Calling All Landlords...

Are you ready to comply with the new Welsh Government regulations to ensure that you are not held liable for your tenants’ water bills?

Effective from 1 January 2015, under new regulations introduced by the Welsh Government, if you own a residential property and let the property to someone else and are served by either Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water or Dee Valley Water, you are legally required to give the water company basic information relating to the occupiers (excluding any person under the age of 18). The information to be provided to the serving water company by the owner in relation to the tenant is as follows:

Their full names;
Their dates of birth (where such information has been provided to the owners)
The date or dates on which the occupiers began to occupy the premises (where this is after 1 January 2015)

Additionally, before the information is given, the owner is required to notify the occupier that the above information will be provided to the water company. The guidance on the regulations states that if the property is unoccupied then the owner must notify the water company of the same.

Importantly, failure to provide the mandatory information by no later than 21 January 2015 and subsequently within 21 days of a change of occupier will mean that the owner will become jointly and severally liable with the occupier for any water and sewerage charges incurred during the period that they failed to comply with the regulations.

The Welsh Government insists that having the details of the tenants through this procedure will enable water companies to correctly bill, and if necessary pursue the named individuals who are not paying their bills. Further, the costs of water companies trying to obtain the information by visiting properties or from credit reference agencies all add to increasing administration costs and are ultimately passed on to all customers through increased prices and bills.

The information must be provided by post, telephone, or email (see below for details) or via the Landlord and Tenant Address Portal atwww.landlordtap.com. Details input to the portal are automatically passed to the relevant water company and a unique transaction receipt reference is provided.

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water:
Tel: 0800 052 0145
Email: water.enquiries@dwrcymru.com
Post to: Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Customer Services, PO Box 690, Cardiff, CF3 5WL.

Dee Valley Water:
Tel: 01978 833200
Email:customer.services@deevalleygroup.com
Post to: Dee Valley Water plc, Packsaddle, Wrexham Road, Rhostyllen, Wrexham, LL14 4EH.

JCP Solicitors have an expert team who deal with a wide range of landlord and tenant issues. For more information contact us on law@jcpsolicitors.co.uk or telephone one of our local offices below.

• Swansea: 01792 773773
• Cardiff: 02920 225472
• Carmarthen: 01267 234022
• Caerphilly: 02920 860628
• Cowbridge: 01446 771742
• Haverfordwest: 01437 764723
• Fishguard: 01348 873671