Tenants water usage in Brisbane - HELP!!!

Thanks Peter, and I know this page very well.


I am also hoping that now the water usage has been split from the main rates bill and issues separately, that this might mean that we can look forward to tenants signing up for water use like they do for electricity, gas and telephone...... but I won't hold my breath.

I think it is getting towards this (Like London), so should be good.:)

May have to wait a while longer for this to happen though unfortunately.

Cheers,

F
 
Thanks Peter, and I know this page very well.

My question is "How do your PMs manage this? Do they read the meters at the start of a tenancy, and read them again when the rates bill comes in so they can work out how many kilolitres have been used by each tenant in each property?"

This is what we have been doing, but it must be a pain to do when you have a couple of hundred to do. I believe many PMs are not doing this, and letting the landlord pay for water. Is that pretty much the case?

Because the meter readings by BCC are three months behind, we have a few options that I can see.

1. Read the meter at the beginning of the lease. When the first rates/water account issues, read the meter again and work out manually how much water they have used. This is a pain, but really the only way I can see of having the money reimbursed. This is how we have been doing it, but it does my head in, especially now we have taken over management of my parents' portfolio. Suddenly I have a lot of meters to read.

2. If we are too lazy to read the meters every quarter, we could wait for the rates notice that covers the water usage for when they were definitely already in the house and copy the usage page and charge them exactly what is on the page. This is an easy option but could mean we end up paying up to three months' water cost at the start and end of each tenancy. Water cost is fairly cheap, but I believe it will increase (and SHOULD increase to make people more accountable) and frankly, I don't want to pay for the tenants' water use.

So, I wonder if you could actually ask your PMs how they do this. One PM we used to let a house was surprised that we wanted to charge for water usage, so I assume that unless a landlord insists on it, perhaps most agents are still just having landlords pay for water.

Tenants being able to pay for water usage is still fairly new in Brisbane that I think perhaps people are slow to wake up to the fact that they are paying for water use by their tenants that could be passed on.

What do you think?

Yep.....It is a pain.

I am paying for water with most of my props, but have one that i got 'water wised'. As it was undertaken during current lease, I have to wait until they renew, in order to put onto tenancy agreement.

I will get the managers to record the water meters on entry and exit, and equate the rates as per bill.

Otherwise, you may have to extrapolate from previous bills if tenant vacates in between water billing times and pro rata.

You can't really keep the bond until rates come in.........

Hopefully, I will be in a position so that I get long term tenants, so would just back charge them. It would be a hassle if property changes tenants every 6 months.

Cheers,

F
 
The PM I am looking at to manage my IP for me asked about a water audit and certificate so tenant can be billed for water usage. Now my place has just been renovated and my plumber usually gives me a form 16 that indicates his work complies etc etc, he has not filled out a seperate certificate for a water audit.

So is there a certificate or is it a statement or form 16 saying the taps, toilet are WELS 3 or better and if its a statement or form 16 will that satisfy RTA in the case of a dispute.

I have also asked the agent to forward a copy of a certificate if he has one for me to view. What have others used?

Brian
 
With water consumption charges you are dead right about the dates on matching up. The solution to this is fairly simple, pro-rata the total water consumption out to a per day cost and charge the tenant for the days they were in the property. With our clients we receive the water bills on their behalf, make full payment, then prepare and invoice the the tenant of the consumption charges. The invoice is then payable within 4 weeks. If this is not paid within 4 weeks (provided the property is water effecient under the RTRA Act and the lease states that you may charge full water charges) we would then breach the tenant under the act as they have not made payment.

I hope this helps.
 
The PM I am looking at to manage my IP for me asked about a water audit and certificate so tenant can be billed for water usage. Now my place has just been renovated and my plumber usually gives me a form 16 that indicates his work complies etc etc, he has not filled out a seperate certificate for a water audit.

So is there a certificate or is it a statement or form 16 saying the taps, toilet are WELS 3 or better and if its a statement or form 16 will that satisfy RTA in the case of a dispute.

I have also asked the agent to forward a copy of a certificate if he has one for me to view. What have others used?

Brian

Brian, unbelievable there is no official form from the RTA regarding this. As an office we have a plumber who will test and certify the property for $110, he will provide either a compliance certificate or non-compliance certificate as he tests all taps etc with a flow rate meter and records this for us to show our clients. So long as the property is actually compliant and if tested proves right get the plumber you use to prepare this on his letter head signed etc.

I hope this helps.

Josh
 
Brian, unbelievable there is no official form from the RTA regarding this. As an office we have a plumber who will test and certify the property for $110, he will provide either a compliance certificate or non-compliance certificate as he tests all taps etc with a flow rate meter and records this for us to show our clients. So long as the property is actually compliant and if tested proves right get the plumber you use to prepare this on his letter head signed etc.

I hope this helps.

Josh

Hi Josh,

I had agent sent me a sample and its just a made up form and certificate by the plumber. So I dare say I can get my plumber to do the usual form 16 and state on that the fixtures are WELS 3 or better etc. In fact I sure mine are all WELS 4. However if I have to do a flow rate on every tap then I will have to get this done. This can be done for $99.00 through an agent.

Brian
 
Brian,

I am sure that this would sufficient. Simply you just want to make sure that the property is compliant under the Act, in the instance a tenant disputes the water charges etc. I have only had one tenant question the water rating on a property and once I provided the certificate they were satisfied. You won't need to bother with the flow rates if you have all new fittings, we only do that as best practice were the property is older or the owner is unsure.

Cheers
Josh
 
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