Debt Recovery Code of Practice

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This Code of Practice explains our billing practices and how we manage our debt recovery process in accordance with the legislation we are licensed to operate under.

Billing

Charges

We issue Annual Service Accounts every July to all properties where water, wastewater, and/or drainage services are available. Accounts are sent to the owner of the property at the last notified postal address.

We read meters and issue Water Usage Accounts every six months in the metropolitan area and every four months in country areas.

Liability for Charges

The property owner is liable for all water use and service charges.

Any arrangements between the owner and tenant are a private matter between these parties. If the property is sold, any outstanding debts should be deducted from the proceeds of the sale. In the event that these charges are not cleared, the debt will transfer to the new owner.

Issuing accounts

We will send your account to the postal address you nominate. If you do not nominate a postal address, the account will be sent to the property to which the services are available or provided, or your last known postal address.

Tenants

As a service to owners, we will issue accounts to either the owner's agent or tenant on request. However, this does not affect the owner's liability for these charges.

Where the account is sent to anyone other than the owner, and it remains unpaid after the due date, recovery action will be taken against the owner.

Pensioner and Senior Concessions

If you hold a recognised concession card you may be eligible for a concession on your Annual Service and Water Usage Charges. For further information please contact us on 1300 659 951.

Paying your account

There are a number of ways you can pay your account. These include:

You must pay us the amount of your account by the date specified. If an account is not paid by the due date, you may be charged interest on the overdue amounts.

Payment difficulties

If you are experiencing financial hardship, you should contact us and we will provide you with information about the services available to assist you. All reasonable effort will be taken by us to provide assistance to you.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, you have the right to:

be treated sensitively on a individual basis;
receive information from us on alternative payment arrangements;
negotiate an amount you can afford to pay us on an agreed instalment plan;
receive information from us about independent financial advice from a financial counsellor; and
access the services of a language interpreter; if required, at no cost to you.

Account relief

If you are experiencing financial hardship, we will offer you one of the following types of payment arrangements.

Deferment of payment for a short period of time.
An agreed instalment plan that is consistent with your capacity to make some form of regular payment.
An equal repayment plan that will allow you to combine any outstanding charges with your anticipated future water charges into regular instalments.

Commercial customers may be offered short term payment arrangements based on reasonable commercial considerations and market conditions.

If you enter into a payment arrangement with us and honour the conditions we will not take any legal action to enforce the debt or action to restrict the supply of water to your property.

We will confirm an instalment plan in writing.

Financial assistance

Under special circumstances you may be eligible for further assistance through our Water Assist Scheme.

Designed for customers who require a greater level of assistance, this scheme helps customers to get their overdue charges back to a manageable position.

Based on your individual circumstances we may refer you to qualified financial advice from a financial counselling service. The financial counsellor will work with you and assess your eligibility for this scheme.

Unpaid accounts

If your account remains unpaid and you have not made contact with us to discuss alternative arrangements, we may commence recovery action.

Recovery action may consist of either the restriction of the water supply or legal action. Both will incur additional charges. Entering into an agreed repayment plan and keeping to it will ensure that restriction and/or legal action is avoided.

Restriction of water supply

If we restrict the supply of water to you, we will provide a flow sufficient for health and hygiene purposes. Restriction of the water supply will not occur unless:

At least 30 days has elapsed since the due date of the original account.
You have been given at least two working days notice in writing of our intention to restrict the water supply.

We will restore the service following payment of amounts owing including the restoration fee, or agreement to a suitable instalment plan.

We will endeavour to restore your water supply within one working day of you meeting the above conditions. This may not apply in remote country locations where longer delays may be experienced.

Legal Action

Where all previous recovery action has been unsuccessful, we may take legal action.

If you are Declared Bankrupt

On being informed of your bankruptcy, we will put the current balance of your account on hold until you are no longer bankrupt. All new charges raised after the date of your bankruptcy are payable as they become due.

Once your bankruptcy is lifted, the whole balance of your account becomes due and payable. Penalty interest will accrue on the total overdue balance.

Enquiries

For more information about our debt recovery processes or to speak to a Customer Service Representative, call 1300 366 106 or visit our website.

Email cust_centre@watercorporation.com.au

TTY users (for the hearing impaired) call 1800 063 508

Customer Correspondence
Water Corporation
Locked Bag 2
Osbourne Park Delivery Centre WA 6916

This information is available in alternative formats on request