Water Rates Question

[anniswan]

I own a unit which is one of 3, none of the units have separate water meters. The owner of one of the other unit's has approached me asking if I would be interested in investigating having all of the units getting separate water meters.

I don't really have an issue with looking at the issue, as the other unit owner has said that if we have separate water meters then the tennant will be required to pay for the water usage.

2 questions I suppose I have, is it correct that if there are separate meters, that the tennant has to pay for the usage, and does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to get separate meters.

As my unit is the first on the block, I am also wondering whether the existing meter could be utilised as the meter for my unit.

 

[Aaron_C]

Tenant pays for usage usually, landlord pays for the rest. I think in some jurisdictions it is illegal to charge water rates to the tenant.

 

[Scott No Mates]

In a nutshell it is generally not cost effective to install separate metering due to the way water pipes have been run to the units ie the pipes won't run along the front of each unit it will run through all the units or may operate on a flow/return system for the hot water etc. Either way, it will require substantial plumbing & possibly building works to separate the supplies.

You won't be able to use the existing meter for your unit as there still has to be a supply for the common property.

 

[devank]

2 questions I suppose I have, is it correct that if there are separate meters, that the tennant has to pay for the usage, and does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to get separate meters.

"has to" may not be strictly true.
In Sydney (hopefully same as Melbourne), LL is allowed pass on the usage charge if it is metered separately only. From LL's point of view, the usage charge is almost same as the service charge... so not much point either.

As others said the installation and plumbing would cost a lot. In some larger buildings separate lines would service different uses such as toilets or hot water. So it is practically impractical to put meters everywhere

Simply stop wasting your time

 

[wobbycarly]

In Victoria, it's a user pays system. The tenant holds the account with the water authority for usage, and the landlord pays the connection, sewage, etc.

My first block of units, I think it cost about $1000 (OK, this was in the late 90's) to get the 4 meters separated. This paid itself back in about 1.5 years from memory, from not having to pay the tenant's usage.

 

[S.T]

Around $90 per meter from your local water authority. Plus all the plumbing work that goes with it. My advice is to get a quote from licensed plumber and do the maths, compare you current split water bills and see how long it would take to repay

In Victoria, if the meters aren't speperate you cannot charge tenant for water usage.

I'm about to go down the same path for a unit on block of 2.

 

[Dylan33]

I have a duplex (NSW) I had this issue come up a few months ago.

I had quotes of $300 per unit. The meter's can be fitted where the pipes enter the buildings and the main one remains on the street to be read by the council.
You then split the bill by reading the sub meter's and apportioning accordingly.

Since my duplex has water tanks feeding the toilet ,shower etc the usage bill is not excessive so I decided to stick a bit more on the rent to cover it and not fit the meter's.

Don't forget it's a taxable deduction too.