Enter your email Address

  • Home
  • What is strata?
    • Strata Legislation – Rules and ByLaws
    • What is Strata?
    • Glossary of NSW Strata Terms and Jargon
    • Strata Property Basics: Strata Owners Corporation
    • Strata 101: Strata title
    • Understand Strata Management with this Five-Minute Guide
    • Cracking the Strata Fees Code
    • Strata Finance
    • 2021 Updated Guide: Master the Art of Strata Insurance
  • Strata Topics
    • Strata Information By State
      • New South Wales
      • Queensland
      • Victoria
      • Australian Capital Territory
      • South Australia
      • Tasmania
      • Western Australia
      • Northern Territory
    • Strata Information By Topic
      • COVID-19
      • By-Laws & Legislation
      • Smoking
      • Parking
      • Noise & Neighbours
      • Insurance
      • Pets
      • Your Levies
      • New Law Reform
      • Maintenance & Common Property
      • Committee Concerns
      • NBN & Telecommunications
      • Building Defects
      • Renting / Selling / Buying Property
      • Strata Managers
      • Building Managers & Caretakers
      • Strata Plan / Strata Inspection Report
      • Apartment Living Sustainability
    • Strata Webinars
      • NSW Strata Webinars
      • QLD Strata Webinars
  • Blog
    • Newsletter Archives
  • The Strata Magazine
    • The NSW Strata Magazine
    • The QLD Strata Magazine
    • The VIC Strata Magazine
    • The WA Strata Magazine
  • Advertise With Us
    • Site Sponsors
    • LookUpStrata Site Advertising
  • About Us
    • Testimonials for LookUpStrata
  • Help
    • Ask A Strata Question
    • Q&As – about the LookUpStrata site
    • Sitemap

LookUpStrata

Australia's Strata Title Information Site

  • Promotion Strata Insurance Webinar
  • Whitbread Insurance Brokers
Australia's Top Property Blog Dedicated to Strata Living
You are here: Home / Maintenance & Common Property / Maintenance & Common Property SA / SA: Q&A Shared Water Meter Between Three Units & Splitting the Bill

SA: Q&A Shared Water Meter Between Three Units & Splitting the Bill

Published November 14, 2017 By Ace Body Corporate Management SA 1 Comment Last Updated November 4, 2020

Sharing is caring!

2shares

This question about a shared water meter between three units has been answered by Tyson D’Sylva, Ace Body Corporate Management.

Question: We have a shared water meter between three units. I find it very unfair as I contribute towards the other unit owners water usage. How can I change this?

GET NOTIFIED WHEN WE PUBLISH NEW Q&As, NEWS AND ARTICLES TO THE SITE

In the article VIC: What’s yours and what‘s common property?, the author Stephen Raff states that:

“If a property owner is renting their property to a tenant and only has one meter for both gas and water for the entire owners corporation, the tenants cannot be charged for the water or gas bills. In order to pass the costs of these services from the owner to the tenant, a separate water or gas meter must be installed.

shared water meter The Victorian Government encourages the installation of separate water meters in unit complexes, apartment blocks and commercial properties to encourage efficiency and provide a financial reward for people who reduce water use.“

Do these laws apply to South Australia? I am a tenant in a strata complex where we have a shared water meter. I’m being charged 1/3 strata charges of water use as we share one meter between 3 units.

I find it very unfair as I contribute towards the other unit owners water usage, especially when their use is more excessive than mine. In my complex, it appears water use is determined by whoever uses most and then this split 3 ways for each to pay.

Can you give some ideas according to strata regulations in SA in these areas? Does the SA Government encourage and support people who are efficient with water like the Victorian Government does?

Answer: Many Body Corporates these days are being built with separate meters making it very simple for individual billing and therefore eliminating the issue you have.

This is a good question and I will try to do my best to answer, however when it comes to tenancies and your rights you may want to raise this further with your property manager.

In these matters, I have found it to be quite common practice for tenants to pay a share of the account even though there may be only one meter, just as in your case.

You will need to go through your rental contract and locate what you have agreed to, as you may be able to change your arrangement. Please note the laws in SA are different than in Victoria.

Many Body Corporates these days are being built with separate meters making it very simple for individual billing and therefore eliminating the issue you have.

Many local authorities support the efficient use of natural resources, however, no legislation has been passed for you to benefit from this. Separate metering would be ideal.

It may be good for you to raise this with the landlord and ask for it to be discussed at their next AGM of the corporation.

For now, unless you can find a way for separate metering, your contributions may stay as a 1/3 share.

