Have just recieved a $3000 water bill

[KJ#]

How does your PM work your water bills?

Am a bit livid.. The new Tenants in January noted water "gushing" from the air con but knew they wouldn't have to pay a water bill until the plumber came and changed over to water saving devices....

Small town so they also knew there was a couple of months wait on the plumber (when not emergencies) they chose not to say anything!

The bill arrived from council first week of April, I rang PM for a please get to the bottom of this. Sent the plumber around and all good now, apart for the bill that will have to be a "suck it up and get over it"!

My question is..... How does your PM work your water bills? One of mine only charges the tenant if I send the water bill to them, the PM charges the Tenant then sends the money to council. I have no way of knowing if the bill has been paid until the next council bill. I explained to them I have no control over my bill being paid on time or not, very unsatisfactory.

The other PMs take a water reading when they do an inspection, paying the amount to me with the rent and I pay the water bill whenever it comes in much easier to keep track of and I know its being paid on time!

Love to hear how others keep track of water bills

Thanks

KJ#

 

[Aaron Sice]

your property manager has failed in their duty of care in much the same way your tenant has failed their duty of disclosure for the water not only to their PM, but to your local water authority.

i'd be sending some carefully worded letters - "it's not my problem" doesn't cut it with the water board.

 

[KJ#]

Thanks Aaron

I now have the certificate so I can charge the tenant water usage in the future and have had quite a discussion about water use in my other properties with the PM. This property is fitted with rain water tanks so water is usually minimal.

But other than that Im not sure what else I or the PM should of done to realise this was happening. I will be paying the water bill and trying to move on. How do you charge your tenants water?

KJ#

 

[DaveM]

What was the cause of the water to gush from the aircon? Is it an evap cooler?

The new NSW rules re waterwise didnt come in until 31st Jan when the new tenancy act took effect. So if they signed prior to this then they would be liable for some of the excess water usage until such time as they notified you of the fault.

 

[KJ#]

What was the cause of the water to gush from the aircon? Is it an evap cooler?

The new NSW rules re waterwise didnt come in until 31st Jan when the new tenancy act took effect. So if they signed prior to this then they would be liable for some of the excess water usage until such time as they notified you of the fault.

The cause of the gush was a faulty/stuck valve that was replaced yes in an evap cooler on the roof, the water was running down the roof and into the gutters into the rainwater tank and onto the garden... ie lovely green garden

They Paid the Bond on 27th Jan and paid rent from 29th Jan.... I thought the new regs came in at the start of Jan and so did my PM

Thanks DaveM will check it out!

KJ#

 

[DaveM]

Timeframe for installing water efficiency measures

If you are entering into a new agreement from 31 January 2011 the landlord needs to ensure the premises are water efficient in order to pass on water usage charges.

For all tenancies in place before 31 January 2011, the landlord has 12 months to make the premises water efficient. You can continue to be asked to pay water usage charges during the transitional period even if the premises are not water efficient. After 31 January 2012, you can only be asked to pay if the premises have been made water efficient.

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/T...me/During_a_tenancy/Paying_water_charges.html

31st Jan is when the new rules came in. If the tenants knew about the defect and didn't report it, then sock them with the bill.


The toilet in the house I rent started running constantly. I informed the landlord when it started, he said it wasnt urgent and would take a look. Came around, gave it a jiggle and it stopped. Shortly afterwards it started again, let him know again and he said he would come take a look then never did. Fast forward 3 months, gets a $600 water bill. Was out the next day with a new cistern, and I was not liable for the excess usage.

 

[yadreamin]

Here in WA we have our water usage accounts sent directly to the PM she/he then pays the account from our funds then she sends the account to the tenant. The tenant then pays the said ammount to the PM. This way we never have overdue accounts because the tenant hasnt /couldnt pay on time.
We also have in our leases that if the tenant does not report maintenance issues within 3 days and the damage gets worse ie. high water bill then the tenant is fully responsible.
Being a landlord you just have to be ready for anything and everything to go wrong. Have a good lease written up.
cheers

 

[russellpeter]

we put on the tenants lease that they will pay for excess water over 70kl pq

with the water bill all rates and water bills are rederected to our office and pay out of the rent anc check the water usage to charge the tenant there part or all

 

[BuildingBlocks]

Rather than looking at this as water usage, take the view that they have been negligent and not advised you of something majorly wrong with the property, especially if there is some sort of evidence that they knew about this damaged equipment for months.

Maybe give the rental board a call and ask for advice, no idea if you have a leg to stand on, but would be interested in seeing what they say.

Landlord insuranc claim for tenant negligence is another avenue I would chase up, so a call to them too.

 

[priscilla]

Here in WA we have our water usage accounts sent directly to the PM she/he then pays the account from our funds then she sends the account to the tenant. The tenant then pays the said ammount to the PM. This way we never have overdue accounts because the tenant hasnt /couldnt pay on time.

This is the way we do it too, as the tenant is only required to pay the usage part of the bill this makes much more sense. Also technically the tenant is to be provided a copy of the bill showing the dates and meter readings.

If our clients prefer to pay the bills themselves they just send us a copy of the bill once paid and we would then invoice the tenant for the usage part (must be done within 3 months now with new regs - which is fair enough anyway).