What are Auck land lords doing to pass on tenants water usage bills?

**friendly_prawn** · 24-01-2013, 09:41 PM

Or are they just wearing this cost? Any thoughts anyone please?

**RHarris** · 24-01-2013, 10:03 PM

I get the tenants to pay for the water. Watercare sends the bill to the tenant addressed in my name C/O the tenant. Watercare send me a copy of the invoice by email so I keep track if they're paying. Hasn't been a problem.

**cube** · 24-01-2013, 11:03 PM

Because the debt is still legally ours (and we have got fed up with receiving threatening letters from watercare), we now pay the bill and then get the PM to chase the tenant for their portion. Will be interesting to see how it works out.

**flyernzl** · 25-01-2013, 09:30 AM

I understand a lot of professional PMs are simply adding $20 a week on to the rent to cover the water costs.

Which, of course, completely defeats the stated purpose of charging for water in the first place.

**donna** · 25-01-2013, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by RHarris

I get the tenants to pay for the water. Watercare sends the bill to the tenant addressed in my name C/O the tenant. Watercare send me a copy of the invoice by email so I keep track if they're paying. Hasn't been a problem.

So the tenant is paying all of the bill - not just the water usage RHarris? I am interested given we'll be going through it next year when metered water is in place.

cheers.

Donna

**RHarris** · 25-01-2013, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by donna

So the tenant is paying all of the bill - not just the water usage RHarris? I am interested given we'll be going through it next year when metered water is in place.

cheers.

Donna

Yes they pay all the water. Technically I believe the fixed portion should be paid by the landlord which is like $200 a year but this amount is reflected in the rent amount I charge. Saves the hassle of me paying small amounts each month. There maybe a better way of doing this.

At one property I pay the water as it's easier. The tenants don't seem to abuse the water usage at this property and I can keep track if their usage is reasonable. Watercare have a graph of what reasonable water usage is for 2 bedroom houses ,etc and I have a rough idea what usage is like. Again rent in this place reflects me paying the water.

**flyernzl** · 25-01-2013, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by RHarris

Yes they pay all the water. Technically I believe the fixed portion should be paid by the landlord which is like $200 a year but this amount is reflected in the rent amount I charge.

Could be a bit dodgy there RH.

At some future time, if the tenants turn feral, they can go to the TT and claim based on the fact that they have paid the daily connection charge for which they are not actually liable.
If they did this, any argument that you may put forward based on them having paid a cheaper rent in return would be dismissed as an irrelevant factor.

You would be found in breach and penalized.

**Keys** · 25-01-2013, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by flyernzl

You would be found in breach and penalized.

Property rates, insurance, interest, maintenance. All are added into the rent. Should these be claimed back by the tenant as, without them, the rent would be cheaper?

**flyernzl** · 25-01-2013, 08:58 PM

But, of course, the tenant is not paying these directly to the suppliers.

**RHarris** · 25-01-2013, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by flyernzl

At some future time, if the tenants turn feral, they can go to the TT and claim based on the fact that they have paid the daily connection charge for which they are not actually liable.
If they did this, any argument that you may put forward based on them having paid a cheaper rent in return would be dismissed as an irrelevant factor.

Could be true. A way around it is to state it in the agreement.