A separate electricity counter exclusively for heating the basement?
"Is there a way?  It's mandatory!" - Suze Orman

(That question was about prepaying your taxes throughout the year). 

This question is about how to meter what are commons loads, electric loads which serve not one single tenant, but all of them or the building itself.   Commons area loads are such as outdoor site lighting, the shared-usage washer/dryer, commons hallway and utility room heating, security system, garage gates, etc.

Most jurisdictions that have laws about this require that "commons area" loads be on separate metering from in-unit tenant loads.  This can either be on separate electric company meters paying separate bills, or on their own landlord-owned sub-metering, which yes, do exist as purchasable products.  

The laws are either in the tenant protection laws, or in the building codes.  If the latter, then you may be "grandfathered" until you do serious work in that area, at which point you must comply woth modern code. 

All of this is moot if you include electricity as part of the rent.  If the city nails you for a violation of these codes, most likely they would settle for you switching to that model.