Read next:

  • SA: Q&A Do outstanding amounts limit the ability to vote?
  • WA: Q&A Shared Strata Water Meter – A Lot Owner Refuses to Pay

Tyson D’Sylva
Ace Body Corporate Management
T: 08 8342 1544
E: [email protected]

This article is not intended to be personal advice and you should not rely on it as a substitute for any form of advice.

This post appears in Strata News #168.

Have a question or something to add to the article? Leave a comment below.

Embed

Visit our Maintenance and Common Property OR Strata Information South Australia.

Looking for strata information concerning your state? For state-specific strata information, take a look here.

After a free PDF of this article? Log into your existing LookUpStrata Account to download the printable file. Not a member? Simple – join for free on our Registration page.

Comments

  1. AvatarMelodie Tyrer says

    November 14, 2017 at 10:46 am

    https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/11964/Charging_for_water_bulletin.pdf
    This SA info page will give you some idea of where you stand. Unfortunately this is more of a tenancy issue than a strata issue.
    I suggest you check your lease first and if there is nothing mentioned about paying for water consumption it appears you cannot be required to. If your lease specifies shared payment of water consumption on a one-third basis you’re stuck with it until the end of the lease – so make sure at least 30 days prior to the end of the lease you let the agent that you believe the terms of the lease need adjusting to be fairer, why and how.
    If, however, the lease doesn’t specified how the payment for water is to be shared, it should not be automatically assumed as being equal, particularly if the number of people on each lease is different. In that case I believe you would be justified in asking for a fairer arrangement immediately, and perhaps seeking further advice from REISA.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search For Strata Articles

  • Advert Stratabox
  • StrataBox Advert
  • Advert: StrataLoans
  • Advert: StrataLoans
  • Advert: StrataLoans
Subscribe Newsletter

TESTIMONIAL

"The newsletter is very helpful and gives great guidance with commonly asked questions." Gayle, Lot Owner
"I love your regular emails and now this fantastic magazine! Keep up the great work. " David, Lot Owner

Quick Login

Log In
Register Lost Password

Categories

  • COVID-19
  • Ask A Strata Question
  • New South Wales
  • Queensland
  • Victoria
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Western Australia
  • Northern Territory
  • ByLaws & Legislation
  • Smoking
  • Parking
  • Noise & Neighbours
  • Insurance
  • Pets
  • Levies
  • Law Reform
  • Maintenance & Common Property
  • Committee Concerns
  • NBN & Telecommunications
  • Building Defects
  • Renting / Selling / Buying
  • Strata Managers
  • Building Managers and Caretakers
  • Strata Reports / Plans
  • Sustainability

Recent Comments

  • QLD: Q&A Duties of a Building Manager | LookUpStrata on QLD: The golden rules of bylaw enforcement + Q&As
  • QLD: Q&A Renting Or Selling My Car Space or Storage Space on QLD: Q&A Can a Body Corporate Tow a Car, especially after the recent tow truck legislation changes?
  • QLD: How To Find Units With Low Body Corporate Fees on QLD: Q&A Is there enough money in our sinking fund?
  • QLD: Denying Access to Authorised Contractor Due to Safety Concerns on QLD: Q&A AGMs, Motions in Strata and the Obligation to Act
  • WA: Q&A Making Strata ByLaws (Post WA Strata Reforms) on WA: Q&A Strata Council Authority: Roles and Responsibilities
  • NSW: Q&A Use of Disabled Parking in Apartments on NSW: Q&A Owners Corporation Meetings – Correspondence, Times and Frequency
  • NSW: Can Owners Corporation committee decisions be reconsidered? on NSW: Q&A Duties of Strata Treasurer. Is there a job description?
  • QLD: Owner Improvements on QLD: Q&A Oppressive or Unreasonable Strata Bylaws
  • QLD: Pros of Electronic Voting - More Owners Can Have Their Say on QLD: Q&A Body Corporate Voting Rules – What You Can and Can’t Do
  • QLD: Q&A Who is Responsible for Maintenance of My Apartment Balcony? on NAT: Your Balcony, Balustrades and Strata Liability

WEBSITE INFORMATION

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions of Use
  • Terms of Use for Comments and Community Discussion
  • Advertising Disclosure
  • Sitemap

SCA Membership

SCA WA Membership

ASK A STRATA QUESTION

Disclaimer

The opinions and/or views expressed on the LookUpStrata site, including, but not limited to, our blogs and comments, represent the thoughts of individual bloggers and our online communities, and not those necessarily of LookUpStrata Pty Ltd. In all instances, information should not be taken as advice and independent legal advice should be consulted.

CONTACT US VIA EMAIL

Copyright © 2021 · LookUpStrata ® Pty Ltd · All rights reserved