Landlords Should Ensure Water Bills are Paid to Avoid Disconnection

The National Water Commission (NWC) is reminding landlords that they must ensure that water bills attached to their properties are settled on time and in full.

Based on the legal provisions that guide the operations and policy of the NWC, bills are not sent in the name of tenants. Instead, they are directly linked to properties. This means the water bill would be in the name of the landlord or property owner.

This reminder comes as the NWC continues its disconnection drive. While trying to recover monies that are owed to the Commission, suggestions have been made for the NWC to take steps against tenants for them to pay outstanding sums.

However, this would not be possible since the property and the water bill would not be in the tenants’ names. Legally, all action for arrears must be enforced against the property or the property owner who has contracted with the NWC for water supply and not the individual who rents the property.

As a result, it is the responsibility of the landlords to ensure those bill payments are up to date. Even where there is an agreement for the tenant to pay the bill, the landlord will not be pardoned or be exempted from responsibility if payment has not been made.

While the NWC understands that disputes may arise between landlords and tenants regarding the payment of these sums, those issues must be settled by the parties involved. Based on the established policies that regulate the operations of the NWC, the Commission cannot mediate such disputes.

Therefore, property owners are strongly encouraged to be meticulous in the management of their financial affairs by ensuring that the utility bill is paid in order to avoid disconnection.

Meanwhile, the NWC has been targeting several areas for disconnection in recent months as it seeks to tackle the serious problem of chronic delinquency among some of its customers.

Customers with outstanding balances are strongly urged to settle their debt or work out payment plans with the NWC to meet their obligations. It should also be stressed that where a customer fails to honour the terms of the payment agreement and defaults on settling the account, the supply will be disconnected.