftenant platform is important to ensure the system works as intended.
3. Access Utility Information Through Shiftenant
The Shiftenant platform provides an interface for managing electricity consumption information alongside the connected submetering setup.
Instead of relying entirely on scattered records or manual calculations, property managers can use the platform to organize utility information and support their billing processes.
The information available depends on the installed meter, the integration, and the platform configuration.
4. Monitor Electricity Consumption
Submeters help property managers identify the electricity consumed by individual rental units. With compatible connected equipment, readings can be made available through the monitoring system, helping reduce dependence on repeated manual meter checks.
This information supports better visibility into utility usage and helps property managers investigate unusual consumption where necessary.
5. Manage Utility Billing and Payments
After consumption is established, property managers can use Shiftenant's utility management features to organize charges and invoices according to their property's billing arrangements.
For example in post paid , if a tenant consumes 40 units of electricity at an agreed rate of KSh 25 per unit, the electricity charge would be:
40 units × KSh 25 = KSh 1,000
For prepaid scenario :
A tenant in Apartment 5 purchases KSh 500 worth of electricity credit.
At KSh 25 per unit, the tenant receives:
KSh 500 ÷ KSh 25 = 20 units of electricity.
The prepaid meter deducts credit as the tenant consumes electricity. Depending on the meter, it may alert the tenant when the remaining credit is low and restrict supply when the credit runs out.
Therein, Shiftenant helps property managers organize these charges, manage invoices, and track outstanding balances. The exact billing process depends on the selected configuration and integration.
6. Improve Utility Management Across Multiple Properties
For landlords and property management companies handling multiple apartments, hostels, offices, or commercial spaces, managing utility records separately can become complicated.
Shiftenant provides a centralized property management approach that helps organize tenant and billing information, making it easier to manage utility-related tasks across multiple units.
Benefits of Managing Submeters Through Shiftenant
Greater billing transparency: Individual consumption records help property managers allocate utility charges more clearly.
Less manual administration: Digital utility management can reduce repetitive work involved in organizing readings, preparing invoices, and tracking bills.
Better consumption visibility: Submeter readings help property managers understand how electricity is used across different units.
Improved payment tracking: Organized invoices and outstanding balances make it easier to follow up on utility payments.
More efficient property management: Bringing tenant information and utility billing together supports a more organized management process.
Who Can Benefit?
Shiftenant's submetering and utility management approach is suitable for landlords, apartment owners, student hostels, property management companies, shopping centres, and commercial property owners who need better control over utility billing.
Whether you manage a few rental units or a large property with multiple occupants, combining compatible submetering equipment with a digital management platform can help simplify utility administration.