What to collect first
- Lease and current Progress fee disclosure
- Whether the home uses Conservice or YES
- Monthly utility service fee
- One-time utility setup fee where applicable
- Smart-home technology charge
- Utility Default Fee if required accounts were not transferred
- State-specific exceptions
- Other feature charges such as solar, pool, landscaping or septic
Utility-management charges are separate from utility usage
Progress says residents remain responsible for the utilities they use and that homes enrolled in Conservice or YES can have a separate utility service fee. Compare the service fee with the actual water, sewer, gas, electric or other usage lines.
Smart-home pricing depends on the feature package
The current official fee page lists a monthly smart-home technology range for homes with thermostats, locks, sensors and app control. Treat that as a feature charge rather than utility consumption.
State exceptions are explicit
Progress currently identifies exceptions for states including Nevada, Colorado, North Carolina and Indiana. The property location therefore changes the fee analysis and should be checked before relying on a national-looking amount.
Watch for avoidable default charges
Progress says a Utility Default Fee can apply when a resident fails to establish a required utility account in the resident’s name. If that line appears, confirm which utility was supposed to be transferred and whether service-start proof exists.
Compare this fee across management companies
Use the company-specific disclosure above first, then compare the same fee category across other operators that publish a source-based RentBillCheck guide.