Who pays?

[CHAOS]

Tenant has 3mth water usage bill of $1700 normal circa $200. When attending another maintenance issue tenant tells us he thinks there is a water leak he has heard water running through the wall for past few days. Hadn't reported it to the pm. It is repaired first thing next day - house had been re plumbed and faulty workmanship was the cause. Date of incident falls near the end of billing period so it looks like leak was there for a while and not reported.
Tenant not happy with bill. Water company sending him threat of debt collector even though he has explained situ. Plumber has been chased for report for water co. Not forthcoming and has changed business name. Water company say even with evidence, has to be reviewed and may not get a leak allowance and if one is given it won't be reduced to previous bill amounts. Tenant has 8 years history to show this is abnormal.
Q. Who pays?
Obviously and understandably tenant doesn't want to. As landlord will I be made to pay?

 

[jameso]

I would be chasing the faulty workmanship.

 

[CHAOS]

Yes that makes sense .
Water bill is in tenants name.
We hired plumber to re-plumb.
Water company won't/ can't chase plumber.
We can't sue plumber for a bill that is not ours.
Pm originally told us bill was $200 more than normal and we thought worse case to sort that we would pay. Not prepared to cop $1700 though.

 

[Scott No Mates]

One almighty leak for $1700, what damage (seen or unseen) has it caused?

 

[MIW]

Yes that makes sense .
Water bill is in tenants name.
We hired plumber to re-plumb.
Water company won't/ can't chase plumber.
We can't sue plumber for a bill that is not ours.
Pm originally told us bill was $200 more than normal and we thought worse case to sort that we would pay. Not prepared to cop $1700 though.

I once split 50% with the tenant, however it was for about $200.00 each not $1,700? Can be worth a try though?
This is tricky, right? Perhaps, each could pay, you, tenant, plumber, PM?

 

[lizzie]

Why is the water bill in the tenants name when you are the property owner ... that seems strange.

Sadly - I think you need to cop this one (ouch). In my opinion (as a long time landlord) any occupying faults with the premises, that are not caused by the tenant as the responsibility of the landlord - I'm sure others will disagree.

If the tenant has been aware for months of the leak - different story.

Do you have LL insurance? What do they say?

 

[Rolf Latham]

Gold Coast City council used to allow a redn in the rate where you could prove leakage on a case by case basis.

id perhaps see what the water supplier says - they may have a policy on it

ta
rolf

 

[S.T]

Who's the water company? I had a claim approved via leak allowance with SE Water. I didn't lodge the claim, it was another owner in a 2 lot subdivision with shared meter, but we got it reduced to previous bills once we showed the remediation works invoice from the registered plumber. But the tenant doesn't pay water usage, the owners do.

This wasn't an issue of faulty workmanship by previous plumber, just very old corroded piping.

 

[Bhp19]

Why is the water bill in the tenants name when you are the property owner ... that seems strange.QUOTE]

Water usage is paid by tenants in Victoria, this could be where the property is located.

 

[lizzie]

Usage is also paid by the tenant in NSW where my IP's are located ... but the bills come in the property owners name and it's recharged by the PM.

Do the tenants get the usage bill direct in VIC?

 

[M Davis]

[/QUOTE]Do the tenants get the usage bill direct in VIC?[/QUOTE]

Yes, in Victoria if the property is separately metered the usage bill is sent direct to the tenant and the service charges sent to the owner. This is organised by the PM.

 

[spludgey]

One almighty leak for $1700, what damage (seen or unseen) has it caused?

I agree, it's hard to believe that it has gone unnoticed. Assuming that the water is $2.50 per kL (which likely higher than the actual charge), then the additional $1500 would equate to 600,000 litres or nearly 10 average swimming pools worth!
Hard to believe that this amount of water could be missed.

 

[Bhp19]

Usage is also paid by the tenant in NSW where my IP's are located ... but the bills come in the property owners name and it's recharged by the PM.

Do the tenants get the usage bill direct in VIC?

Yes, I receive the service charge and they receive the usage bill. This is through South East Water so I'm not sure if all water corporations do it this way in Vic.

I have an IP in NSW also but I have been paying for the water usage there thus far, I believe I was told previously by the property manager that the owner pays, I might have to look into that.

 

[CHAOS]

In Vic the tenant is billed the usage. I am waiting on copies of the water bills.

Plumber has finally sent through a report so next stage is tenant takes this to SE water and awaits their decision.

My reluctance in copping the bill is the tenant not reporting the leak to the PM as soon as he became aware. He had told us on the Sunday we were there that he heard running water and he had watched the meter tick over for a few days and nothing was turned on in the house.
After my husband located the leak, we turned the water off at the mains (After the tenant had a shower and got some jugs of water together) until the plumber arrived. The tenant said 'I didn't think of turning off the mains'. and I was going to contact the PM this week if it was still going.

We actually don't know what internal damage there is. The under house timber was soaked.

This is our lemon house.

 

[Bhp19]

Someone more experienced with tenancy law could answer this, but could you maybe have a building inspection undertaken then attempt to have any damages taken from the bond at the end of the tenancy?
Don't know how likely it would be for you to recoup any funds but surely you could argue the tenant had a responsibility to report it much, much sooner?

 

[jim1964]

Do the tenants get the usage bill direct in VIC?[/QUOTE]

Yes, in Victoria if the property is separately metered the usage bill is sent direct to the tenant and the service charges sent to the owner.[/QUOTE]

Wish this happened in SA.Always chasing water payments.

 

[Big Will]

I once had a $1,500 bill which was a huge shock to me. I walked around my house and couldn't see and walked all around my property and the lawn was not drenched (it had just rained so everywhere was wet).

Called them up and said there must be a mistake as I do not have a pool and with that amount of water I would expect a pool somewhere in my yard!

We found the problem it was in the garden bed where the main tap is a bird of paradise plant had sunk and damaged the pipes after the water meter. If it was before (3in closer to the main road) it is the water companies responsibility but as it was on my side it is my responsibly.

The water company did let me off on the huge excess as the leak was hidden and no way I would be able to tell there was a leak until then.

 

[Salvatore1]

Have we made sure that the water reader read the meter correctly? Wouldn't be the first time they miss read. Also if the tenant had a high electricity bill or phone bill would you be involved? Tenant should of notified you if there was a problem when they knew! They need to discuss an outcome with the water company not you!