A fee of $50.00 (GST-free) applies for a special water meter reading service.

Yes, you can remove a single Special Water Meter Read from a batch application by hovering your mouse over the right-hand side of the property in question (refer screenshot below). After clicking on the 'x', you will be prompted to confirm prior to that particular entry being deleted.

 Special Meter Read delete instruction

Please note: By deleting an individual Special Water Meter Read application using the above-mentioned process, you are not deleting the entire batch.

If you are a trade waste approval holder, you will be assigned and charged against the appropriate trade waste category. These categories link similar business types to equitable charges and relevant methods for measuring or estimating volume and strength of discharges.

Learn more about trade waste charges.

You can apply online for a Special Water Meter Reading or print and complete a paper application form and send this to us.

You are able to pay for your applications using one of the following payment methods:

  • Credit Card – Master or Visa Card
  • Cheque
  • Cash (payment can only be in Australian Dollars – AUD)

* If you choose to pay by credit card, a credit card surcharge fee of 0.39% is applicable.

Please mail your cheque payments to:                

  • Urban Utilities
    GPO Box 2765
    BRISBANE QLD 4001

To pay in person (cash or cheque) visit us at:

  • Level 2, 15 Green Square Close
    FORTITUDE VALLEY

Important to note when paying by cash or cheque, we will only process application(s) once payment has been received.

Please ensure that you quote the Batch Reference Number or Transaction Reference number with your payment.

If you wish to cancel an application, you must notify us by telephone before 2pm, no less than three working days prior to the due date.

For example:
A Special Meter Reading was requested, due on Friday. The cancellation request needs to be received no later than 2pm on Tuesday.
It’s important to note that cancellation requests received after this time-frame are non-refundable as the application would have already progressed.

If you wish to delay an application, you must notify us by telephone before 2pm, no less than four working days prior to the due date.

For example:
A Special Meter Reading was requested, due on Friday. The request to delay the application needs to be received no later than 2pm on Monday.
It’s important to note that requests received after this time-frame cannot be actioned as the application would have already progressed.

For applications submitted online prior to 2pm, we require four working days, excluding public holidays, to process your request.

Applications that are submitted online after 2pm, will require an additional business day to process.

For example, an application is submitted:

  • prior to 2pm on Monday. The earliest the statement can be provided is Thursday.
  • after 2pm on Monday. The earliest the statement can be provided is Friday.
  • prior to 2pm on Monday however, Wednesday is a public holiday. The earliest the statement can be provided is Friday.
  • after to 2pm on Monday however, Wednesday is a public holiday. The earliest the statement can be provided is the following Monday.

If you are paying for your application by cash or cheque, please consider this time frame when submitting your payment.

Home owners can submit one application at a time.

Solicitors and conveyancers can submit up to ten applications at one time.

Agents can submit up to ten applications at one time however, they can:

  • submit ten applications for one solicitor
  • submit one application each for ten solicitors or,
  • a variation there of (for example: five applications for one solicitor and five applications for another solicitor in the same batch).

*Only one payment is required per batch of applications.

If you require us to check on an application that you’ve submitted, you’ll need to provide the following information to assist us with your enquiry:

  • The reason for your enquiry
  • The Batch Reference Number
  • The Transaction Reference Number
  • The Payment Reference Number (if applicable)
  • The method of payment
  • The date your application was submitted
  • The due date of the Special Meter Reading
  • Your contact details

*Note:  All the above application information is provided in the confirmation Queensland Urban Utilities provides when application are submitted online.

The Account Balance at the bottom of the Special Meter Reading statement will show what is owing on the account. If there are no charges owing, the amount will be $0.00.

 

smr

Water and sewerage charges are now billed in arrears and align with water usage charges. 

smr

Upon submission, a summary of the application(s) details, including the Batch Reference and Transaction References Numbers, will be appear on screen for you to print.

If an email address has been provided, confirmation of your submission will be emailed to you.

If you have paid by credit card, this email will also include confirmation of your payment.

If you have paid by cash or cheque, you will receive a separate payment confirmation once your payment has been processed.

Once a Batch Reference Number has been created, it will only be valid for 30 days.

If a Batch has not been submitted, or a cash or cheque payment for a submitted Batch has not been received, we will email you a reminder seven days before the Batch is due to expire.

If a Batch reaches the 30 day limit and expires, you will need to create a new submission and re-load your Special Water Meter Reading Applications.

A Batch Reference Number is a unique identifier, starting with “58”, which automatically generates when an Agent, Solicitor or Conveyancer starts a new batch of Special Water Meter Reading Applications online.

When an Agent, Solicitor or Conveyancer details are entered and saved, an automated email containing the Batch Reference Number and a link to the Batch, is sent to the nominated email address.

It is important you retain this email.

If you leave the Batch at any time prior to submission, you will need the link provided in the email to return to the batch and continue loading your applications.

A Transaction Reference Number is a unique identifier, starting with “55”, which automatically generates and is assigned to each application.

Even if the application was submitted as part of a Batch, it will still have its own unique Transaction Reference Number.

If you are following up on a statement which has not been provided by the due date, please contact Urban Utilities on 13 57 26, or email your enquiry to UrbanUtilities.SpecialReads@urbanutilities.com.au

  1. ‘I am a Home Owner’
    This option should be used if you require a Special Meter Reading on a property that you own.
  2. ‘I am a Solicitor or Conveyancer’
    This option should be used if you are a third party lodging an application on behalf of a customer, purchasing or selling a property.
  3. ‘I am an Agent’
    This option should be used if you are lodging applications on behalf of a solicitor or conveyancer.

*Please note:  If applications are submitted using the ‘I am an Agent’ option, submission and payment confirmations will be sent to the Agent’s email address. The Special Water Meter Reading Statement will be provided directly to the nominated recipient.

If an accurate water meter reading cannot be obtained, water consumption will be charged using the deeming rate.

The deeming rate is:
  • 130 kilolitres per year for both residential and commercial properties
  • 82 kilolitres per year for residential and commercial Community Title Scheme (CTS) properties
  • 6000 kilolitres per year for metered standpipe water consumption

The deemed rate applies to residential and commercial properties, which:
  • are not listed as vacant land
  • do not have water meters installed
  • have water meters installed that are unable to provide a reading and no previous consumption history is available (including complex metering or staged developments)
Any outstanding balance after a change of ownership has been completed will become the responsibility of the new property owner, as the debt remains with the property, not with the customer.

Prior to the settlement of a property, your solicitor or conveyancer will typically arrange a Special Meter Reading (SMR). The SMR service allows the solicitor or conveyancer to identify the pro-rata balance owing (or any credit) on the account at the time of settlement. Any balance owing for the water and sewerage account is typically paid by the seller to the buyer in the settlement. This is in accordance with the REIQ Contract of Sale.

The new owner of the property is then responsible for paying all future water and sewerage accounts.

If you or your solicitor did not arrange for a SMR  prior to settlement of the property sale, and the balance owing at the time of the settlement was not paid to you as part of the property settlement, you are still responsible for all charges on the account.  If you have any concerns, you can refer to your property settlement statement provided by your solicitor or conveyancer or contact them directly to clarify the terms of your property settlement.