Im sick of paying water rates for the tenants every 3 months. It sucks the profit out of the rental house! Is there any way that tenants can pay for their own water usage? My rental is in WA... 
Getting tenants to pay for water...
- Thread starter Michael.Knight
- Start date
Im sick of paying water rates for the tenants every 3 months. It sucks the profit out of the rental house! Is there any way that tenants can pay for their own water usage? My rental is in WA...
I have IP's in both Vic and Tas and only pay the water rates once a year, usage is paid by tenant.
According to this link landlords are allowed to pass usage costs on to tenants in WA
http://www.abcdiamond.com/australia/water-cost-when-renting-property/
Also this PDF on page 14:
http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/consumerprotection/PDF/Publications/Renting_a_home.pdf
MK
You can't make the tenants pay the water rates, but you can have them pay the water usage as I do with all my WA properties.
QLD is worse where you have to have all the water saving devices (& complance cert?) before throwing the cost back on tenant. For my QLD property, the cost of complaince is not worth it for the amount of water my one tenant IP consumes.
You can't make the tenants pay the water rates, but you can have them pay the water usage as I do with all my WA properties.
QLD is worse where you have to have all the water saving devices (& complance cert?) before throwing the cost back on tenant. For my QLD property, the cost of complaince is not worth it for the amount of water my one tenant IP consumes.
Worth looking into though. We had free visits when they were offered by council and didn't have to change anything. Unless it is an old house that has never been updated, I would guess most shower heads and tap fittings would be compliant. If not, then we found it very cheap to change over a shower head or two.
If your one tenant IP costs more to make compliant, perhaps you can wait until that one tenant leaves before doing it, but water is only going to cost more and more (though it is the cost base that we cannot pass on that is rising in price moreso than the actual water)
.W.A. 3 monthly rate bills
Hello Michael,
The others don't understand what you are talking about. I also want to pass these on to tenants. We should be charging the Water Corporation for the use of the pipes we maintain so that they can be providing their service to their customers. I am researching the matter now which is how I came across your post. I have mentioned to one set of tenants that this could be a potential rent increase.
Hello Michael,
The others don't understand what you are talking about. I also want to pass these on to tenants. We should be charging the Water Corporation for the use of the pipes we maintain so that they can be providing their service to their customers. I am researching the matter now which is how I came across your post. I have mentioned to one set of tenants that this could be a potential rent increase.
It seems we can:
The owner is liable for the water rates assessed on the property (Residential Tenancies Act WA (1987), section 48), unless it is written into the tenancy agreement that the tenant must pay them.
Obviously a deception perpetrated by real estate agents and others. We need to amend our rental agreements.
To stop the Water Corporation from holding owners responsible for unpaid water bills it would seem we would need to find out where this is authorised and get it changed. My research continues.
The owner is liable for the water rates assessed on the property (Residential Tenancies Act WA (1987), section 48), unless it is written into the tenancy agreement that the tenant must pay them.
Obviously a deception perpetrated by real estate agents and others. We need to amend our rental agreements.
To stop the Water Corporation from holding owners responsible for unpaid water bills it would seem we would need to find out where this is authorised and get it changed. My research continues.
Well firstly, welcome to the forum. If its property investment research you are doing, then there really isn't any better resource.
Now on the water charges issue, you don't need to do any more research because I can definitively say you can't charge anything except for water consumption. See below.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_act/rta1987207/s48.html
Its hardly a conspiracy theory among real estate agents.
I have looked at the relevant water supply acts, they do not seem to authorise charging a third party for supply of services except by default via ownership of land. It would seem that 48(1)(c) of the RTA would have to go because it is pretty clear cut. Probably constitutional as well because it is worded as a "service" rather than a tax.
Water Services Act 2012
123. Licensees may impose fees and charges for water services
(1) A licensee may impose and collect, in relation to the provision
of a water service authorised by a licence ?
(a) charges for the provision of the service; and
(b) charges for things done, or goods and services provided,
as part of or incidental to the provision of the service;
and
(c) fees, provided for in the regulations, for things done
under this Act.
Water Services (Water Corporations Charges) Regulations 2013
Annual charges and pro rata annual charges
(1) A water service charge, other than a quality/quantity charge,
that applies in respect of land for a financial year applies for the
whole year, even if the charge is prescribed after the
commencement of the year.
Water Agencies (Powers) Act 1984
41. By-laws relating to charges
Water Services Act 2012
123. Licensees may impose fees and charges for water services
(1) A licensee may impose and collect, in relation to the provision
of a water service authorised by a licence ?
(a) charges for the provision of the service; and
(b) charges for things done, or goods and services provided,
as part of or incidental to the provision of the service;
and
(c) fees, provided for in the regulations, for things done
under this Act.
Water Services (Water Corporations Charges) Regulations 2013
Annual charges and pro rata annual charges
(1) A water service charge, other than a quality/quantity charge,
that applies in respect of land for a financial year applies for the
whole year, even if the charge is prescribed after the
commencement of the year.
Water Agencies (Powers) Act 1984
41. By-laws relating to charges
