Bulk Hot Water Bill (Origin/Victoria)

Lstalefish68 on 26/08/2022 - 13:39

Hi OzBargainers,
This is my first time posting anything on the platform, so bear with me. I'm asking of your experience of dealing with centralised Bulk Hot Water bills for apartments/units (we're with Origin and we're in Victoria).

We've just received a notice from our real estate agent that we're responsible for paying it.
However, the terms of our rental agreement state that we are only responsible for paying all separately metered utilities. I'm pretty sure bulk hot water is not considered separately metered for gas (FYI, the unit we're in does not separate water, so we definitely do not have to pay for this).
In particular, there is legal precedent for this via 2004 VCAT decision on Winter v Buttigieg (http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/vic/VCAT…) that clearly states bulk hot water bills are not considered separately metered for gas.

Just to be clear, I'm not looking for legal advice here. I'd just like to hear if anyone has any experience contesting the responsibility of who pays the bulk hot water bill, with regards to legal precedent that clearly states it's not a separate meter.

Cheers everyone

Home & Garden Gas Supply

Comments

  • dust on 26/08/2022 - 13:48
    -1

    Bulk hot water bill? Isn't gas and water separate things? So what are you being billed for?

    • stalefish68 on 26/08/2022 - 14:19

      Billed for gas.

      • dust on 26/08/2022 - 14:31
        +2

        If the gas is separately metered (which I'm guessing it is), then it's billed per tenant by usage.

        • bdl on 26/08/2022 - 16:41

          Bulk hot water is billed separately and includes both gas and water usage, independent to the individual gas supply (used for cooking, heating, etc) to each lot

  • Iwantthebestprice on 26/08/2022 - 14:07
    +3

    We have bulk hot water in our apartment billed by Origin and we are billed for it via our own meter. If your apartment is relatively new (built after the year 2000) I'm pretty sure all centralised hot water systems are separate metered. Really old buildings use central hot water and average it out for all apartments. When you get a bill it should look something like this:

    Meter no XXXXXXXX
    Previous read
    (A) 28432
    Current read
    (A) 29161
    Volume:
    729 X Multiplier (10) = Usage 7290
    (A = Actual, E = Estimated)
    Total Lt 7290
    Charges Bill - days - Usage (Lt) - Charges - (incl GST)
    Hot Water Usage - 57 Days - 7290 - 1.773 c/Lt - Total Charges $129.25

    If you call Origin and give your address they will tell you if you have your own meter number - was a quick process for me to figure out

  • Muzeeb on 26/08/2022 - 14:11
    +2

    Not looking for legal advice and referring to an 18 year old VCAT hearing result.

    That's good.

    • jv on 26/08/2022 - 14:16
      -2

      "It's the vibe of it. It's the constitution. It's mabo. It's justice. It's law. It's the vibe and ah, no that's it. It's the vibe."

      • AndyC1 on 26/08/2022 - 16:38

        Stop the rattling, sorry it's your "vibe" rattling.

  • jm7 on 26/08/2022 - 14:17
    +3

    The Residential Tenancies Act states that if it's a fixed charge, the tenant is not liable. If it's separately metered you are responsible. For example, in my old apartment there were 2 items on the bill - separately metered hot water (my apartment had its own meter) and a fixed daily charge for gas (which was the stove). We only needed to pay the hot water portion.

  • netjock on 26/08/2022 - 14:28

    If it is separately metered then it is clearly identifiable with the cost.

    I know of a block where gas is part of the strata fees because it is not individually metered.

    Sorry but you might be out of luck.

    • JimB on 26/08/2022 - 15:45

      "I know of a block where gas is part of the strata fees because it is not individually metered"

      I bet everyone in that block of units are wearing shorts and singlets with their windows open in the middle of winter.

      • netjock on 26/08/2022 - 16:18

        Gas is only for cooking. Everyone has electric reverse cycle.

        • JimB on 26/08/2022 - 16:33

          Doh! haha

          What about hot water?

          • netjock on 29/08/2022 - 09:10

            @JimB: Hot water is central separate metered.

            Works out about $25 a month at 1.5c a litre.

            I know of another block you have your own 60L hot water unit in the flat. Seems like the electricity bill is about the same given a hot water unit probably uses 4kw a day.

            • JimB on 29/08/2022 - 09:21

              @netjock: Most new apartments have separate hot water these days.

              Inside a cupboard or similar, so it's electric hot water. User pay system.

              • netjock on 29/08/2022 - 09:22

                @JimB: The one I was talking about with the hot water is 30 years old. Where as the 10 year old building has centralized gas.

                Guess apartment buyers need to beware I guess.

  • odje on 26/08/2022 - 15:41

    Some apartment buildings have hot water meters per apartment (which measure Litres). This is then used to determine what proportion of the bulk gas bill is for your apartment.

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