The new owner of the property is responsible for paying the water and sewerage account when the next bill is issued. Any outstanding balance after a change of ownership will become the responsibility of the new property owner, as any debt remains with the land, not with the customer.
Special Meter Reading
A service that's usually arranged by the purchaser's solicitor, a special meter reading (SMR) allows solicitors to correctly allocate responsibility of water and sewerage charges to the buyer and seller at the time of ownership change.
This is an important part of the property sale process because Urban Utilities does not issue final accounts when a property is sold.
Please note: Urban Utilities does not issue final accounts
The new owner of the property is responsible for paying the water and sewerage account when the next bill is issued. Any outstanding balance after a change of ownership will become the responsibility of the new property owner, as any debt remains with the land, not with the customer.
Urban Utilities does not issue final accounts when a property is sold. For this reason, all financial adjustments for outstanding or overpaid amounts should be made at the time of property settlement. Usually, the solicitor or conveyancer will do this by adjusting the final settlement figures. A Special Meter Reading assists solicitors or conveyancers in correctly calculating the adjusted settlement figures. Your settlement documents will show how these charges have been calculated. Your solicitor or conveyancer will be able to answer any questions.