Utilities

Unlike a traditional rental, utilities are included in the price paid by Members. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the Host or their PM to ensure that the utilities are turned on and paid prior to listing the property. This process may take as long as 45 days in some municipalities. Start this process now.

Power

Electricity is often the simplest utility to turn on and can usually be done over the phone. It is also the first utility that needs to be turned on because any renovation work will require power. 


Providing paperwork or meeting a technician on-site is rarely required. However, in certain municipalities utilities are bundled into one package and provided locally, which may require an in-person visit to their office.


Estimated lead time required: 24–48 hours

Water

Water is essentially always provided by the local municipality. It must be turned on prior to any paint work being done at the property. You may require a:


Depending on the situation, it may be required to be present on-site for a technician.


Estimated lead time required: 5-10 days

Gas

Natural Gas, if required at the property, is often provided by a public utility but may be marketed through third-party companies (this is the case in Atlanta). Therefore, owners may have several choices available locally and should optimize for price and service. Turning on natural gas usually requires meeting a technician on-site and must be completed in order to have HVAC, gas, hot water and/or cooking set up and tested. We recommend locking in a long-term rate and setting annual renewal reminders to avoid seeing a spike later on.


Estimated lead time required: 5–10 days

WiFi

WiFi must be installed and functioning prior to programming any smart door locks. Most markets have multiple service providers such as Comcast, Cox, or AT&T available. Many offer to rent modems and routers to the end user for their convenience, but those rentals usually run about $15/month, and therefore the payback on purchased systems is relatively quick. The modem and router should be centrally located and installed in a common area if at all possible. WiFi extenders may be required in larger homes to improve service. Cable service is not required (or desired) in PadSplits, but because of that, WiFi usage can be very high due to having several Members streaming video. Ensuring that your plan does not charge overage fees is an important consideration.


Estimated lead time required: 10-20 days

Waste

Waste services are truly location-dependent. They may be provided by the local municipality and paid for by local taxes or may need to be contracted privately. In either case, not only must the service be active, but adequate containers must be provided. Again, there is a local nuance to this practice. Some municipalities provide receptacles, others mandate a specific kind but do not provide them, and other municipalities do neither. 


Estimated lead time (if not municipally-provided): 10 days