How to Transition Mobile Home Park Residents from Flat-Fee to Submetered Billing

You’ve decided to submeter your mobile home park. Congrats! Now comes the part that determines how smooth the switch feels to residents (and how many questions hit your desk): communication. 

This guide gives you a simple, copy-ready plan you can follow week by week. 

It assumes you’re moving from a flat fee or RUBS to usage-based billing with submeters and software that handles leak detection and billing (for example, SimpleSUB). 

Use this guide your way

Treat this as a practical template, not a strict checklist. Adapt the timeline, channels, and wording to fit your community, your staff capacity, and your local rules. If you already text residents, add SMS reminders. If your park is small, combine steps. If compliance requires different notice periods, adjust the sequence and keep the message the same (fairness, transparency, conservation).

(This guide is a part of our complete guide to mobile home park water submetering, in case you have more questions about submetering).

Quick note on compliance: submetered water billing is widely allowed (rules vary by state and sometimes city). But before you switch from flat fee or RUBS, confirm your local requirements.

What a successful submetering rollout looks like

A smooth transition means residents understand the change, billing starts cleanly, and water costs drop over time. Here’s what success looks like:

• Fewer disputes — Each home sees its own usage, making bills clear and fair.
• Lower master bill — Leaks get caught early, and residents naturally adjust their habits.
• A clean first billing cycle — You preview usage for 30 days, fix leaks, then go live with accurate data.

Everything in this guide is designed to help you achieve that with minimal friction.

At-a-glance timeline you can follow

You’ll communicate six times (short messages that repeat the same key points). Keep one email and one phone number for resident questions so nothing gets lost.

• 3 weeks before install: Announce the change, schedule a short info session.
• 2 weeks before: Hold the session (or video), share a sample bill and FAQs.
• 1 week before: Send a simple reminder with installation dates by street/section.
• Installation week: Post quick progress notes and thank residents.
• 30-day onboarding: Send sample usage statements (no charges yet), coach leak fixes.
• Go live: Send a final reminder and the first actual usage bill.
  
  

[Free Download: Communication Timeline Template]

[Free Download: Staff Talking Points One-Pager]

3 weeks before install: announce the change (and the “why”)

Residents accept change when it feels fair and predictable. Your first notice sets that tone. Emphasize that submetering is about fairness (pay only for what you use), transparency (clear bills), and conservation (find leaks early).

Send

• A one-page announcement (email plus printed flyer) that includes:
  (1) Why you’re changing (fairness, leak control, compliance).
  (2) What’s changing (per-home metering, not an allocation).
  (3) How installs work (clamp-on, outside the home, no plumbing changes, no Wi-Fi).
  (4) The onboarding period (30 days of sample statements before actual billing).
  (5) Invite to a 20-minute info session.
  
  
• Link to a credible explainer residents can skim: EPA overview of metering and your own overview: Complete Guide for MHPs.
  
  

[Free Download: Resident Letter #1 (We’re Upgrading Our Water System)]

2 weeks before: educate with a short meeting (or video)

The fastest way to lower anxiety is to show the meter, the bill, and the timeline. Keep it simple and visual. If you prefer, record a 5-minute walkthrough and send the link.

Cover in 20 minutes

• Fairness: residents pay only for what they use (flat fee and RUBS spread costs).
• What installs look like: clamp-on device on the pipe, outside the home, no service interruption, cellular connection.
• What residents will see: a sample bill during onboarding, then the first real bill one month later.
  
  
• Leak detection: continuous overnight flow often indicates a toilet flapper or irrigation issue (fixes save money).
• Results: share one or two outcomes like this $35k savings story or Weber Properties’ efficiency gains.
• Questions: point to a single email and phone number for follow-ups.
  
  

Send after the session

• Slides or recording link.
• A one-page FAQ (short answers).
• Leak-check tips (toilet dye test, hose bibs, irrigation timers). For context you can reference: EPA WaterSense benchmarking and this utility explainer: Goleta Water District on savings.
  
  

[Free Download: Meeting Slide Deck]

[Free Download: Resident FAQ Handout]

[Free Download: Leak-Check Flyer]

1 week before: a simple reminder with dates by section

Repeat the basics and make it practical. Specific dates calm everyone down.

Send

• A short reminder (email plus door hanger) that includes:
  
  • Street or section install dates and time windows.
  • No need to be home, no Wi-Fi required, no in-home work.
  • Onboarding starts right after installation (you will receive a sample statement).

[Free Download: Door Hanger Reminder]

Installation week: stay visible, keep notes short

Clamp-on, cellular installs are quick and tidy, but visibility and clear communication make residents feel informed and confident. A little presence goes a long way.

• Walk the property daily. Greet residents, answer quick questions, and make sure installation teams are easy to recognize (uniforms, vests, or badges help). Your visibility reassures residents that everything is running smoothly.
• Post short daily updates. If installation spans multiple days, share simple progress notes on bulletin boards, door hangers, or community emails. Example: “Section A complete today — Section B begins tomorrow morning.” This keeps expectations clear and prevents unnecessary calls.
• Wrap up with gratitude and next steps. At the end of the week, send a short thank-you note to residents acknowledging their cooperation. Remind them that the 30-day onboarding period begins now and that they’ll start receiving sample usage statements soon.

