Seems i got it wring in Water usage to the tenant

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Darlinghurst Boy, 5th Apr, 2016.

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  1. Darlinghurst Boy

    Darlinghurst Boy Well-Known Member

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    well ... Just received my Water Bill for my IP from the local Council up there on the beutiful Central Coast .
    The Water bill is for $300.

    Now the bill is addressed to me at my Sydney address.

    I was going to send the whole bill to the Managing Agent to send to the tenant ... But on ringing Wyong Council they have referred me to the NSW Fair trading website which states that tenants do not have to pay the Water Service Charge, Sewearage service charge and the Drainage service charge ... Thats the Landlord responsibility !!!!!!!!

    Period - 1st Jan to 31 March total -$300.04

    Water Service. Charge ($41.72) Sewearage service charge $119.26
    Drainage Service charge $22.15

    So it only leaves them with only Water usage at $116.40

    Now i was thinking of having the Water Bill changed to my tenants / IP address but now i cannot... Because i will have to deduct the 3 items above !!
     
  2. sanj

    sanj Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    what's the point of this post? do you expect your resi tenants to pay your water rates for u?
     
  3. meme plecko

    meme plecko Well-Known Member

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    Are you also sending the council bill to the tenants to pay for?
     
  4. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    You'll also want that water efficiency compliance certificate too, otherwise you can't even charge them for the water consumption either.
     
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  5. Ardi

    Ardi Well-Known Member

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    Indeed, i hope the german backpacker/ handyman/ painter or whatever he was changed the cistern and shower heads! Or you will be up for tge water usage too.
     
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  6. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Crikey. Even I knew that.
     
  7. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    Yes, if the property is in SA.
     
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  8. Corey Batt

    Corey Batt Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely - pass it all onto the tenants, do this with every property.

    Just another nice part of investing in South Australia. ;)
     
  9. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Should be called NSW UNfair trading :p
     
  10. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Fairy Trading NSW??
     
  11. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    No harm in trying it on thought ;) - they don't know until they know (& you get busted).
     
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  12. sanj

    sanj Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    holy moly

    122 threads started and less than 800 posts overall.
     
  13. Propagate

    Propagate Well-Known Member

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    Just an aside, depending on your country of origin, it can be surprising to some when they find out what, as a landlord, you still have to pay here in Australia. For example, I am from the UK and have a UK IP. For the UK IP the only thing we have to pay as a landlord is the mortgage and your building insurance. The tenant pays for EVERYTHING else, including council tax and water rates. Not saying which is right or wrong - just highlighting the differences.
     
  14. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    In Victoria, tenants pay water usage, landlord pays for everything else. Usage bills are sent directly to tenant by the water co.
     
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  15. Fargo

    Fargo Well-Known Member

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    Whats the point of this post? Isnt the point obvious ? In at least some states if the tenant agrees and you write it in the contract the tenant is who pays the rates. Some of us are interested to know, and it maybe helpful for some investors to know the situation in NSW.
     
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  16. Fargo

    Fargo Well-Known Member

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  17. Fargo

    Fargo Well-Known Member

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    Not necessarily, in Vic I have had contracts written up by my solicitor and had the tenant pay the rates , so the solicitor must think it is Ok for the tenant to pay the rates. I also have properties with a standard contract where it is written in where I pay the water usage. On properties that don't have a seperate metre than the land lord has to pay for water usage.
     
  18. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    How about lessors pulling their collective heads out out the sand (or @rtses ) & look at residential property as the long term investment that it is. Offer tenants secure 5 year tenure to get around your perception of biased RTA legislation. You can then include your preferred lease clauses (same as a commercial lease), include your rent review mechanism, outgoings recovery etc.

    If you look outside the RTA, there is an alternative.

    Back in your box SNM.
     
  19. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Would this fall in the category of trying to override the law pertaining to residential tenancies, and if your tenant decided to report you, you could find yourself in big trouble (from what I've read on the forum). This surprises me if a solicitor is writing this clause for you (assuming you cannot override the legislation pertaining to a lease).
     
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  20. D.T.

    D.T. Specialist Property Manager Business Member

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    It's called contracting outside of the Act and carries hefty fines.