Tenants' Union of Tasmania

Mouldy Tenancy Shows We Need Standards Legislation Now

Posted on Wednesday, 27 February 2013 | Permalink

Click above to see ABC TV story about a tenant's fight to get out of a defective house full of mould.

Water and Sewerage Bills

Posted on Tuesday, 12 February 2013 | Permalink

It's water and sewerage bill time again and we've received an increase in calls on the subject.

Here's a Hobart Mercury story on the issue and here's the quick low down:

1. Tenants are not responsible for the whole bill, even if the lease agreement says that they are.
2. Water and sewerage bills should be sent to the landlord or agent not the tenant.
3. The landlord/agent may only pass on the metered component of the bill to the tenant.
4. The metered component can only be passed on to the tenant if it can be determined which property is consuming the water through the meter.  That means a) it must only meter the tenant's property (not multiple properties) and b) if the tenant has not been at the property for the whole period of the bill there needs to be a meter reading when the tenant entered and/or when the tenant left.

  If tenants need advice on this issue please contact us.