HUD Housing Programs: Tenants’ Rights (The Green Book): 5.2.4 Master-Metered Utilities
In “master-metered” buildings, a single meter measures consumption for the building as a whole rather than for individual dwelling units or households. Where utilities are master-metered, the building’s owner pays the utility bills to the utility company, and utilities are included in the tenants’ rents, so utility allowances are not necessary. However, tenants may face surcharges for major tenant-supplied appliances, such as window air conditioners, washers or dryers.8