New South Wales Consolidated Acts

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 1987 - SECT 19A

19A Social housing tenants to pay water charges

(1) It is a term of every social housing tenancy agreement that the tenant must pay to the landlord any charges, determined in accordance with guidelines approved by the Minister, in respect of water usage by the tenant.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the guidelines may:

(a) provide for the determination of water usage charges by reference to any of the following:

(i) actual usage or estimated usage,

(ii) the income of the tenant,

(iii) the rent payable for the premises to which the agreement relates (whether with or without rent rebate), and

(b) require water usage charges to be paid by the tenant in advance of actual usage.

(3) The guidelines are to be made publicly available.

(4) A copy of the guidelines is to be provided, on request, to any tenant under a social housing tenancy agreement free of charge and to other persons either free of charge or on payment of reasonable copying charges.

(5) The guidelines may be amended or replaced from time to time.

(6) The Energy and Water Ombudsman of NSW is to review any guidelines in force under this section as soon as possible after the period of 2 years from the date on which this section commences.