How to calculate and split the electricity bill in a PG
The light bill causes more fights in a PG than the rent. The maths is simple. The fights come from readings nobody saw and splits nobody understood. This guide gives you the formula, the fair ways to split, and examples you can show your tenants.
By the ZygoRent team · Updated · 4 min read
The formula
You need three numbers: the last meter reading, the new meter reading and your rate per unit.
- Units used = new reading − last reading
- Bill = units used × rate per unit
Example for one room: the last reading was 4,500 and the new reading is 4,628. Units used = 128. At ₹9 per unit, the bill is 128 × 9 = ₹1,152.
Three ways to split the bill
| Way | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Equal split | Everyone stayed the full month. | ₹1,152 between 3 tenants = ₹384 each. |
| By move-in reading | Someone joined or left in the middle of the month. | Each tenant pays only for the units used while they stayed. |
| Fixed amount in the rent | Small rooms with no separate meter. | Simple, but one tenant always feels they are paying for another. |
Worked example: a tenant joins in the middle of the month
Room 204 has two tenants, A and B. The last reading was 4,500. On the 16th a third tenant, C, moves in. You note the meter that day: 4,560. At month end the reading is 4,628. The rate is ₹9 per unit.
| Period | Units used | Shared by |
|---|---|---|
| Before C moved in | 4,560 − 4,500 = 60 | A and B: 30 units each |
| After C moved in | 4,628 − 4,560 = 68 | A, B and C: 22.67 units each |
- A pays for 30 + 22.67 = 52.67 units = ₹474
- B pays for 30 + 22.67 = 52.67 units = ₹474
- C pays for 22.67 units = ₹204
The three shares add up to ₹1,152, the full bill. Nobody pays for a day they did not stay.
The one thing you must do is note the meter reading on the day a tenant moves in and on the day they leave.
Common areas and empty rooms
The corridor light, the water motor and the kitchen are used by everyone. Do not add them to one room's bill. Either include them in the rent or share them equally and say so clearly at check-in.
An empty room still uses a little power. That cost is yours, not the next tenant's. Count it as your expense.
How to avoid light bill fights
- Take a photo of the meter each time you note a reading.
- Show four numbers on every bill: last reading, new reading, units and rate.
- Keep one rate for the whole property.
- Write the rate in the rent agreement.
- If you can, put a separate meter in every room.
Some states have rules on how much an owner may charge a tenant per unit. Check your state electricity board's rule before you fix the rate.
How ZygoRent calculates it
In ZygoRent the last reading is already filled in. You pick the room, type the new reading and attach a meter photo if you want proof. The app works out the units at the rate you set for that property.
It then splits the bill equally, or by move-in and move-out readings, or you can adjust the shares by hand. Each tenant's share is added to their dues, ready to collect with the rent.
See the electricity billing page, or book a free demo.
Questions owners ask
How do I calculate the electricity bill for a PG room?
Subtract the last meter reading from the new one to get the units used. Multiply the units by your rate per unit. Then divide the bill between the tenants in the room.
How do I split the bill when a tenant joins in the middle of the month?
Note the meter reading on the day they move in. Units used before that day are shared by the old tenants. Units used after are shared by everyone in the room.
What rate per unit should I charge?
Use the rate you really pay and write it in the rent agreement. Some states limit what an owner may charge a tenant, so check your state's rule first.
Who pays for the common area electricity?
It should not go on one room's bill. Include it in the rent, or share it equally between all tenants and tell them at check-in.
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