Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued a consumer alert and business advisory to inform landlords and tenants about the need for transparent and complete disclosures regarding utility billing in apartment buildings, especially as consumer costs continue to increase. “Our office has received numerous complaints about landlords potentially overbilling residents for utilities or failing to make their billing practices clear,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “Tenants also routinely express confusion about how utility bills are allocated and struggle to budget because of inconsistent utility billing practices. While landlords have flexibility regarding how they bill residents for utilities, they must inform prospective tenants about these processes before a lease is signed. I strongly encourage all prospective renters to ask detailed questions about a property’s utility billing practices before signing a lease, and any District resident who believes they have been overcharged to reach out to my office.”