Fair Usage Policy – Electricity & Water
1. Included Utilities
Electricity and water are included in the rent and are provided for normal domestic use only.
2. Fair Usage Definition
“Fair usage” means reasonable consumption consistent with:
Occupancy levels of the room/property
Normal household activities (lighting, cooking, washing, bathing)
Responsible and considerate use of utilities
Utilities must not be used in a way that is excessive, wasteful, or unreasonable.
3. Excessive or Unreasonable Usage
Examples of excessive or unreasonable usage include (but are not limited to):
Leaving lights, heaters, taps, or appliances running unnecessarily
Excessive showering or continuous water usage
Use of high-consumption appliances not intended for domestic use (e.g. crypto-mining equipment, commercial heaters, industrial equipment)
Tampering with meters or attempting to bypass usage monitoring
Any usage that significantly exceeds typical consumption for similar properties with comparable occupancy
4. Monitoring and Review
The landlord or managing agent reserves the right to:
Monitor overall utility consumption for the property
Review usage where bills are unusually high compared to historic averages or similar households
Monitoring will not involve intrusive or personal surveillance.
5. Action Where Usage Is Excessive
If electricity or water usage is deemed excessive:
The tenant will be notified in writing
The landlord may request the tenant to reduce consumption
If excessive usage continues, the landlord reserves the right to:
Recharge the tenant for the excess portion of the utility costs, or
Introduce a reasonable usage cap going forward, with excess usage charged separately
Any charges will be supported by evidence and calculated fairly.
6. Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants agree to:
Use electricity and water responsibly
Take reasonable steps to conserve energy and water
Report leaks, faults, or running water immediately
7. No Change of Supplier
Where utilities are provided by the landlord, tenants must not change suppliers or interfere with metering arrangements.
8. Agreement
This Fair Usage Policy forms part of the tenancy agreement and is binding once issued or signed as an addendum.
