Do You Pay for Water Usage in Sydney?

Mrfrog on 17/11/2023 - 00:12
Last edited 17/11/2023 - 09:49 by 1 other user

Hi, do you as a tenant pay for water usage? If you do what sort of $$ do you pay for say 2 adults?

I have a unit that's rented out, due to size I cannot live there. Each unit in that complex is separately water metered. Tenants have been there almost 4 quarters. Each quarter the water usage has been increasing, for 2 people, been an average of over $500+. Last quarter usage alone was close to $650. There is only one elderly lady listed as a tenant. So prior to tenant moving in water usage is average $30 to $80.

The agent managing property is not collecting water usage from tenant, claiming there must be a leak. And there is only 1 person living there. They invoiced me a plumber to check for leaks (close to $300). Checked and no leaks found. Now agent is pushing strata to investigate for leaks. Who will pay for this check? Strata?

Agent is so sure there is a leak, they will request for a leak allowance from Sydney Water once strata has done work.
It has been months and they have not heard back from strata. Does strata have to agree and if they don't?

Meanwhile … agent not wanting to collect water usage from tenant. So I've paid close to $2000 in water usage alone, last 4 quarters then there is the additional plumber checks $300. Does this all sit with the landlord? What can I do please?

Help.. cost of living is already so high.

TIA

From the Department of Fair Trading site:

Landlords must pay all water supply service charges and all sewerage supply service charges.

In NSW, a landlord can only ask a tenant to pay water usage charges if:

the property is separately metered (or water is delivered by vehicle ), and
the charges are not more than the amount the landlord is billed for by the water supplier, and
the property meets the ‘water efficiency’ standards.
The landlord or agent can request payment from the tenant for water usage charges within 3 months of a bill being issued.

They will need to provide the tenant with a copy of the bill. The tenant must be given at least 21 days to pay the water usage amount owing.

Water usage charges should be paid separately to rent.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • jv on 17/11/2023 - 00:30
    +4

    Do You Pay for Water Usage in Sydney?

    I don't.

  • djkelly69 on 17/11/2023 - 02:00
    +8

    agent not wanting to collect water usage from tenant.

    Who cares what the agent wants? If you are entitled to charge it and want to, instruct them to do it.

    They are literally your agent, if they don't want to do what you instruct them to do, sack them.

  • apsilon on 17/11/2023 - 05:45
    +4

    $500 for a couple there has to be a leak or something going on, especially as you said the person listed on the lease is elderly and therefore probably getting the pensioner rebate or whatever it's called and is something around $150/qtr

    FWIW, $300 would've been a heavy use month when there was two of us. $200 extra is a lot of water at $2.67/kl.

  • avoidfullprice on 17/11/2023 - 07:03
    +1

    Now agent is pushing strata to investigate for leaks. Who will pay for this check? Strata?

    If the leak is found to be in common property, then there is cause to ask for compensation at the next AGM.

    Agent is so sure there is a leak, they will request for a leak allowance from sydney water once strata has done work. It has been months and they have not hear back from strata.

    the strata (owners) or strata manager (real estate agent)? They are different entities

    Does strata have to agree and if they don't?

    Put a motion on the next AGM. Strata being every owner can vote to compensate you out of the kitty bank.

    Accept the decision.

    Meanwhile … agent not wanting to collect water usage from tenant.

    Go back to your lease agreement and check if you are covering utils.

    Does this all sit with the landlord?

    Check your lease with tenants

    What can I do pls?

    Check with your accountant in what you can claim for tax.

    Does your place have a garden with water retriculation?

    Is the toilet tank working?

    Is the hot water tank leaking?

    What did the plumber check exactly?

  • mskeggs on 17/11/2023 - 08:14
    +1

    Definitely sounds like a leak, it would be an absurd amount of water to use in a unit.
    While I understand your landlord desire to pass on costs to tenants, if it is a leak it is your responsibility to sort it.

  • jellykingdom on 17/11/2023 - 08:20
    +2

    100% in an apartment/unit the tenant pays water usage (if separately metered), and the landlord pays the Sydney Water service charge

    I mean SURELY a leak of that size must be obvious. If its underground, you'll notice wet watch. Or damp wall, ceiling, etc

    Good luck getting strata to pay for or admit to ANYTHING. They will weasel out of it, according to them everything is common property except the specific item/area you'll be referring to. Last time i used a strata plumber, they couldn't find root cause so they backcharged me for it, since I couldn't prove it was strata's responsibility (note i couldn't prove it wasn't either)

  • pharkurnell on 17/11/2023 - 09:44

    anyone looked inside or in out back of the unit for a crop?

  • Baghern on 17/11/2023 - 10:49

    Im curious why you havent been pushing strata for a plumbing check?

    You are the owner…

    It doesnt look like you're prepared to be a landlord…

    Time to sell up

  • Protractor on 17/11/2023 - 11:02

    Driest continent on earth….

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/11/2023 - 19:39
      +1

      Technically Antarctica. ;)

      • Protractor on 17/11/2023 - 21:54

        Enjoy the Pendatic Version Limited Edition Cupie Doll

  • brad1-8tsi on 17/11/2023 - 15:55
    -1

    I'm in an apartment in Sydney. It has a small garden that's watered every couple of days. 2 people.
    Quarterly Bill is consistent
    Water Supply $18
    Sewage $155
    Stormwater $7

    Water Usage - 10kL @ $2.67l = $26.70.

    If there's a leak on common property prior to your meter then you won't be getting charged.
    If they are genuinely using $400/qtr then the leak will be huge.

    Has anyone had a moisture meter onsite?
    If all the taps are off is the meter still ticking?
    Has anyone interviewed the tenant about their water usage habits?
    Could it be they are elderly and forget to turn off taps? I leave my garden hose on (accidently) at the tap and have had occasional failures of the hose fitting resulting in huge water usage and a very damp wall.

  • PissLUR on 17/11/2023 - 16:37

    I dont understand why the tenant isnt paying for water usages since the beginning?

  • AndyC1 on 17/11/2023 - 17:14

    Call the REA and say you want to personally check the water meter and find out how you can do it. Water meters have a very small rotating meter that is used to detect a leak.

    When you go over say a 10 minute period see how much the meter moves in order to see how much is used at see if the usage is acceptable to you and if it is then the tenant is to blame, but if you think it is wrong then the strata needs to fix the leak.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/11/2023 - 19:44

    Sounds like a water leak, but you may need to liaise with the Real estate agent, and establish a water usuage agreement if possible but I don't think this will happen.

    Looks like you need to get a plumber involved. (Sorry I just saw you have), maybe get Sydney water involved. Next step……Bikies.

  • apsilon on 18/11/2023 - 05:23

    Just thought of another possibility, could another unit also be connected to the same meter?

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