How to fill in this billing statement
- 1Business name
e.g. Villanueva Apartments - 2Business address
e.g. 45 Kalayaan St., Brgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City - 3Phone and email
e.g. 0917 302 4418 · villanueva.apartments@gmail.com - 4Statement number
e.g. 2026-11-3B - 5Statement date
e.g. November 12, 2026 - 6Due date
e.g. November 20, 2026
Billing a tenant for rent and utilities
Read each sub-meter on the same day every month and write both readings on the statement. The paper takes the previous reading from the present one and multiplies by your rate, so the tenant can check the figure against the meter.
Example: electricity read at 4,698 kWh this month and 4,512 kWh last month is 186 kWh; at PHP 13.25 per kWh that is PHP 2,464.50.
- Use the rate on your own Meralco, electric cooperative or water district bill for that month — landlords are generally not allowed to profit from reselling electricity or water.
- Bill association dues, garbage or parking only if the lease says the tenant pays them.
- State the due date from your lease, usually the same day each month.
Keeping the account clean
Rent disputes usually come from missing payments and unexplained utility figures. Each month:
- Carry the unpaid balance from the last statement into "previous balance".
- List every payment received since, and give an acknowledgement receipt for each.
- Keep a photo of each meter reading with the date — it settles any question.
Questions people ask
What electricity rate should I charge my tenant?
The per-kWh rate on your own utility bill for the same month: the bill's total divided by the kWh it charges. Landlords are generally not allowed to sell electricity or water at a profit, and tenants can check your rate against the posted utility rates.
What if a unit has no sub-meter?
Leave the readings empty and type the agreed share as an extra charge, for example "Electricity share (1/4 of bill)". Better still, install a sub-meter — a fixed share is the most common cause of tenant disputes.
Is a statement of account the same as an invoice?
No. A statement of account (SOA) summarizes what a customer owes — charges, past balance and payments — and asks for payment. The sale itself is supported by your BIR-registered sales invoice, and payment by your receipt. Many businesses send the SOA with copies of the invoices it covers.
What goes in "previous balance" and "payments received"?
Previous balance is the total due on your last statement. Payments received are what the customer paid since then. The paper adds the new charges, subtracts the payments and shows the total amount due — if the customer paid in full, previous balance and payments cancel out.
Can I add a late payment charge?
Only if your contract or lease says so, at the rate it states. Add it as its own charge line so the customer sees it, and never charge interest that was not agreed in writing.
Can I keep my details for next month?
Save the statement to My Desk. Next month open it, change the period, the charges and the balances, and download again. Saved papers are encrypted — we never read them.
This page explains common practice and is not legal advice. Offices set their own rules — when in doubt, call ahead or ask your notary or lawyer.