San Diego renters are invoking the city’s Residential Utility Fee Ordinance after encountering difficulties obtaining utility billing records from landlords. The ordinance, approved by the San Diego City Council last year, obligates landlords to supply copies of building utility bills and the formulas used to calculate each tenant’s share within ten calendar days of a written request.
Complaints Highlight Gaps in Enforcement
Voice of San Diego obtained seven complaints filed with the City Attorney’s Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit between December 2025 and August 2026. Each complaint describes a tenant who asked for utility documentation and either received no response, faced delayed delivery, or was given records with critical information blacked out.
One renter, whose name was redacted, wrote that they received a “pay or quit” notice for alleged non‑payment after requesting clarification on water, sewer and trash charges. The tenant said they were forced to make payments under duress while facing eviction.
Legal Aid Society Calls for Stronger Enforcement
Gilberto Vera of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego warned that merely passing a law does not guarantee protection for renters. “Enforcement has to go into effect so that landlords know, ‘Hey, not only is this a new law, we’re going to enforce it, and if you don’t comply, there are consequences,’” Vera said.
Vera also criticized the use of ratio utility billing systems (RUBS), noting that they can destabilize housing by making monthly utility costs unpredictable. “You already have high rents, and then it’s hard for you as a tenant to budget when your utilities change, they change and go up and down every month,” he added.
Specific Incidents Illustrate the Problem
In a February 3 complaint, a tenant reported being charged $321.58 per month for air‑conditioning under a per‑occupant formula, despite not using the system during the winter months. The tenant’s written request for the master bill and calculation data went unanswered.
Another complaint filed on December 30, 2025, described a property manager’s refusal to share utility or tax bills, citing privacy concerns for other tenants. The manager directed the requester to a third‑party billing company, Conservice, but no records were ultimately provided.
Two separate complaints focused on trash fees exceeding $200 per month. Tenants alleged that management delayed providing the full trash bill and that fines for “misuse of trash” were divided among all residents without explanation. In one case, a property manager acknowledged the fees were “way too high” and promised an investigation, yet the tenant reported no credit was applied.
City Response and Ongoing Efforts
City Attorney Heather Ferbert’s office declined to comment on whether any of the complaints are under investigation. Since the unit’s launch in August 2025, the Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit has received roughly 800 complaints covering a range of tenant‑landlord issues, including repeat code violations and other renter‑protection concerns.
The ordinance was designed to promote fairness, equity, and transparency in utility billing. By requiring landlords to disclose both the raw utility bills and the calculation methodology, the city aims to give renters a clear path to verify charges and address potential overbilling.
What Residents Can Do
Tenants who believe their landlord is not complying with the ordinance should submit a written request for the required documentation and keep a copy of the request. If the landlord fails to respond within ten days, renters can file a complaint with the City Attorney’s Housing Protection and Civil Code Compliance Unit.
Legal aid organizations continue to advise renters to document all communications and to seek assistance if they encounter eviction threats tied to disputed utility charges.
Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.
