Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa August/September 2019 | Page 26

UTILITIES
SPONSORED
The value of
sub-metering tenant spaces
Reliable and accurate utility management in the
commercial and residential arena can minimise admin,
improve customer engagement and save money
A
quick look at any one of South Africa’s city skylines
reveals a landscape filled with new commercial and
residential spaces. Gorgeous views, state-of-the-art
design and gleaming foyers entice tenants from across the
globe. Today, tenants can afford to be picky – they can opt
into the amenities and designs of those buildings that allow
them access to the best shopping, business parks and dis-
tricts. Landlords cannot afford to provide less than perfect
management of facilities and utilities. This is one of the rea-
sons why the sub-metering space has become so popular
over the past few years. With the right partner and sub-me-
tering platform, any commercial or residential building can
transform how it manages costs, customers and administra-
tion.
“Tenants want transparency into their electricity and water
usage so they can maximise their budgets and feel secure in
their spend,” says Michael Franze, Managing Director, Citiq
Prepaid.
“They also want to work with real estate owners and
landlords that understand the importance of transparency,
and who ensure that the systems they use are modern, capable
and accessible. When it comes to investing into a new office
or residential area, trust is critical for the tenant and if this is
breached, the relationship won’t last,” he adds.
Investment into a reliable prepaid sub-metering solution
ensures that the property manager can benefit from increased
customer engagement. This can also offer tenants a granular
level of control over their spend and consumption, while also
minimising their own admin. With numerous properties and
tenants to manage, a reliable prepaid sub-metering platform
is essential to ensuring that any problem can be dealt with
effectively and with the right data.
24
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
“Prepaid sub-meters allow for landlords to charge their
tenants the precise amount that they have used each month;
and they can do so without having to spend hours measuring,
testing tariffs or checking usage counts. With Citiq Prepaid,
property owners, stakeholders and managers can access
accurate usage reports, provide tenants with precise figures
and fees, openly share data to enhance engagement and
trust, and work with tenants in closely managing budgets and
spend,” adds Franze.
When it comes to investing
into a new office or residential
area, trust is critical for the
tenant and if this is breached,
the relationship won’t last.
Prepaid sub-metering systems not only improve
transparency and more accurate billing but it is on time every
month, minimising unexpected impact on the business.
Prepaid sub-metering systems can be used to measure
return on investment for both commercial property owner
and tenant. This high-end insight plays a significant role
in bypassing some of the most common challenges that
affect tenant and property owner relationships and ongoing
property management.
SOURCES Citiq Prepaid