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Congratulations on your new property!

Unlike other utilities we don't disconnect our services when a property changes hands, our water and sewerage services will be up and running when you move in. 

This means you don't need to call us to set up a water and sewerage account with Unitywater - it will happen automatically as part of the settlement process.  

We want to make things as easy and hassle free as possible. Read on for everything you need to know about the buying process with Unitywater.

Step 1: Your Conveyancer should request a Water Search Certificate

We recommend that your conveyancer requests a Water Search Certificate. The Water Search identifies the balance on the seller’s Unitywater account, including any credits or outstanding water and sewerage charges:  

  • If the property's account is in debit (i.e. has outstanding charges owing), the calculator will determine what the seller will owe you up to the settlement date.
  • If the property's account is in credit, the calculator will determine what you owe the seller at settlement.

This is important because the balance of the account will transfer to you and become your responsibility as the new property owner.  

If you are not using a conveyancer, we still recommend you request a Water Search Certificate. 

More about Water Search Certificates

Step 2: After settlement process

Once settlement is complete and you become the new property owner, the water and sewerage account will automatically transfer to you. This will happen when Unitywater receives official notification of the land transfer from the Queensland Government (Titles Office), typically 4-8 weeks after settlement.

A Welcome Pack is emailed or posted to you once we've received notice that you are the new owner.

We will then issue the next bill in your property's quarterly billing cycle, which will be sent to you as the new owner of the property. You will automatically be signed up to paperless billing.

To help manage your account, please register for online services in My Account.

Register now for My Account

Step 3: Your first bill 

Outstanding charges on your first bill

When the property settlement occurs, we do not send a final bill to the seller. Instead, we continue with the property’s existing meter reading and billing cycle and simply transfer the next bill due to be issued from the seller to you. This means your first bill will likely include some of the seller’s charges from the time before you owned the property.

Don't worry, these outstanding charges should've been taken care of by your conveyancer during settlement, where any outstanding water and sewerage charges are paid by the seller through the settlement process. This will show on your first Unitywater bill as a ‘Property Settlement Payment’ or be reflected in your settlement arrangement by another means. 

It’s important to note that if there are any outstanding charges at the time of settlement, they’ll become your responsibility as the new property owner. Your conveyancer will be able to provide further information.

Vacant land

If you've bought vacant land, you'll receive a quarterly bill for fixed access charges even if there is no meter currently installed. Read more about access charges. 

Your first bill explained

Buying a unit?

If you are purchasing a unit in an older complex the way you are billed as a unit owner may be under review or may change by the time you take ownership. This is because some complexes that were built or had plumbing approved before 2008 may not meet the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code and we need to ensure the sub meters are compliant and that our customers are being billed accurately. Please contact your body corporate to discuss how your unit will be charged for water and sewerage. Find out more information on sub-metered complexes here. 

Buyer FAQs

You may not have received a bill yet due to delays in us receiving the official notification of the change of ownership from the Queensland Government. Typically this takes 4-8 weeks. When we receive formal notification, we will issue your first bill.  

As the new owner of the property, you will be responsible for paying this bill in full. As part of the settlement process it is recommended that your conveyancer request a Unitywater water search, which is used to determine how much the previous owner needs to pay as part of the settlement process. This settlement adjustment may be listed on your bill as a ‘Property Settlement Payment’ or be reflected in your settlement arrangement by another means. Your conveyancer will be able to provide more information.

Find out more about understanding your first bill.

All of the water meters in your new property's area are read on the same day. This date is likely to differ from the date you bought the property. This means your first bill will likely include charges that date back before settlement occurred.

As part of the settlement process, it is recommended that your conveyancer requests a Unitywater Water Search. This is used to determine how much the previous owner needs to pay as part of the settlement process. This settlement adjustment may be listed on your bill as a ‘Property Settlement Payment’ or be reflected in your settlement arrangement by another means. Your conveyancer will be able to provide more information.

Find out more about understanding your first bill.

No. You will need to reapply to have your pensioner rebate registered against your new property if it is your principal place of residence. For mor information on how to reapply, please go to our Pensioner water subsidy page.

As part of the settlement process, we recommend that your conveyancer requests a Unitywater Water Search.  The Water Search Certificate provides a summary of the balance of the previous owner’s account at the time of the request.  Your conveyancer uses this information to determine what adjustments need to be completed as part of the settlement process.  Your conveyancer will be able to provide more information on how this is calculated.


Unitywater does not bill water and sewerage charges directly to tenants. All Unitywater bills are raised in the property owner’s name and billed to the property owner. The Residential Tenancies Authority administers the legislation relating to tenants and renting, and has detailed information and guidelines about water and sewerage charging. Find out more on our landlords and tenants page or visit Residential Tenancies Authority for detailed information.

Handy links

Pensioner water subsidyWays to pay your billPricing, fees and chargesSign up for a paperless bill
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