I'm buying or selling a property
Buying or selling property? This is what you need to know.
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Buying a property
Congratulations on buying your property! Here’s what to expect.
1. Your solicitor or conveyancer lets us know
To set up your water account, you don’t need to do anything. Your solicitor or conveyancer will send us a Notice of Acquisition. This includes your contact and property details. Once we get this, we’ll set up an account for you. During this time, your water will remain connected and will not be switched off.
2. Getting your first bill
You should receive your first bill by email within three months of the settlement date. If you’re unsure about anything on your bill, read our guide to understanding your bill. Once you get your first bill, register for mySouthEastWater to manage your account online.
3. Manage your account online
There are many ways to manage your payments with us.
- Pay by credit card: You can either make a one-off payment by credit card online or by signing in or registering for mySouthEastWater.
- Set up direct debit: If you prefer money to be taken out of your account, you can set up direct debit in mySouthEastWater.
- Set up a payment plan: If you prefer smaller amounts to be taken out of your account, set a payment plan in mySouthEastWater.
- Applying for a concession: If you have a valid concession card, you can apply your concession to get a reduced bill. Read our guide on how to check your eligibility.
There’s no need to arrange a special meter read at settlement.
Your solicitor or conveyancer, usually acting for the seller, will request an information statement that includes historical usage data to help calculate charges up to the settlement date.
You may notice charges carried forward from the previous owner. South East Water service charges apply to the property and are the responsibility of the current owner.
These charges are typically adjusted by the solicitor or conveyancer during settlement, with a corresponding credit applied to the new owner’s account.
If this credit has not been received, please contact your solicitor or conveyancer for more information.
Have a renter at your property?
If you have a rental provider managing the property for you, they will normally submit a move in request with the renters details.
If you're self managing the property, you can submit renters details online at mySouthEastWater a request.
Once the request is received, we'll do a meter read to start billing water usage charges .
What charges am I responsible for as a landlord?
Even with renters at a property, you'll still a quarterly water bill. As the owner of the property, you will still be responsible for paying:
- Water and sewer service charges
- Waterways and drainage charge
- Parks charge
The renter is responsible for paying:
- Water usage charge
Learn more about our prices and charges.
Selling a property
You don't need to do anything to close your account when you sell your property.
Your solicitor or conveyancer will request an Information Statement, which details any outstanding charges to be included in the settlement process.
We don't issue a final bill when a property is sold. After settlement, your solicitor or conveyancer will send us a Notice of Disposition, which we use to transfer the account to the new owner.
Remember to cancel any payment arrangements, such as direct debits or payment plans, as well as any concessions linked to your account. You can do this in mySouthEastWater.
Before you buy a property, you can request an Information Statement showing the property's rates and charges, along with any outstanding amounts (encumbrances).
In most cases, your solicitor or conveyancer will arrange this on your behalf. You can also apply for an Information Statement through PropertyConnect.
When selling a property, there’s no need to arrange a special meter read at settlement.
Your solicitor or conveyancer will obtain an Information Statement, which includes historical usage data. This information is used to calculate charges from the date of the last meter read up to the settlement date.
South East Water service charges are attached to the property and become the responsibility of the new owner from the settlement date.
These charges are usually adjusted as part of the settlement process by the solicitor or conveyancer, with a corresponding payment credited to the new owner's account.
In some cases, this payment may not be received. If you believe charges have been carried forward incorrectly or a settlement adjustment has not been applied, please contact your solicitor or conveyancer for further information.
Related information
If this isn’t what you were looking for, see the following links for more information: