Do I need to register for water myself or is it sorted out automatically? This is a question a lot of people have when moving to a new apartment. In actual fact, in most rental apartments water is already organized through the landlord and is covered by the ancillary expenses. This guide will explain when you need to take action yourself and what you need to be aware of when moving home.
In most cases, you do not need to register for water yourself when you move. In rental apartments, water is often supplied through the landlord or property manager and is covered by the ancillary expenses.
This means that as a tenant, you do not usually have your own contract with the water supplier. Instead, the landlord organizes the water supply for the whole building.
This is particularly common in multifamily homes. When organized in this way, water costs are recorded centrally and then allocated to the individual apartments.
You only need to register for water yourself in exceptional circumstances, e.g. if you are billed directly via your own meter or in particular living situations. If you are unsure, it may be helpful to check with your landlord or property manager.
If you need to register for water yourself, you usually only require a few details. The exact details you need to provide may vary by supplier, but they all tend to ask for similar information.
You will usually be asked to provide the following details:
You may also need to provide additional information, such as:
However, for many rental apartments, you do not need to register yourself, as your water is supplied through the landlord.
You should take a water meter reading as soon as possible after you move in. This means that usage can be clearly assigned to the previous tenant or the new one, and it makes it easier to avoid any issues with billing further down the line.
The location of the water meter can vary from one building to another, for example:
If you can’t find the meter yourself, it can often be helpful to check the handover record or ask your landlord or property manager.
You should make a note of the meter reading as soon as you move in. It’s a good idea to note down the number in the handover record and take a photo of the meter reading. This will provide evidence of the reading at the time you moved in if you require it later.
There aren’t usually any one-off costs involved when you register for water, but there are ongoing costs for the supply itself.
Typical costs are as follows:
The exact costs depend on where you live, who your supplier is and your individual usage. Prices may therefore vary from region to region. If you need to register for water yourself, make sure that you check if you need to pay any additional fixed charges in addition to paying for the water you use.
In many rental apartments, you do not need to register for water yourself. In most cases, water is supplied through the landlord and you will be billed for the costs later as part of the ancillary expenses. As a result, there aren’t usually any direct consequences to not taking out your own contract.
However, things are different if you are responsible for your own water supply. In this case, you need to take action. If nobody registers, the responsible supplier may contact you to clarify the situation.
