'I am confused about the water bill.'
Need to know
- you can be charged for water (under certain conditions)
- you only need to pay for the water you use (owner must pay fixed charges)
- you have 1 month from the time you receive the bill to pay it
- you cannot be charged a fee for late payment of the bill
Billing
- water billing periods and tenancy periods are unlikely to align
- make a note of the water meter reading on the entry and exit condition reports
- to work out your share of the bill, multiply the number of days by the daily cost
- ideally the agent/owner should provide evidence of water usage and pass the bill on to you as soon as practical
- ask the agent/owner to forward the bill straight away (if they do send several bills a once, you still have to pay the bills, but you can try to negotiate a reasonable time to pay)
Disputes
- find out your rights and responsibilities
- try to resolve any problems by dealing directly with the agent/owner
- if this does not work the RTA may be able to help you and the agent/owner resolve the issue