I agree Jimmy T. that the scheme’s water bills (annually, quarterly or whatever) will be paid by the Admin Fund because it is a bill(s) for the whole scheme. How to recoup this money is the issue.
The water bills, at this stage of the development would be wildly fluctuating due to the fact that the scheme is only partially sold, with sales ongoing.
There are two ways to recoup the money (1) via an Admin Levy, or (2) by a separate direct contribution after the issuing of a separate bill.
It would be extremely difficult to ascertain how much money needs to be levied at this stage of the development. Levies are usually calculated once a year to cover costs for the upcoming year, and these are presented at a General Meeting at or around the beginning of the scheme’s Financial Year. To base a contribution for water usage on a scheme with 5 occupants at the beginning of the levy period, but have the possibility of this expanding to 14 occupants by the end of the year could throw the Admin Fund into disarray. A water usage amount, at this stage, could only be guessed at.
It would be far more accurate to leave the water bill out of the levy assessment at this early stage and instead have the water bill divided according to the unit entitlement whenever the water bill comes in i.e. a separate bill. The owners should be given a copy of the scheme’s bill to enable them to verify that the amount charged to them is correct. This would be a more efficient and responsive way to ‘top up’ the Admin Fund.
At a later time, when all of the lots are sold, the water bill would be better able to be calculated as it would be more ‘settled’ and predicable, and perhaps then it could be included in the Admin Levy rather than billed separately. This could be decided upon at a general meeting by an ordinary resolution.
NB: I personally have had no experience with being an ‘off the plan’ owner or developer.