Can we split the Brisbane water bills into water usage and other charges?

Hi

In Melbourne, water supply companies send separate invoices to tenants and landlord. The water usage invoices are sent directly to tenants and under tenant name whereas the other charge i.e drainage service bills are sent to landlord.

I wonder if I can do the same as above with Brisbane water supply companies?

 

Victoria is the only state that does this

 

In Brisbane, water bills go to the landlord.

If the IP has a water compliance certificate (issued by a plumber), then the landlord can pass usage charges onto the tenants but the landlord still pays the access charges.

The landlord pays the whole bill and seeks a refund from the tenants for usage.

 

Yes, as an owner in Brisbane, I get the full Urban Utilities Bill, which details the Usage vs Access charges, and being a water efficient property, pass 100% of the usage charges to the tenant for payment within 30 days...

 

Thats not the question here though? All states allow for passing the bill on (though the amounts vary), but only Victoria will do separate billing for owner and occupant.

 

Vic only allows it if it is separate meter..

Be nice if QUU would invoice the tenants directly but you need to show water compliance.

 

As a PM in QLD we are praying for the day that the tenants get charged their water fees straight from the supplier. No more chasing up water invoices and no more landlords being out of pocket until tenants pay water. This day in age it surely shouldn't be that hard to set this up you would think.

 

Yeah we've lobbied for it here, and they basically said that if landlords pay for it they get their money and if tenants paid for it they'd have to put on an arrears department

 

Welcome to our world, dear water company.

 

If your property is water compliant and the tenant refuses to pay. What can be done to enforce them to pay?

 

Just having a water compliant property is not enough.

It must also be included on the written lease. Then if they don't pay, they are in breach of their lease and can be legally pursued as a breach of lease conditions.
Marg

 

Spot on.

Note that many QCAT adjudicators don't seem to have come around entirely to water charging, so they will often refuse to enforce payment or termination depending on the conditions.