---
id: 6d6b0012
title: "Bills and Utilities: Meter Readings and One-Time Charges"
summary: Bill tenants for water from a meter reading, for garbage or Wi-Fi at a flat rate, or for a one-off fine, and see what is paid and what is overdue.
audience: Landlords and tenants
order: 12
keywords: bills, utilities, water bill, meter reading, electricity, garbage, fine, penalty, flat fee
updated: 2026-10-23
cover: ../media/bills-water-meter.gif
---

# Bills and Utilities: Meter Readings and One-Time Charges

> **In one sentence:** for water you type today's meter reading and the price per unit, and Mkodisha works out the bill; for a fine or a flat charge you just type the amount.

## The simple version

Rent is not the only thing tenants pay. There is water, electricity, garbage collection, Wi-Fi, parking, and sometimes a fine for paying late.

- **Bills from a meter (water, electricity):** last month the meter said **251**. Today it says **260**. That's **9 units** used. At **KES 150** per unit, the bill is **9 × 150 = KES 1,350**. You only type *260* and *150*; Mkodisha does the sum.
- **Flat bills (garbage, Wi-Fi, a fine):** there's no meter. You tick **Use Flat Fee** and type the amount, like **KES 1,000**.

The tenant is told about the bill, can pay it in the app, and gets a receipt.

## Why Mkodisha does this better

- **No calculator needed.** Units used and the total are worked out from the readings.
- **The last reading is remembered.** Mkodisha shows each tenant's previous reading, so you can't bill the same water twice.
- **Every kind of charge.** 23 utility types, from water and electricity to parking, cleaning and fines.
- **See who owes, and for how long.** The aging report groups unpaid bills by how late they are.
- **Repeating bills can run themselves.** Garbage every month, Wi-Fi every month: set it once in Active Bills.

## Where to find it

| What | Link |
|------|------|
| Bills & Utilities page | [mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills](https://mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills) |
| Billing and payment trends | [mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#monthly-billing-and-payment-trends](https://mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#monthly-billing-and-payment-trends) |
| Tenant utility bills | [mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#tenant-utility-bills](https://mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#tenant-utility-bills) |
| Unpaid bills aging report | [mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#unpaid-bills-aging-report](https://mkodisha.com/app/containers/Pages/Utility-Bills#unpaid-bills-aging-report) |
| A building's utilities | Open a building, then `#rental-unit-bills-utilities` |

## The summary

![Total billed, total collected, collection rate, total unpaid and tenants owing](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-summary.png)

At the top: **Total Billed**, **Total Collected**, the **Collection Rate** (how much of what you billed has been paid, as a percentage), **Total Unpaid** and how many **Tenants Owing**.

## Example 1: A water bill from a meter reading

![Billing Brian Kiprotich for 9 units of water at KES 150](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-water-meter.gif)

1. Click **Add Tenant Bill** and choose the building.
2. Click the utility, here **Water**.
3. Choose the **Tenant**. Under **Previous**, Mkodisha shows their last bill: previous reading, units used, price per unit (PPU) and amount.
4. Type today's **Meter Reading** and the **Price Per Unit**. *Units consumed* and *Total* fill in by themselves.
5. Click **Submit**.

**The sum:** new reading − previous reading = units used; units used × price per unit = bill.
For Brian: 260 − 251 = 9 units; 9 × KES 150 = **KES 1,350**.

## Example 2: A one-time penalty or fine

![Charging Ann Nyambura a KES 1,000 one-off fine with Use Flat Fee](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-one-time-fine.gif)

1. Click **Add Tenant Bill** and choose the building.
2. Click **Penalty/Fine** in the list.
3. Choose the **Tenant**.
4. Tick **Use Flat Fee** and type the amount, here **KES 1,000**.
5. Click **Submit**.

Use the same flat-fee way for anything without a meter: **Trash Collection**, **Internet/WiFi**, **Parking Fees**, **Cleaning Services**, **Security System**, and so on.

