| By :
Nadine Davis
Renting a home brings about responsibilities that you may or may not be aware of. Naturally, keeping the property maintained needs to be done but there is also some extra charges other than rent to consider. Being familiar with the bills you are required to pay regularly while renting is a good idea. One of these financial responsibilities is water. There are certain guidelines regarding the kind of water meter present where you rent and depending on rental agreements with landlords. For a better idea of what you can expect, read on and be prepared. Separate water meters. - If the property you are living in is fitted with its own water meter then you will pay for water usage. You will be billed accordingly by the local water company and payment should be made direct to them. If you are renting in the Melbourne metropolitan area you will also be required to pay for sewage disposal unless there is an agreement with the landlord that they will pay. The water company should be correctly advised of the date of occupancy in the property. Someone from the company will come to read the meter so you may be correctly charged from your date of arrival. Likewise when you are due to leave the property, you need to advise of the date so you are not charged for water you have not used. Water bills, like other utility bills such as gas, will show your water usage for the period so you can see if the use has been excessive or not. If you are not sure if the premises you intend to rent has a separate meter or not, your property management can advise. Other water related charges. - All other charges related to water supply are the responsibility of the landlord to pay. Different laws may apply if the main source of water to the home is from a tank. If the landlord replaces any water appliances, fixtures or fittings these much meet with minimum efficiency standards. If they fail to meet with this then the landlord will be responsible for paying water consumption charges. If you would like information about water efficient products and their labeling, this can be found on the Australian Governments Water Efficiency Labeling and Standards Scheme website. For more information on water consumption charges for property rentals, you can enquire with your local estate agent.
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