Who pays the water bill when you rent?
What happened
Tenancy Services has set out who pays water charges in a rental. The landlord pays fixed water charges, water supply infrastructure charges, wastewater and stormwater. A tenant can only be charged for water they actually use, and only where there is a compliant water meter.
Tiaki Wai, which now bills water in Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt, does not change those tenancy rules.
What it means for you
If you rent in a place without a water meter, the water bill is your landlord's. Tiaki Wai also advises owners not to install their own meters for now, because they may not fit future infrastructure and the cost falls on the owner.
Our take
If a landlord asks you to pay a flat water charge on an unmetered home, that is worth querying with Tenancy Services before you pay. Read your tenancy agreement first.
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Summarised in our own words by Streetwise from the official page above. General information only, not legal or financial advice.