The default rule
In most Indian rentals, the tenant pays their own electricity consumption. For an independent unit with its own meter, the connection is typically in the tenant's name and they pay the bill directly to the electricity board. The landlord only gets involved when a property has a single meter serving multiple units.
Sub-Meter Electricity Bill Splitter
Split power bills fairly per sub-meter reading & common area usage
Single meter, multiple tenants
When one meter serves several tenants (common in PGs, hostels, and subdivided flats), you have three options:
Common-area electricity
Lifts, stairwell lights, water pumps, and security lights are common-area charges. The usual practice is for the landlord (or the society) to pay these, and recover them through maintenance charges. Charging common-area electricity to a specific tenant is generally not done unless agreed in writing.
The deposit question
When electricity is billed by the landlord (sub-meter model), it is wise to include a small electricity deposit in the tenancy deposit, so a tenant's final unpaid power bill is covered at move-out. Without this, an unpaid bill lands in your name and your next tenant's connection can be held up. For gated society owners, see how TenantsFlo compares against society apps like NoBrokerHood for individual landlord utility tracking.
How TenantsFlo helps
TenantsFlo lets you log opening and closing meter readings, apply a rate per unit, and generate an electricity bill automatically. Each tenant's bill shows the exact units consumed and the amount. No more manual calculations or arguments over "who used what".