There have been amendments as to what water efficiency measures a landlord needs to undertake under Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and new Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 which commenced on 23 March 2020

Before a landlord is able to pass on water usage charges to the tenant, the residential property must be separately metered, meet the water efficiency measures prescribed by the Residential Tenancies Act, and the charges must not exceed the amount payable by the landlord (according to the water supplier’s bill or other evidence).

The changes provide additional water efficiency measures, including all taps and toilets on the property need to be checked at the start of a tenancy so any leaks are fixed. Taps and toilets must also be checked whenever any other water efficiency measures are installed, repaired, upgraded or any leaks fixed. This requirement applies to existing and new tenancy agreements from 23 March 2020.

From 23 March 2025, all toilets in rented properties must be dual flush with a minimum three-star rating in accordance with the Commonwealth Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme. The WELS scheme uses a rating system to help consumers make informed choices about the water efficiency of products they buy.

Landlords who intend to replace or upgrade existing toilets in their property should consider installing dual flush toilets with a minimum three-star WELS rating to meet the water efficiency requirements by 23 March 2025.

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