Yes, some apartments in Orlando include utilities and its super easy to find them on 407apartments! In student housing, you will typically find all-inclusive rent rates, which means all of your payments that would typically be separated are bundled together in one easy monthly bill. This makes it easy for students and their parents to pay rent because you pay one bill and don't have to worry about the rest. Instead of paying for your cable, internet, utilities, and trash, and furniture separately you will be able to pay one check each month and you are set.
It is rare to find a conventional (or joint-leased) apartment with utilities included in Orlando. It's important to ask the apartment team what is included in the monthly rent because some utilities, like electricity, may be included with a cap but others, like water, may have to be paid separately depending on usage. Most often in non-student apartments, your monthly rent will not include any utilities and it will be your responsibility to pay them separately. For tis on how to set up utilities and more, check out the Orlando Relocation Guide. To see your apartment options with utilities included, simply check off your desired utilities under the "Cable and Utilities" section of 407apartments.
Student Housing with Utilities Included
In some student housing communities, you have a utility cap and in others, you are granted unlimited utilities. A cap is when your utilities are included up to a certain budgeted amount. For instance, if a student community has a $40 utility cap, that means once you and your roommates exceed the $40 cap, you are responsible for dividing the amount between the number of roommates and paying the remaining balance of the bill. On the other hand, some student apartments offer unlimited utilities, where you're not limited to a monthly utility cap. Apartments that offer this feature are rare now, but some student housing communities use this as a periodic promotion. Finding a community with all utilities included is easy with 407apartments' search tools, just visit the utility section and check off the filters for water and electricity included.
Conventional (Joint Leased) Apartments
In conventional apartments, otherwise known as "joint leased" apartments, a single lease is shared by all roommates. In joint lease apartments, the roommates are responsible for determining how much each person pays for rent and dividing the electricity and utility bills evenly. Different utilities include water, sewer, electricity, and trash removal. Several Orlando apartments even offer valet trash removal. This amenity allows residents to leave their trash and waste cans outside their door and the valet trash removal picks it up for you. When a joint lease is the case, you can pay these separate bills directly to the power or water company, or depending on the community, you may be billed by the apartment. Utility policies vary from one apartment to the next, so make sure you ask good questions about utilities during your apartment tour so you can sign your lease with confidence knowing exactly what you are committing to.
Regardless of what utilities the apartment community offers, it's important to be mindful of your utility usage. Remember to always utilize environmentally friendly practices. This can easily be done by getting into the habit of turning up the A/C when leaving town and turning off the lights in rooms that aren't being used or if no one is home. For more energy-saving tips, check out this article from Florida Power & Light.