Los Angeles renters push back on opaque shared-utility charges, demand ban on RUBS

Across Los Angeles, renters billed for shared utilities via ratio utility billing systems (RUBS) report steep, unpredictable increases and are denied access to the underlying calculations. Tenants such as Joe Porter and Hanna Yoseph have asked third-party managers like Conservice and Yes Energy Management for detailed bills, only to be redirected to property managers or given vague overviews. In response, residents at several complexes have organized payment strikes and are lobbying the Los Angeles Housing Department, which recently recommended banning RUBS in rent-stabilized units—affecting an estimated 123,000 apartments.

Landlords and industry groups contend that RUBS links tenants to utility costs and promotes conservation, especially in older buildings lacking individual meters. A 2022 class-action settlement obliges Conservice to supply invoice formulas, yet many renters still struggle to obtain them. The dispute highlights broader tensions over utility transparency, tenant rights, and water-conservation incentives in the city.