Buying a property
Take the stress out of buying a property. Find out more about your water and sewerage account and what to expect.
Selling a property
Make your settlement as smooth as possible. Find out more about what to expect and what you need to do.
Request a search certificate
Apply online and receive your Unitywater Water Search Certificate within 10 business days.
Our services always stay connected
Unlike other utilities such as gas and electricity, we don’t disconnect and reconnect water and sewerage services when people move in and out of a property. Our services stay connected and simply transfer from the seller to the buyer when the property changes hands.
What sellers and buyers need to do
This means buyers and sellers don’t need to contact us to have their water and sewerage services disconnected or reconnected. They do need to do a few simple things to make the property settlement process as smooth as possible. Find out more about what you need to do when buying and selling.
What renters need to do
The water and sewerage account for the property is always in the owner’s name – Unitywater does not bill tenants directly. If you’re renting the property, you’ll need to direct any questions you have about water and sewerage charges to your real estate or landlord. Find out more about what landlords and tenants need to do.
What conveyancers need to do
During the sale of a property, we recommend that the buyer’s conveyancer does a Unitywater Water Search to determine the balance of the account. This includes any credits or outstanding water and sewerage charges from the seller’s time at the property. This balance is then taken into account during settlement. This is important because the balance of the account will transfer to the new property owner when the property changes ownership. This includes any credit balances or outstanding charges, which become the responsibility of the new owner.
The buying and selling process
The buyer’s conveyancer will generally order a Unitywater Water Search to provide details of the balance of the account. As part of the water search, a meter reading is completed to record water usage at the property. The Water Search Certificate is then issued showing the balance of the account, including any credits or outstanding charges due at the time of the search meter read.
The Unitywater Settlement Calculator uses the Water Search Certificate to determine the settlement adjustment for the sale of the property:
- If the property's account is in debit (i.e. has outstanding charges owing), the calculator will determine what the seller will owe the buyer up to the settlement date.
- If the property's account is in credit, the calculator will determine what the buyer owes the seller at settlement.
This adjustment is then paid through the settlement process. Your conveyancer will be able to provide details of this.
If you are the new owner, you can now log into My Account to update your contact details, arrange for e-billing, pay your account and much more. If you have just sold your property, you will still be able to view your billing history and update your contact details online through your current My Account.
