Under what condition can a commercial landlord charge a tenant for utilities?

A commercial landlord can charge a tenant for utilities if the service is metered. This is because metered utilities provide a clear, quantifiable measure of the amount used by the tenant, allowing the landlord to charge for the actual consumption rather than an arbitrary flat rate. This method ensures fairness, as each tenant pays for exactly what they consume.

Charging based on metered services protects both parties—the landlord is compensated for the utilities provided, and the tenant is only responsible for their actual usage. The other options do not establish the same clear basis for utility charges: tenant agreement does not guarantee fair pricing based on usage, including utilities in rent implies they are covered without additional fees, and simply asking for utilities does not create a legal obligation for the landlord to provide them separately from the rent.