Excessive water usage - what would you do?

[natmarie73]

A quick question in regards to what you would do with tenants (a young couple) who continuously use way too much water - average of 1000 litres per day for this last billing quarter.

While I don't consider them to be "bad" tenants, this is the last straw. A brief history of these tenants is:

1) Young couple, may have a baby but not sure. They have been in the house for the past year or so.

2) Have always had high water usage - previous quarter was 800l per day and previous to that was around 1000 l per day also. PM has not allowed me to charge them for their water usage as when they moved in the hot water system leaked (which has now been fixed) and the second time she said that I had to make sure there were no leaks before I could charge them.

3) I have requested that they get a Home Waterwise service done on the house ($20.00 from the local council) to determine if there are no leaks. I haven't been made aware of any leaks.

4) Tenants have been breached by PM for complaints from neighbours that there were more than two people living in the house - I think there were 5 at one stage, and that there were always people coming and going, loud cars revving at night and loud music etc. PM advises tenants are behaving since the breach and no more complaints from neighbours. Tenants advised PM that extra people have moved out.

5) Tenants have always paid rent on time and have looked after the house quite well. No other problems apart from above breach and water usage.

6) I have asked my PM previously to speak to them re their excessive water usage and ask them to be mindful of the drought and not wasting water.

So basically my situation is this - I don't believe that 2 people can possibly have such a high water usage - and I think there are still other people living in the house who are not on the lease but they are being more sneaky about it so the neighbours don't find out.

I really think I will just say that I want them out so I can do some renovations, put in a water saving toilet, shower head etc and get a plumber to make sure there are no leaks then get new tenants in who I can palm off all water usage charges to as per new Qld regulations.

What would you do in this situation - suffer the water usage (around $100 per quarter for my share) or get rid of them?

 

[wylie]

Since April 1, when they sign a new lease after that date, they will be responsible for ALL water use, but you must have dual flush toilets, certain rating shower heads etc. Once the waterwise check is done, you will know about the shower heads, but the toilets must also comply, by my reading of the RTA information.

Until the house complies you can charge them for their "excess" water use, which I would be doing with this lot of tenants. That is legal right now. We have always put on our leases that we have the right to charge for "excess" use but it is a bit of a grey area, and we have never actually charged it, because it has never been a big issue with tenants.

I would actually get rid of these tenants because they sound like trouble in a number of areas. They have done the wrong thing previously, and likely to do so again. Their water use could simply be long showers. It doesn't take long to run several hundred litres down the drain. But it could be that they have had friends living with them "again" and not letting on.

With the rental market so tight, I would be looking for better tenants.

 

[joeygbh]

A quick question in regards to what you would do with tenants (a young couple) who continuously use way too much water - average of 1000 litres per day for this last billing quarter.

4) Tenants have been breached by PM for complaints from neighbours that there were more than two people living in the house - I think there were 5 at one stage, and that there were always people coming and going, loud cars revving at night and loud music etc. PM advises tenants are behaving since the breach and no more complaints from neighbours. Tenants advised PM that extra people have moved out.

What would you do in this situation - suffer the water usage (around $100 per quarter for my share) or get rid of them?

We've had this before...8 people out of a very small 3 bedder (2 people on lease with people sleeping in the living room etc). Funny thing is the tenants complained that the hot water service was broken because they couldn't get enough hot water out of it - considering it was a domestic supply it was a bit of a suprise to them! They used to live on top of a commerical bakery, so hot water supply wasn't a problem then...*sigh*

We told them that 8 people in that house was too much and they moved out once their lease was up.

 

[coastymike]

Why regular inspections are important. As the rental crisis takes a stronger grip expect more and more of this be happening. 2 people taking on a lease and next month 4 living in the house. And good luck with the rental tribunal.

 

[Bazza]

We add the following clause to our Tenancy Agreements:

"Water will be charged at cost if usage exceeds 120kl in a six (6) month period."

This is more than enough for a 'normal' family although all tenants seem to exceed this limit.

