Community title scheme billing and sub-metering
Water sub-meters became compulsory on 1 January 2008 for all new residential multi-unit developments and some non-residential premises.
Sub-meters
Sub-meters are individual water meters attached to each lot in a community title scheme development. They allow for fair water charges for residents because each resident is charged only for water they use.
Sub-meters became compulsory on 1 January 2008 for all new residential multi-unit developments and some non-residential premises.
It is not mandatory to install sub-meters to multi-unit complexes built before 1 January 2008. The body corporate can choose to do so at its own cost.
Community title scheme billing
Our Community Title Scheme Billing and Sub-Metering Policy (PDF 135 KB) outlines our billing and sub-metering arrangements for community title schemes built before and after 1 January 2008.
Billing arrangements for community title schemes built after 1 January 2008
For community title schemes where the plumbing assessment application was lodged after 1 January 2008, we send individual accounts to each owner if:
- sub-meters are installed
- the sub-meters are owned by Council
- the sub-meters are located in a place where they are easy to read and maintain, in line with Part 4 of the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code
- the sub-meters are installed in line with Councils Sub Metering Guidelines Water sub-metering for multi-unit properties guidelines (PDF 170 MB).
Billing arrangements for community title schemes built before 1 January 2008
For properties built before 1 January 2008, we charge each owner for a share of the total water used as shown by the master water meter, this is our standard billing system.
To calculate how much each resident should pay, we use the schedule of lot entitlements. This is a standard way of dividing body corporate expenses like water usage. The original owner or developer would have set the lot entitlements for the scheme. The original lot entitlements will continue to apply unless they are changed through the body corporate.
Alternatively, the body corporate can apply for one of the follow billing arrangements:
- we charge the body corporate for all water consumed by the master meter
- we send an account to each owner, based on water consumed by installed sub-meters.
There are some criteria to be met for these options, which are outlined on the application form.
For more information or to request a different billing arrangement, please download: