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[A. Mazed]

There are two tenants in my property. The average water use for two people is 346 litres a day. My tenants use about twice that and I’m happy to pay about $300 a quarter. This quarter they have used 2,837 litres a day!!! We suspected a leak and the plumber paid a visit twice. There was a small leak and it was fixed. How can I get the tenants to pay this excessive use of water? How can I get it put into their lease? The agent is helpful but only to a certain point.
Any ideas?
Peter Mayes.

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[Whale]

Peter – your tenants can’t be held responsible for amounts arising from leakage, but in NSW the Residential Tenancies Act prescribes that where a property is individually metered for water, the tenant is required to pay for all water so consumed. 

So upon receipt of each Water Supply Invoice for your property, all you need to do is pay the total amount shown which will typically be itemised for service availability (water & sewerage) and for the metered water usage, and then provide a copy of that paid Invoice to your tenants (via your Property Manager / Agent) who must then reimburse you for the metered water usage component of the total invoice (only).

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[A. Mazed]

@Whale said:
Peter – your tenants can’t be held responsible for amounts arising from leakage, but in NSW the Residential Tenancies Act prescribes that where a property is individually metered for water, the tenant is required to pay for all water so consumed. 

So upon receipt of each Water Supply Invoice for your property, all you need to do is pay the total amount shown which will typically be itemised for service availability (water & sewerage) and for the metered water usage, and then provide a copy of that paid Invoice to your tenants (via your Property Manager / Agent) who must then reimburse you for the metered water usage component of the total invoice (only).

Thank you. That is quite clear but I forgot to mention that the property is in Queensland! Does that change anything? Yes, of course, I’ll pay for the leak and the water but I suspect the tenants are running a business from the house but that’s another story!

Peter M.

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[Whale]

NO….Sect 166 of the Queensland Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act (2008) applies, and as in NSW the premises has to be both individually metered and “water efficient” in terms of low-flow shower heads and tap fittings.

Perhaps check your copy of the General Tenancy Agreement for your property, as the above would be listed therein.

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