Take these questions to the viewing
Download the printable PDF or spreadsheet checklist and use one copy for each apartment. Start with the costs and equipment that could change your decision, then record who can confirm each answer. A viewing is a chance to collect evidence, not to diagnose wiring, insulation or appliance faults.
| Ask | Record or request |
|---|---|
| Which utilities are outside the rent? | Electricity, heating fuel, hot water and laundry, each separately. |
| How is my share calculated? | An individual utility account, submeter or shared allocation; ask for the written explanation. |
| Who controls heating and cooling? | The controls you can use, supplied equipment and any operating restrictions. |
| Can I install a window AC or shades? | Permitted design, approval process and responsibility for installation. |
| Who handles equipment problems? | Maintenance contact and the status of concerns observed at the viewing. |
An unanswered question stays marked “unknown.” These are comparison questions, not a statement of what a landlord must legally provide. Confirm the arrangement in the documents for the specific rental.
Record the room and equipment you would actually use
List heating, cooling, refrigeration, cooking and laundry equipment. With permission, photograph accessible model labels without moving appliances or opening covers. Model numbers help you find the right manual or EnergyGuide information later.
Note window dimensions, afternoon sun, operating shades and whether connected rooms stay open. NYSERDA’s apartment selection guidance highlights building efficiency, heating and cooling, and comfort observations. A comfortable ten-minute visit does not establish year-round performance.
If you will supply an AC, use the window AC buying checklist before assuming any inexpensive model will fit. Keep purchase and installation amounts outside the recurring electricity budget.
Ask what historical usage can and cannot tell you
If a usage summary is available, record its dates, billed days, occupancy and whether electricity also powered heating or hot water. A summer-only history cannot establish winter heating costs. Ask whether readings were actual or estimated.
Keep previous occupants’ account details private. An anonymized usage total may help frame a question, but their schedule, thermostat settings and tariff may differ from yours. If no reliable history is available, leave the forecast uncertain rather than filling it with a national average.
Build an electricity range with visible assumptions
Here is a constructed planning example, not an estimate for a particular apartment. Assume a flat variable rate of $0.18/kWh and a separate $15 monthly fee. Heating fuel, water, taxes and other charges are excluded unless already represented by those inputs.
| Usage assumption | Usage charge | With $15 fixed fee |
|---|---|---|
| 300 kWh | 300 × $0.18 = $54 | $69 |
| 400 kWh | 400 × $0.18 = $72 | $87 |
| 500 kWh | 500 × $0.18 = $90 | $105 |
The range is only as credible as its inputs. Use your applicable electricity rate, not the total payment divided by kWh when that payment includes old balances or credits. Do not add an appliance estimate again if it is already included in the whole-home kWh assumption.
Compare two rentals without hiding an unknown
Suppose fictional Apartment A rents for $1,200 and has the $69–$105 electricity scenario above. Its subtotal is $1,269–$1,305. Apartment B rents for $1,260 with electricity included, but hot-water charges are unknown. Neither subtotal establishes the cheaper complete option until both homes include the same services.
Write two lists: confirmed recurring costs and unresolved costs. Put one-time equipment purchases on a separate line. Follow up on the uncertainties large enough to change the choice, including permission for an appliance you would rely on. Do not treat a damaged fitting or persistent moisture as merely a budgeting item; ask the responsible contact to address it.
Save the answers and check them after moving
Keep the dated checklist with your own rental records. After moving, compare your first actual bills with the assumptions, allowing for different billing days and seasons. The no-purchase renter energy audit helps organize that follow-up without requiring new equipment.
Apartment energy viewing checklist
Print two pages for each viewing. Choose your paper size and use the blank spaces for notes. No sign-up needed.
A free CSV to use in a spreadsheet app. Fill in your own copy; it contains no automatic formulas and does not upload your bills or readings.
Download apartment energy viewing checklist (CSV)Choose your next step
Continue with the question that matches your next decision:
Sources & further reading
Numerical examples are illustrative unless explicitly described as measured. This guide does not claim hands-on product testing. Read the methodology and editorial disclosure.