30-day onboarding: send sample statements (no charges yet)

This is where the learning happens. Residents see their usage and can fix leaks before billing starts. Owners often find that a handful of toilets and irrigation timers account for most “mystery” consumption. External resources you can cite in your message: EPA WaterSense benchmarking, Goleta Water District on submeter benefits, and the broader CalWEP review.

Send each week (simple and consistent)

• Usage preview for each home (what they used and what it would have cost).
• Any leak flags the system detects (continuous flow overnight).
• A community update at Day 15 (for example, “park-wide overnight flow dropped 40 percent”).
• Clear help path (email, phone) for anyone with unusual usage.

[Free Download: Sample “Usage Preview” Statement]

[Free Download: Resident Leak-Fix Checklist]

Go live: first real usage bill

Two messages keep Month 1 clean.

Send 5–7 days before the bill posts

• “Billing begins on [date]. Here is how to read your new bill.”
  
  
• One screenshot with callouts: current read, usage period, rate, total, support contact.
  
  
• Reminder that metered billing (not allocation) begins with this statement.
  
  

After bills post

• Skim for oddities (address issues, obviously abnormal reads).
  
  
• Share a short “Month 1 wins” note with the community (for example, “we found and fixed 9 leaks during onboarding”). Consider linking a real outcome like the Oklahoma case study.
  
  

Sample Resident Email

Subject: Upcoming change to water billing (pay only for what you use)

‍

Dear Residents,

‍

Starting the week of [dates], our community will install individual water submeters. This upgrade makes billing fair and transparent (you pay only for the water you use). Installation happens outside the home with no plumbing changes and no Wi-Fi required. Service will not be interrupted.

‍

After installation, we will have a 30-day onboarding period. During this period you will receive sample usage statements so you can see your water use and address any leaks before real billing starts.

‍

Our first real usage bill will be on [date]. We will send a reminder and a sample invoice so you know exactly how to read it.

‍

Please join us for a short information session on [date/time]. If you have questions, contact [email] or [phone].

‍

Thank you for helping make our community more water-smart.

‍

— [Your Park Management Team]

[Free Download: Editable Resident Notice Template]

Short Resident FAQ (use this in your handout)

Will my bill go up?

It depends on use. Many households pay about the same or less. Heavy users may pay more. The goal is fairness. Submetering also helps the whole park reduce waste by finding leaks early. For third-party context you can share: EPA metering overview and Goleta Water District on savings.

Do I need to do anything for installation?

No. The meter clamps on outside the home (no plumber inside, no Wi-Fi setup).

How will I know if I have a leak?

You will see it in your usage preview (continuous overnight flow often means a toilet flapper or irrigation timer). The system also flags suspected leaks so the office can follow up.

Is this legal here?

In most places, yes (rules vary). We follow local requirements for itemized, metered billing. If you want to read more, here is the EPA overview.

When does billing start?

After the 30-day onboarding period. You will get a reminder and an example bill first.

Full Owner checklist 

This is a best-case playbook for a smooth rollout (clear messages, clean first bill, fewer disputes). 

Treat it as a template, not a rulebook. Take what works for your park and adjust the rest: compress steps if you have a smaller community, add SMS if you already text residents, or extend notice periods if local rules require it. 

Keep one point of contact for questions (one email, one phone number), keep messages short and consistent, and move through the timeline at a pace your team can support. 

Here’s the step-by-step version you can follow or adapt.

Prep (before Week -3)

1. Confirm local rules for itemized metered billing.
2. Choose your meter and software (clamp-on, cellular, leak detection, billing).
3. Draft notices, meeting invite, FAQ, and a sample invoice.
4. Pick a single email and phone number for resident questions.
5. Brief your team (office and maintenance) with the same talking points.

Week -3

6. Send Announcement #1 (why, what changes, timeline, onboarding).
7. Invite to a 20-minute info session.

Week -2

8. Host the session (or send a 5-minute video).
9. Send slides, a short FAQ, and leak-check tips.

Week -1

10. Send a simple reminder with dates by street or section.
11. Deliver door hangers to each home.

Install week

12. Post daily status (two sentences).
13. Thank residents and remind them onboarding begins now.

Onboarding (Days 1–30)

14. Send weekly usage previews and leak alerts.
15. Midpoint update with a quick “park-wide progress” note.
16. Offer one-on-one help for unusual usage.

Go live

17. Send a billing-starts reminder and a labeled bill example.
18. Review Month 1 internally (fix any address or read issues).
19. Share a Month 1 wins note with residents.

[Free Download: Staff Rollout Checklist]

[Free Download: Sample Bill With Annotations]

Why SimpleSUB fits this plan

• Fast, low-friction install (clamp-on, outside the home, cellular connection).
• Leak detection built in (continuous-flow alerts during onboarding catch expensive problems early).
• Billing and reporting in one place (clean, itemized statements without manual spreadsheet work).
• Real-world outcomes you can show to residents and owners: Saved $35k, Weber Properties, Oklahoma community.
  
  

Ready to Make the Switch?

Submetering doesn’t have to be complicated or painful for residents. With the right communication plan and the right tools, you can transition smoothly from flat-fee or RUBS billing to fair, accurate, and transparent usage-based billing.

SimpleSUB is built for exactly this kind of rollout: clamp-on meters that install in minutes, automatic leak detection during onboarding, and clean, itemized statements that keep everyone on the same page.

If you’re planning your transition, we can help you map out the process, prepare resident communications, and start saving on your next water bill.

Schedule a demo to see how simple water submetering can be.