My husband and I recently purchased and rented out our first investment property. The tenants have been living there for a month.
Earlier this week, we got a water bill for the property. It's in our name so obviously we have to pay it, but is this something we can pass on to the tenants? The usage is quoted from 27/7/09 - 27/10/09. The service charges are from 19/9/09 - 31/12/09 and is what costs the most. Waterways and drainage is from 1/10/09 - 31/12/09.
There are five units on the property, and previously they were all sharing one water meter and splitting it five ways. The landlords have all gotten together and have agreed to put and end to this and have each unit have its own water meter. Obviously, when this is done, we will be asking the tenants to put the water bill in their own name.
In the meantime, what am I supposed to do with this water bill? I don't want to make it seem like I'm being stingy and can't pay for a water bill, especially since they've only started living there a month, but at the same time I don't want my tenants to think they're getting water for free.
Barry Plant rented it out for us, and not sure what they told them about the water situation, although Barry Plant themselves do know about the current situation and our plans to change it.
Any advice is appreciated.
Sorry if I sound like a complete moron. I'm sure the answer would be completely obvious to some people, but I don't know the right thing to do here.
Earlier this week, we got a water bill for the property. It's in our name so obviously we have to pay it, but is this something we can pass on to the tenants? The usage is quoted from 27/7/09 - 27/10/09. The service charges are from 19/9/09 - 31/12/09 and is what costs the most. Waterways and drainage is from 1/10/09 - 31/12/09.
There are five units on the property, and previously they were all sharing one water meter and splitting it five ways. The landlords have all gotten together and have agreed to put and end to this and have each unit have its own water meter. Obviously, when this is done, we will be asking the tenants to put the water bill in their own name.
In the meantime, what am I supposed to do with this water bill? I don't want to make it seem like I'm being stingy and can't pay for a water bill, especially since they've only started living there a month, but at the same time I don't want my tenants to think they're getting water for free.
Barry Plant rented it out for us, and not sure what they told them about the water situation, although Barry Plant themselves do know about the current situation and our plans to change it.
Any advice is appreciated.
Sorry if I sound like a complete moron. I'm sure the answer would be completely obvious to some people, but I don't know the right thing to do here.