> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.techfootintl.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# RUBS

> Ratio Utility Billing System — allocate a shared utility bill across tenants using a ratio, no individual meters required.

## What is RUBS?

**RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System)** is an allocation method used in multifamily residential properties. The landlord or property manager receives a single master utility bill from the utility provider, then divides that cost among tenants based on a predefined ratio — no individual meters required.

Common allocation ratios include:

* **Occupancy** — number of occupants per unit
* **Square footage** — unit size relative to total property size
* **Bedroom count** — number of bedrooms per unit

RUBS is not a pricing structure — the utility company has already priced the electricity, water, or gas. RUBS is purely how you **distribute that shared cost downstream**.

***

## How It Works in Billspree

RUBS maps directly onto Billspree's composition model:

| Billspree Concept    | RUBS Role                                                                                    |
| :------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pricing Template** | Defines the rate component (master bill amount) and charge component (per-tenant allocation) |
| **Rate Card**        | Holds the master utility cost for the billing period                                         |
| **Charges Set**      | Contains the allocation formula: `Master Bill ÷ Total Units = Per-Tenant Charge`             |
| **Composite Plan**   | Combines the Rate Card and Charges Set into a subscribable tenant plan                       |
| **Subscription**     | Captures tenant-specific inputs (unit size, occupancy count) used in the allocation formula  |

### The Allocation Formula

```
Per-Tenant Charge = (Tenant's Allocation Units ÷ Total Property Units) × Master Bill
```

For example, if the master electricity bill is \$2,000 and the property has 20 units of equal size:

```
Per-Tenant Charge = (1 ÷ 20) × $2,000 = $100
```

If allocation is by occupancy and one unit has 3 occupants out of 40 total:

```
Per-Tenant Charge = (3 ÷ 40) × $2,000 = $150
```

***

## Multiple Utilities, One Template

A single Pricing Template can cover multiple utility types (electricity, water, gas) using separate Rate Cards — one per utility. Each Rate Card feeds into the same Charges Set allocation logic. This means:

* One template, multiple utility bills
* Same allocation formula reused across all utilities
* Swap or update rate cards independently per billing cycle

***

## Key Characteristics

|                      |                                                       |
| :------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------- |
| **Meter required?**  | No — allocation is ratio-based                        |
| **Bill source**      | Master utility bill from the provider                 |
| **Allocation basis** | Occupancy, square footage, or bedroom count           |
| **Billing cycle**    | Monthly, tied to the utility billing cycle            |
| **Common in**        | Multifamily residential (apartments, student housing) |