Why does my first bill have usage on it from before I moved in?
Why does my first bill have usage on it from before I moved in?
Our accounts are property based, not customer based. When a property changes ownership, the account is transferred from the previous owner to the new one. During settlement, the vendor's conveyancer calculates the water usage up to the settlement date, and the vendor contributes that amount to the first bill.
While your bill may show some water usage from before you took ownership, this should have been covered in the settlement process. If you believe it wasn’t, we recommend contacting your conveyancer.
To keep an eye on your bills, water usage, and account balance, register for a mySAWater account.
A similar process applies when renting. Your landlord or Managing Agent may take a meter reading when the previous tenant moves out. Depending on your water billing agreement with the property owner, you’ll typically only be billed for water usage starting from your move-in date. If you have any questions about your first water bill as a tenant, please reach out to your Managing Agent or landlord.