Cheers,

Bazza

 

[Ausprop]

gees Bazza - you are generous. I just filled in the part that says the percentage split between landlord and tenant... landlord pays 0%... too easy.

mind you getting any of these idle taxpayer subsidised renters to actually stump up the cash is battle number 2. it is all too convenient for the water corp to hold the property owner to ransom for payment of these bills... cosy arrangement huh? A sells water to B and C pays and hopes to collect from B for no remuneration. Surprised Telstra, power compoanies, ISPs etc don't do the same.

so Natmarie, you have a bunch of tenants that can't (or don't want) to afford the measly rents - such that they are in this country - and feel they can hammer your asset a bit harder by crowding it up. will the next bunch be any better? probably not, can always live in hope I suppose

 

[Fizzy]

Thats harse, in Victoria all tenants pay all water usage if the property is separately metered, owner is only responsible for water rates and sewerage disposal. As far as water using devices they must be AAA and certified as such.

Big question though about your PM are they not doing regular inspections of the property to ascertain how many people are there. The tenants may try and hide the number of people residing there but there are always some tell tale signs if you know what to look for

 

[chrispy]

I have recently been through a similar problem. Two bedroom unit with a mother and one small child living there, excessive water use, more than 3 times the cost of the water to the other units. It did not show originally as all 6 units were on one meter and we simply divided the cost but once we went for seperate meters it really showed up.

Outcome was there had been a slow leak in the wall since unit had been built and eventually burst through into the bedroom. All units being on the one meter had hid the problem.

Chris

 

[Dazz]

Crikey, this is a bit scarey.

We've got one of these events happening in our former PPoR.

Opened the water bill last night, $ 750 for a 6 month period of consumption. An average of 4 kL per day. What on Earth are they doing ?? There's a big bore on the place that we installed and works well, so none of it is going on the garden ??

Fortunately I've ticked the same as Ausprop on the Lease where it notes the tenant is liable for 100% of the consumption bill.

The bill was bigger last year, so it is coming down, but it's 5 times as big as the average consumption for the suburb. They paid it all no problem last year.

I was at the place on Sunday, up on the roof cleaning the gutters whilst they lounged around drinking beer on the verandah, and nothing looked untoward.

Might have to send the wife around there and get her to perform an inspection and have a squizz up in the roof cavity and see if we have a forest of hooch growing nicely ??

 

[Ausprop]

don't laugh Dazz... I have had the dope growing tenant before. It all ends in tears and you will be left with drains full of gravel, excess water bills and no hopers knocking on the door all day trying to score a hit. time for a thorough quartelry inspection... or send a sparky around to install a new light or something.

 

[Bazza]

gees Bazza - you are generous. I just filled in the part that says the percentage split between landlord and tenant... landlord pays 0%... too easy.

I just downloaded the latest Tenancy Agreement from the RTA and now you can assign all the water consumption to the tenant. This is new in Qld. I will certainly be ticking this option in future.

Cheers,

Bazza

 

[wylie]

You can charge all water for new leases signed after 1 April 2008 but you have to have separate meters and the right toilets, taps and showers. Best way to do that is do the $20 audit.

Next lease we sign will be under the new rules, which is all spelt out in the new lease forms. Water doesn't cost much anyway, so it is not a huge deal, but tenants will be paying from now on.

 

[poppy]

Thats harse, in Victoria all tenants pay all water usage if the property is separately metered, owner is only responsible for water rates and sewerage disposal. As far as water using devices they must be AAA and certified as such.

Yes, Victoria seems to be the only state where the tenants are actually billed directly for "their" part of the water bill (usage). The landlord in VIC does not have to go through the drama of firstly paying the bill themselves, then chasing the PM to chase tenant, to eventually perhaps get $10-$20 back from the tenant, if anything. Of course when the tenant leaves the property (in states other than VIC), landlord is left with the outstanding water bill with no practical means of getting the money back from the tenant. If landlord doesn't pay the water bill, it's their credit history that will be affected. I wish all states were like VIC.. there is a huge difference between the tenant being responsible for paying water usage, according to the lease and being ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE for water use, by being billed direct by the water supplier, and if they don't pay, the tenant gets the debt collection notice.

It seems state governments are very relucant to legislate so that water suppliers must actually bill the person who used the water, rather than the owner of the property.

 

[natmarie73]

Thanks everyone - it sounds as though I am not being overly pedantic re the water usage.

I know that any new lease signed can make the tenant pay for all water usage now in Qld and I have decided that when their lease is up I will install the required water saving toilets etc and get a new set of tenants in and charge them the full amount + a higher rent.

In the meantime (ie today) I will contact my PM who is supposed to do 3 month inspections and voice my concerns to her about their excessive consumption of water - again. Hopefully she will go over there and check it out that they don't have extra people living there.