QLD Tenant water charging in QLD - proving water efficiency

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Orion, 28th May, 2020.

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  1. DRK

    DRK Member

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    Not sure where the plumber got the ones he put in but available at Bunnings for cheap - put in when the property was vacant between last owner and this first rental - unsure if the showerheads came with a restrictor or not but when he came back to check them he had to add them - I think his young offsider put the new heads in but didn't test them.
     
  2. DRK

    DRK Member

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    Both shower heads were pumping out about 20 litres per minute...I don't believe the tenants had done anything to them either. I've heard that we can't charge them but the RTA site says we must pay for a reasonable amount of water...not very clear.
     
  3. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    If the showers were not compliant but they are now, you can only charge water usage from the date the new plumber has changed over the restrictors and issued a new certificate.

    Are these new tenants who have just moved in or were they there when you bought the property?

    Dont you love spending $$$ dealing with this stuff? My thinking is that the previous plumber issued an accurate certificate and since then, someone has removed the restrictors and now you get to pay to fix it.
     
  4. DRK

    DRK Member

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    These are the first ever tenants at this property.
    I doubt they had anything to do with changing the shower heads/ restrictors though, i think they just weren't put in originally (I'm guessing they come in the box..) A case of shortcutting that is going to cost me... I don't believe that a proper test was done prior to certification.
    I can't find any mention in the RTA information that i cannot charge them, only that i must pay for a reasonable amount of water.
     
  5. jared7825

    jared7825 Well-Known Member

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    I don't recall from my time in the hardware industry that I have ever seen a brand that claimed a WELS rating that wasn't compliant when tested correctly without any modifications, a shower head at 20L/min is more then double the required 9L/min maximum so there is something else amiss here on either the plumbers or builders part

    The RTA website is pretty clear that the below three criteria must be met to charge for water

    -------------------

    What are the minimum criteria for water charging?
    Lessors are able to pass on the full water consumption charges to tenants if:

    • the rental premises are individually metered (or water is delivered by vehicle), and
    • the rental premises are water efficient, and
    • the tenancy agreement states the tenant must pay for water consumption.
    How can the lessor/agent prove the premises are water efficient?
    At the start of the tenancy agreement, the lessor/agent and tenant should negotiate arrangements for water charging and frequency of charges. The presence of water efficient devices should be noted on the Entry condition report (Form 1a).

    Lessors/agents should be able to demonstrate the presence of water efficient devices where it may be unclear, such as by providing copies of:

    • plumbing reports
    • receipts
    • packaging
    • warranties or instruction manuals for taps and showerheads, etc.
    For any water fixtures produced from 2005 onwards, the easiest way to check if they meet the required efficiency standard is to look for products with a WELS rating of three stars or higher. WELS is Australia’s water efficiency labelling scheme which rates fixtures including taps, showerheads and toilets according to water efficiency – the more stars the better. To find out more about the scheme or search the registered product database, visit www.waterrating.gov.au.
     
    Tom Rivera likes this.
  6. DRK

    DRK Member

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    The new shower heads were installed and certified by one plumber, a different plumber from the same company did the flow test when out there on a different matter. He initially told me that whoever had installed the new heads had either used non compliant ones or hadn't installed them properly...(his company had installed them...) That is a separate issue now as I'll probably have to negotiate the water costs from the compliance date.
     
  7. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    You also get to contact the first plumber and try to get them to reimburse you for their fee and stock. If they can prove they did the right legal thing, then ask if they can think what has caused the new issue.
     
  8. Peter Charlwood

    Peter Charlwood Member

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    Yes this is true, but my entry report says non compliant, and so much time had passed under that assumption, other wise I would have breached them for choosing not to fix it and keep the quote game going, and we're not talking about alot of money it just they charged the lot and didn't take anything into consideration, its more doing it cause its right than needing the money.
     
  9. Peter Charlwood

    Peter Charlwood Member

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    Thanks Tom, question though can you pass a certification if you have leaks?
     
  10. Tom Rivera

    Tom Rivera Property Manager Business Member

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    Technically I can't see why not- I don't think the certification is a 'leakproof' test, but it's not something I've ever had to deal with since you'd always get the Plumber to fix the leak while they do the certificate.
     
    craigc and Scott No Mates like this.
  11. Antoni0

    Antoni0 Well-Known Member

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    Tenants remove the restrictors all the time, it's just another BS thing for the LL to deal with and fork out more money which = higher rent in the end. I had tamper proof restrictors on the outdoor taps from new and the tenants almost ripped the taps out of the wall and stripped the tap threads in the process to remove them. The shower heads had the restrictors removed and they were cross threaded when reinstalled. The only thing you can do is put a dab of colored paint in an inconspicuous place on the fittings and then get the PM to check them after they vacate, if it is removed do a flow check on that item and remedy the problem.
     
  12. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Why?

    You only require water efficiency measures on the showers, toilets, bathroom & kitchen taps.
     
  13. Antoni0

    Antoni0 Well-Known Member

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    Because I was gullible and kind at first and paid for all the water costs.