### All the utility types

Electricity, Water, Gas, Heating, Cooling/Air Conditioning, Internet/WiFi, Cable TV, Landline Telephone, Trash Collection, Sewer, Security System, Homeowner's Association (HOA) Fees, Insurance, Groundskeeping/Landscaping, Pest Control, Maintenance Fees, Snow Removal, Parking Fees, Electric Vehicle Charging, Cleaning Services, Laundry Services, Property Taxes, and Penalty/Fine.

## Meter bills or flat bills: which to use?

| Use a **meter reading** when… | Use a **flat fee** when… |
|-------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Each house has its own meter (water, electricity, gas) | Everyone pays the same (garbage, security, Wi-Fi) |
| The amount changes with how much is used | The amount is fixed |
| Example: water at KES 150 per unit | Example: garbage KES 300 a month, or a KES 1,000 fine |

## Step 3: Follow the bills

![The bills list, then the Analytics tab](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-list-analytics.gif)

The **Bills** tab lists every bill: bill ID, tenant, house, utility, units used, price per unit, amount, status (**Paid** or **Unpaid**) and when it last changed. Click a bill to open it, print it, or (for tenants) **Pay Now**. The **Analytics** tab shows which utilities cost the most each month.

![The monthly billing and payment trends chart](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-trends.gif)

**Monthly Billing and Payment Trends** draws two lines: what was billed each month and what was collected. When the lines meet, everything billed has been paid.

![The unpaid bills aging report](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-aging-report.png)

The **Unpaid Bills Aging Report** groups unpaid bills by how late they are: **0–30 days**, **31–60 days**, **61–90 days** and **90+ days**. Chase the oldest first.

## Bills that repeat by themselves

![A building's Bills & Utilities section and its Automatic Bills](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-automatic.gif)

Inside each building, **Bills & Utilities** shows which utilities are included in the rent and which are billed separately. **Automatic Bills** opens **Active Bills**, where you can set a charge to repeat (for example garbage every month): **Create Invoice → Utility Bill**, choose how often, and tick *Automatically generate future invoices*. See [Collecting Payments](collecting-payments.md#step-5-let-mkodisha-create-invoices-for-you).

## What tenants see

![A tenant's list of utility bills](https://articles.mkodisha.com/guides/media/bills-tenant-view.png)

Tenants open **Bills & Utilities** to see all their bills, what is paid, and what is still owed. They are notified (and emailed) when a bill is created and when it is paid.

## Videos

[![Mkodisha: Manage Rent, Bills and Tenancy Contracts with Ease](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UsSWGFW-3g8/hqdefault.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsSWGFW-3g8)

## Quick answers

**How is a water bill worked out?**
(Today's reading − last reading) × price per unit. Mkodisha does the sum for you.

**Where do I find the last meter reading?**
Choose the tenant in the bill form; it's shown under **Previous**.

**How do I charge a late-payment fine?**
**Add Tenant Bill → Penalty/Fine**, tick **Use Flat Fee**, type the amount, **Submit**.

**Can garbage be billed every month automatically?**
Yes. Set it up in the building's **Automatic Bills** (Active Bills).

**Are bills the same as rent?**
No. Rent invoices are separate; bills are for utilities and other charges. Both appear on the tenant's account.

## Words to know

| Word | Meaning |
|------|---------|
| Utility | A service like water, electricity or garbage collection |
| Meter reading | The number on the meter today |
| Units consumed | How much was used since the last reading |
| PPU (price per unit) | What one unit costs |
| Flat fee | A fixed amount, with no meter |
| Aging report | Unpaid bills grouped by how late they are |

## Related guides

- [Collecting Payments, Invoices and Active Bills](collecting-payments.md)
- [Landlord and Tenant Billing](landlord-and-tenant-billing.md)
- [Insights and Analytics](insights-and-analytics.md)
- [Notifications](notifications.md)