QLD Water charging

Hi all,

I know this topic comes up fairly regularly so I put together an article that covers some of the discussions I have seen on PC as well as items that come up in general PM activities. This one is just for QLD but I will follow up with a NSW one down the track.

As owners it has never been easier in terms of accessibility to find out information for ourselves. As property managers this means we have to be careful in making sure we are delivering correct distinctions between what is required to prove compliance vs what may be (for good reason) an agency policy. I have tried to address this in the article.

The A2Z of H2O - PMC Property Management - Experienced Property Managers

Thanks,

Luke

 

I have a suggestion relating to water usage which you may be able to offer some feedback.

Like many others I have encountered tennants that don’t want to pay water, despite it being clearly explained to them at the start of the lease as well as documented on their lease agreement. I should note I currently self manage all of my properties

What I do now which I have found some success with is keep a running balance for the property charges (water and rent) vs tenant payments. Whenever the tenant makes a payment I deduct this against their oldest expense due. Hence let’s say rent is $400 and they owe $150 for water. If water is overdue and they make a payment of $400, I clear the water owing and put them $150 in arrears for rent. I have found this gets a better response when issuing a breach notice.

Do you think this is a valid approach? My tennants never specify in their EFT payments what the payment is for, so to me it seems reasonable to use whatever funds they pay to clear their oldest amounts owing?

 

Be careful with that approach. Not sure about qld but I know in NSW it is legislated that rental payments may only be attributed to rent. It is pretty clear if the payment is exactly the rental amount that this is what the payment was for

 

Same in Queensland.

I certainly appreciate your frustration, but no it is not a valid (as in legal) approach. You are exposing yourself to a fair bit of risk if this comes back on you. Do you, or did you, issue a breach notice for non payment of your water invoice?

- Luke

 

Why dont you just add an averaged out water charge to their rent (at the start of a new tenancy agreement). Ie rent $400, the water charge $50 - the rent is $450, now there is no “water” charge.
PS im not a property manager.

 

Bundling is good in most situations, until it gets abused. Horses for course. Normal residential tenancy with a normal property, play it by the book. Rooming accommodation on purpose built dwelling, bundle for dayz.