Irish Water: Councils to stay out of tenants’ billing disputes

Many local authorities across the State have confirmed they will not intervene to ensure their tenants sign up with or pay their bills to Irish Water.

Similarly, the representative body for landlords says its members cannot co-operate with the new utility in the event that tenants fail to register or pay water charges.

Their statements came as Irish Water issued a “clarification” yesterday saying tenants were responsible for water charges, and in the event they did not register, the company would be contacting the property owner to ensure the tenant gets the bill.

Irish Water said: “If you have a tenant in a property, the tenant is responsible for the payment of the water charge and should register with Irish Water in order to claim their relevant allowances. If the tenant has not registered with Irish Water, Irish Water will contact the property owner to ensure that the responsible party [ie the tenant] receives the bill. Irish Water will announce details of this shortly.”

‘Jeopardising’ tenancy

One local authority, Wicklow County Council, has written to tenants of the rental assistance scheme telling them that "failure" to "pay all rates and water charges . . . would be considered a breach of your tenancy agreement and could jeopardise your tenancy".

Last night the council said it had issued the letters “in order to protect tenants at risk of breaching the terms of their tenancy agreements with landlords”.

This should be seen in the context of an increasing number of landlords withdrawing from the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), leading in some situations to homelessness.

In highlighting particular aspects of the RAS contract, Wicklow County Council is attempting to safeguard the RAS scheme and its tenants by reminding them of their obligations under the scheme.

However, other local authorities said tenants’ registration with Irish Water and water bills were matters for Irish Water and the customer.

Cork City Council said: "Domestic billing of customers is a matter for Irish Water."

Dublin City Council said: "The responsibility for registering and paying for water is a matter between Irish Water and their customers. Non-payment of water charges, therefore, does not put their tenancy in jeopardy."

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said: "Irish Water are providing the service, and any issues regarding the payment of the charges is between them and the tenant."

Fingal County Council said: "No, we will not be writing to them [tenants] and no, we are not responsible if they don't pay."

South Dublin County Council said: "The occupiers of rented properties are responsible for the payment of the water charges."

Tenants’ responsibility

Galway City Council said paying bills was the tenants' responsibility.

Clare County Council said: "Matters relating to water charges are directly between the tenant/occupier and Irish Water," while Sligo County Council said: "All Irish Water queries are to be directed through their call centre".

Limerick City and County Council said: "Non-payment of water charges is a matter between occupiers and Irish Water."

Meanwhile, the Irish Property Owners’ Association, which represents 5,000 landlords, said its members could not get involved in ensuring tenants signed up with or paid bills to Irish Water.

The association’s information officer, Margaret McCormack, said there remained “huge concern” and “confusion” among landlords about who would ultimately be liable for unpaid water bills.

Ms McCormack said private landlords should not have to ensure utility bills get to tenants. Nor could they furnish tenants’ names or other details to Irish Water.

“We have to be very careful under data protection about not handing private information over to people or bodies unless specifically authorised to do so. This is a very grey area and it simply has not been clarified in the way that it should have been by now.”

She said the IPOA had been inundated in recent weeks with calls from members, “almost all about Irish Water”.

“First of all they can’t get through. Then they are getting conflicting information each time they call. They are seriously concerned they are ultimately going to be left with these bills.”