Massive Water Bills

Hi all,

I've been renting my current property for almost 3 years. The landlord used to be really good at sending through water bills each month. After a leak we didn't get one for months (to be fair it was in our favour because he paid the extra water and handled the refund etc). I chased him and received 6 months of bills in one hit.

I paid them, but told the landlord please send me bills monthly going forward, to avoid a large cost in one hit. That was April 2017. I have not received a bill since. I have emailed and text him multiple times to chase, he always apologises and says he will send them.

Now I am moving out of my property and he says he will get me all the overdue water bills. I do not want this to drag out or to risk my bond, but I feel it is unreasonable and unfair to lump us with 19 months of water bills when I have specifically asked to pay them as he receives them each month. On average we spend $20-40 per month, so we are looking at $600.

What would you do?

I'd probably just pay them and move on, you used the water and knew that the bills were coming, even if he didn't forward them.

I want to say that it's a little strange that he didn't send the bills when you asked, but I haven't received the year-end breakdown of costs (including water!) for the flat that we rent in Germany for almost 4 years.

I agree - pay for what you used. For the future if anything similar started happening, I would put the approximate amount in a savings account each month, to have it ready when needed, and get some interest.

Hi all, thank you for your advice. Sound advice that we should have put money aside in preparation.

Sorry it's too late to help with THIS time. I had a similar thing happen many years ago, and also learnt the hard way.

Legally they can’t invoice you in arrears 19 months. I had a landlord try this after they failed to forward the water bills on for nearly 3 years. Took it to tenancy tribunal for recommendation and they said more than 6 months was excessive, real estate lawyer agreed, took it to my local ombudsman, they said 3 months... took this information to the landlord and settled on 3 months.