Do UD Apartments Include Utilities? Newark's City Electric, Water and What Off-Campus Leases Cover

Most University of Delaware apartments do not include all utilities. In Newark, electric and water usually come from the City of Newark itself, not a private company, and a new rental account needs a $300 security deposit plus a $30 application fee. Some student buildings fold in a utility or two; most older houses leave electric, heat and internet to you, and Find My Place's Newark data puts that at roughly $90 to $180 per person a month in a shared house.

Key Takeaways

• The City of Newark is your electric company (and often your water company) if you live inside city limits.
• $300. That's the minimum deposit Newark charges to open a rental utility account, plus a $30 fee that never comes back.
• Bring a signed lease when you set up service, because the city won't open a tenant account without one.
• Listings for off-campus housing near UD show base rent, so utilities are a question you ask before signing, not something the price tells you.
• Budget around $90 to $180 per person each month for utilities in an older shared Newark house.

Who Provides Utilities in Newark, Delaware?

The City of Newark runs its own electric utility and its own water and sewer system for addresses inside city limits. If you expected to call some giant power company, you won't. Your bill comes from the city's Payments and Utility Division, 220 South Main Street.

Outside the city's service area, the names change. The city's own utility links page points those addresses to Delmarva Power for electric, Suez or Artesian for water, and New Castle County for sewer. Natural gas, if your place has it, comes from Delmarva Power, which serves gas customers across northern Delaware.

Trash is the easy one. Curbside collection at city houses is a Newark Public Works service, so it usually isn't a separate account you open.

What Newark Charges Renters to Open a Utility Account

New rental accounts with the City of Newark need a minimum $300 security deposit. Homeowners skip it. Renters don't.

On top of that, a $30 application fee lands on your first bill, and it is non-refundable. The city's Finance Department says the deposit comes back after three years of good payment history or when you close the account, and the refund can take up to four weeks. If you owe anything at move-out, the deposit pays that first and you get the rest by mail.

One more catch. The city needs a signed copy of your lease before it will set up service. No lease in hand yet? Your landlord can file a Landlord Property Certification Form instead.

Why three roommates shouldn't each open an account

Each account means its own $300 deposit and its own $30 fee. Put the electric in one name, split it on Venmo, and you've saved $660 in upfront cash. (Just pick the roommate who actually pays bills on time.) The deposit can move with that person to a new Newark address later, but it can't be transferred to someone else's name.

Which UD Off-Campus Leases Include Utilities?

Few UD-area leases include everything. Student buildings are the likeliest to bundle a utility; older apartments and rented houses mostly don't, and the listing price won't tell you which is which. On Find My Place, Newark property pages show base rent with a note that fees and extras may push the total higher. So treat every price as rent only until the leasing office says otherwise.

Here's how it tends to break down near campus:

• Purpose-built student buildings. Places like Rittenhouse Station, about a 15-minute walk to UD with shared rooms listed from $650, fall in the group FMP's Newark notes flag as most likely to bundle certain utilities. Ask which ones, and whether electric has a cap.
• Older apartment buildings near Main Street. Water can stay in the landlord's name, because Newark lets owners choose whether the water bill goes to the landlord, the tenant, or both. Check before you assume it's yours.
• Rented houses on streets like Haines, Elkton Road and Cleveland Avenue. Expect to carry almost everything: electric, heat, internet, sometimes water too.

The Rail Yard, an 8-minute walk from campus, lists floor plans from $1,100 a month. Heritage Place on Haines Street lists from $790. Neither page states what's included, which is exactly why you ask. For the full picture on what rent runs, see our breakdown of average rent near the University of Delaware.

How Much UD Students Pay for Utilities Each Month

Plan on roughly $90 to $180 per person a month in an older shared house, based on Find My Place's Newark market notes. Winter is the high end. Drafty older houses with electric heat are what push a split bill toward the top of that range.

Internet is almost always its own bill unless the building advertises it. Budget for it separately and decide early whose name it goes in.

The Move-In Gap: When Newark Shuts Off the Power

Newark disconnects electric at the request of the outgoing tenant by default. Landlords who want the power to stay on between tenants have to file a form with the city every year. If yours skipped it, the power may already be off when you arrive.

So if you're moving into a house on June 1 and the last group left May 25, you could walk into a dark kitchen. Call the city at 302-366-7000 a week before move-in, open your account, and confirm the start date. Ask your landlord about the city's landlord-tenant utility forms if anything looks off.

Questions to Ask Before You Sign a UD Lease

Ask the leasing office or landlord these, and get the answers in writing:

• Which utilities are in the rent, and is there a cap on electric?
• Is this address on City of Newark electric and water, or Delmarva and Artesian?
• Gas or electric heat? (Electric baseboard is the February budget killer.)
• What did last winter's bills look like?
• Does the building have a valid city rental permit? Our guide to Newark rental permit rules explains why that matters.

Then compare the real monthly total, not just rent, across your Newark shortlist. Our list of things to check before signing a lease near UD covers the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Utilities Near UD

Do University of Delaware off-campus apartments include utilities?

Sometimes, and rarely all of them. Newer purpose-built student buildings are the most likely to bundle a utility or two. Older Newark apartments and rented houses usually leave electric and internet to tenants.

How much is the Newark utility deposit for renters?

$300 minimum for a new rental account with the City of Newark, plus a $30 non-refundable application fee on your first bill. Homeowners don't pay the deposit.

Who do I call to set up electric in Newark, DE?

The City of Newark Payments and Utility Division, at 302-366-7000, if your address is inside city limits. You can also start service online. Addresses outside the city's service area use Delmarva Power.

When do I get my Newark utility deposit back?

After three years of good payment history, or when you close the account. The city first applies it to any balance you owe, then mails the rest, which can take up to four weeks.

Is trash included in Newark rentals?

Usually, yes, in practice. Curbside trash at city houses is a Newark Public Works service rather than a bill you set up yourself.