This article discusses single water meter strata schemes, explaining why water costs are shared across all lots and what options owners have to move toward individual metering or fairer billing.
Question: When I bought my unit as a single working owner, I had no idea we had one water meter to be read and divided amongst 32 lots. Why do I need to pay for other’s high water usage?
When we purchased my property, I was not aware that we have only one water meter reading to be divided between all 32 lots.
I am the single occupant of my lot and I work full time. I pay the same as a lot occupied by 4 or 5 people and this bill does not vary even if I’m away for 4 weeks.
I am not the only owner wanting a separate water meter. As the meter is on my property and apparently my responsibility, can I request to have it read and only pay that amount?
Answer: The water authority may be willing to change to individual metered billing without too much of an issue.
It takes a sharp conveyancer to point out that sort of detail. The CMS almost never says, “there’s only one water meter which divides the water between 32 properties”. It’s unlikely they’ll be a sign and the agents are not always across the detail. Water rates notices describe the distribution by contribution entitlement and unless scrutinised, it’s often hard to interpret when you’re faced with the myriad of competing challenges when buying a property in a strata scheme.
Depending on the age and layout of your building, it may not be possible for the water authority to read the meter and charge you individually. But you have a couple of options.
If you have existing meters installed, the first thing to do is call the local water authority to see whether their access policy has changed since the building was registered or is likely to change in the future. The authority may be willing to change to individual metered billing without too much of an issue. If the local water authority cannot access the meters easily or remotely, it is unlikely they will offer to change to individual metered billing. Your body corporate manager will be able to make some enquiries on behalf of the building.
The next thing the body corporate can do is take responsibility for the entire building’s water usage each cycle. If you have existing meters installed or are willing to install them, the body corporate can change the contribution entitlement arrangement with the local water authority and be the responsible party for the water invoice each cycle. The body corporate is then responsible for individual water recovery from all owners. There is a cost for administering the water recovery as well as a risk of delinquent debt, but for conscientious and low water users this is often less than the cost of excess water usage.
We have previously responded to a similar question from a NSW lot owner, and you may find it useful to read that response as well.
This post appears in the April 2021 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
Sarah Price Altogether Group E:sprice@altogethergroup.com.au